2022 Academy Awards: Oscar Winners, Nominees and Highlights
The 94th Academy Awards ceremony, held on March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, was a night of historic wins and unexpected drama
Hosted by Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes, the event marked a return to a live, in-person format following the previous year's pandemic-altered ceremony
The evening's highlights included "CODA" winning Best Picture, making history as the first film from a streaming service (Apple TV+) to claim the top prize
Will Smith's controversial on-stage altercation with Chris Rock overshadowed his subsequent Best Actor win for "King Richard." Jessica Chastain earned her first Oscar for "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," while Jane Campion became only the third woman to win Best Director for "The Power of the Dog." The ceremony reflected Hollywood's ongoing efforts to address diversity and representation in the film industry.
Memorable Moments and Trivia
- Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith
- CODA won Best Picture, becoming the first film from a streaming service (Apple TV+) to win the top prize
- Will Smith won Best Actor for "King Richard" shortly after the slapping incident
- Jessica Chastain won Best Actress for "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" and gave a speech advocating for LGBTQ+ rights
- Troy Kotsur became the first deaf male actor to win an Oscar, receiving Best Supporting Actor for "CODA"
- Ariana DeBose won Best Supporting Actress for "West Side Story," becoming the first Afro-Latina and openly queer woman of color to win an acting Oscar
- Jane Campion won Best Director for "The Power of the Dog," becoming only the third woman to win in this category
- Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell won Best Original Song for "No Time to Die" from the James Bond film of the same name
- The ceremony featured the first live performance of "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from Disney's "Encanto"
- The show introduced a new "Fan Favorite" and "Cheer Moment" category voted by Twitter users, with "Zack Snyder's Justice League" winning both
FAQ
- Who was the host of the 2022 Academy Awards?
The 2022 Academy Awards had three hosts: Amy Schumer, Regina Hall, and Wanda Sykes. - What were the biggest surprises at the 2022 Oscars?
The biggest surprise at the 2022 Oscars was Will Smith slapping Chris Rock on stage after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Another surprise was CODA winning Best Picture, as many had predicted The Power of the Dog to win. - What were the most memorable speeches at the 2022 Academy Awards?
Some of the most memorable speeches at the 2022 Academy Awards included: Will Smith's emotional acceptance speech for Best Actor, where he apologized to the Academy and his fellow nominees; Troy Kotsur's heartfelt speech in American Sign Language after winning Best Supporting Actor for CODA; and Ariana DeBose's inspiring words about representation when accepting her Best Supporting Actress award for West Side Story.
What happened in 2022?
Discover what the world looked like in 2022: