Troy Kotsur and Ariana DeBose made historical past and the big-screen craft of Denis Villeneuve’s science-fiction epic “Dune” received a number one six awards at Sunday’s 94th Academy Awards.

After record-low rankings throughout a pandemic-marred 2021 present producers this yr turned to one of many greatest stars round — Beyoncé — to kick off an Oscars supposed to revive the awards’ place in popular culture. After an introduction from Venus and Serena Williams, Beyoncé carried out her “King Richard” nominated music, “Be Alive,” in an elaborately choreographed efficiency from a lime-colored, open-air stage in Compton, the place the Williams sisters grew up.

Hosts Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Corridor then started the telecast from the Dolby Theatre.

“All proper, we’re right here on the Oscars,” started Corridor. Sykes completed: “The place film lovers unite and watch TV.”

Sykes, Schumer and Corridor breezily joked by means of outstanding Hollywood points like pay fairness — they stated three feminine hosts had been “cheaper than one man” — the Woman Gaga drama that Sykes referred to as “Home of Random Accents,” the state of the Golden Globes (now relegated to the memoriam package deal, stated Sykes) and Leonardo DiCaprio’s girlfriends. Their most pointed political level got here on the finish of their routine, by which they promised an important evening after which alluded to Florida’s “Don’t Say Homosexual” invoice.

“And for you folks in Florida, we’re going to have a homosexual evening,” stated Sykes.

The primary broadcast award went, fittingly, to Ariana DeBose, who turned the primary brazenly LGBTQ actor and first Latina to win greatest supporting actress. Her win got here 60 years after Rita Moreno received for a similar function within the 1961 authentic “West Facet Story.” DeBose thanked Moreno for main the best way for “tons of Anitas like me.”

“You see an brazenly queer girl of shade, an Afro-Latina, who discovered her power and life by means of artwork. And that’s, I believe, what we’re right here to have a good time,” stated DeBose. “So if anybody has ever questioned your identification or you end up dwelling within the grey areas, I promise you this — there’s certainly a spot for us.”

Later, Kotsur turned the primary male deaf actor to ever win an performing Oscar, and joined his “CODA” costar Marlee Matlin on the solely deaf actors to win an Academy Award. He obtained a standing ovation whereas many within the Dolby gave the Deaf clap, waving each arms within the air.

“That is for the Deaf group, the CODA group and the disabled group,” stated Kotsur, signing from the stage. “That is our second.”

“Encanto,” the Disney hit propelled by its chart-topping soundtrack, received greatest animated movie. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who penned the movie’s hit songs, missed the ceremony after his spouse examined constructive for COVID-19. Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s three-hour Japanese drama “Drive My Automotive,” one of many yr’s most acclaimed movies, received for greatest worldwide movie.

The Academy Awards received underway Sunday off-camera, with the primary eight awards on the evening being handed out on the Dolby Theatre earlier than the beginning of the ABC telecast. The Dolby was largely full in time for the 7 p.m. EDT pre-show, dubbed the “golden hour” by the academy. Speeches had been later edited into the printed.

It was an odd and controversial starting to the primary absolutely in-person Oscars in two years. Earlier this month, greater than 70 Oscar winners, together with James Cameron, Kathleen Kennedy and Guillermo del Toro, warned that the shift would flip some nominees into “second-class residents.”

“Dune” received out to an early lead it was prone to hold by means of the evening, successful six Oscars for its majestic craft. The largest blockbusters of this yr’s 10 best-picture nominees, “Dune” received for manufacturing design, cinematography, enhancing, visible results, sound and Hans Zimmer’s rating. Although it’s not favored within the high awards, “Dune” was broadly anticipated to wash up within the technical classes.

Greig Fraser’s cinematography win denied one probability for Oscar historical past. Some had been rooting for Ari Wenger, who lensed Jane Campion’s “The Energy of the Canine,” to turn into the primary girl to win greatest cinematography, the only Oscar class that has by no means been received by a lady within the Academy Awards’ 9 decade-plus historical past

Finest make-up and hairstyling went to Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” That movie’s star and producer, Jessica Chastain, had been among the many many academy members who thought all of the awards ought to have been handed out reside in the course of the broadcast. Chastain hugged every winner as they took the stage.

“I simply hope that each day on set everybody takes a second to simply go searching and take a look at all these proficient individuals who work laborious,” stated Dowds, the make-up artist.

“The Queen of Basketball,” concerning the basketball nice Lusia Harris, took greatest quick documentary movie. Its government producers embrace Steph Curry and Shaquille O’Neal. Finest animated quick went to “The Windshield Wiper,” whereas “The Lengthy Goodbye,” a blistering fictional quick starring Riz Ahmed, took greatest fiction quick.

“That is for everybody who appears like they’re caught in No Man’s Land,” stated Ahmed. “You’re not alone. We’ll meet you there.”

However after two years of pandemic, and beneath a heat California solar Sunday, a Hollywood ceremony of glamour once more received into swing, with a jammed crimson carpet and a COVID-tested viewers. The early hour of awards was one in all many shifts, each slight and tectonic, round this yr’s ceremony. After a socially distanced 2021 version, the Academy Awards sought to recapture their exalted place in popular culture with a revamped telecast that’s anticipated to see a streaming service win greatest image for the primary time.

The movie trade recovered considerably from the pandemic in 2021, however regardless of one of many greatest hits in years in “Spider-Man: No Method Residence,” the rebound has been fitful. The worldwide film trade bought about half the tickets final yr because it did two years in the past, $21.3 billion in 2021 in comparison with $42.3 billion in 2019, based on the Movement Image Affiliation. Hollywood pushed extra of its high movies instantly into houses than ever earlier than; half of this yr’s 10 best-picture nominees had been streamed at or very close to launch.

Then there have been the challenges of commanding worldwide consideration for an evening of Hollywood self-congratulation after two years of pandemic and whereas Russia’s conflict ravages Ukraine. Some stars, like Sean Penn, have lobbied the academy to have Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy communicate on the ceremony. A small variety of blue ribbons supporting Ukraine may very well be seen on the crimson carpet.

Netflix’s “The Energy of the Canine,” Campion’s gothic western, is available in with a number one 12 nominations and an excellent probability of snagging the highest award. However all of the momentum is with Sian Heder’s deaf household drama “CODA,” which, regardless of boasting simply three nods, is taken into account the favourite. A win could be a triumph for Apple TV+, which acquired the film out of the Sundance Movie Competition final yr and has spent huge selling it to academy members.

Behind the telecast adjustments was alarm over the Oscars fast-falling rankings. Whereas drops have been frequent to all main community award exhibits, final yr’s present attracted solely about 10 million viewers, lower than half of the 23.6 million the yr earlier than. A decade in the past, it was nearer to 40 million.

To assist restore the Oscars’ place, some argued within the lead-up to this yr’s awards {that a} blockbuster like “Spider-Man: No Method Residence” ought to have been nominated for greatest image. It was nominated for simply visible results. As an alternative, a large gamut of movies are within the hunt, starting from the much-watched Netflix apocalyptic comedy “Don’t Look Up” and the roundly acclaimed three-hour Japanese drama “Drive My Automotive.”

One factor producers have promised: the evening’s closing award can be greatest image. Final yr’s present concluded awkwardly with the surprising presentation of greatest actor to a not-present Anthony Hopkins.