© Photo: Getty ImagesJimmy Kimmel's opening monologue
Jimmy returned to the Oscars on Sunday to host Hollywood's most glitzy night for the second year in a row – and he absolutely nailed it. The popular presenter struck the balance between making light-hearted jokes and references to serious issues, including Time's Up and the lack of diversity in Tinseltown.
He opened by joking about last year's mix-up, when La La Land was wrongly announced as the winner of Best Picture instead of Moonlight. "This year, when you hear your name called, don't get up right away," Jimmy quipped. "Give us a minute." He also openly addressed the sexual harassment scandal in Hollywood, pointing out that the Oscar statuette "keeps his hands where you can see them" and "never says a rude word". "That's the kind of men we need," Jimmy said.
He continued: "The Academy, as you are no doubt aware, took action last year to expel Harvey Weinstein from their ranks. There were a lot of great nominees, but Harvey deserved it the most."
© Photo: Getty ImagesJet ski prize
Jimmy made every attempt to make sure the awards ceremony didn't overrun. He said he would be timing acceptance speeches and offered a jet ski to whoever delivered the shortest speech! Helen Mirren presented it, sashaying around the jet ski, as Jimmy quipped: "Helen Mirren not included."
But that wasn't the only trick up Jimmy's sleeve. The awards host also said the Academy was going to scrap play-off music in favour of Lakeith Stanfield, Get Out star, running on stage and screaming: "GET OUT!"
© Photo: RexFrances McDormand's stirring acceptance speech
Hollywood's leading lady won Best Actress on the night for her stellar performance in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Frances, 60, delivered an emotional speech in which she asked her fellow nominees Meryl Streep, Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie and Sally Hawkins to stand up with her. "Meryl if you do it, everyone else will, come on," said Frances.
The actress closed her speech by calling for more diversity in filmmaking, saying: "I have two words to leave with you tonight: Inclusion rider."
© Photo: Getty ImagesTiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph presenting
To draw attention to some of the lesser known categories on the night, Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph were tasked with presenting the awards for Best Documentary Short Subject and Best Live Action Short Film. The comedic duo walked out onto the stage with their heels in their hands, wearing slippers.
"We're a little nervous to be here, because a few years ago, people were saying the Oscars were so white," said Maya. Tiffany continued: "When we came out together, we know some of you were thinking, 'Are the Oscars too black now?'"
Maya jokingly assured the crowd: "Don't worry, there are plenty more white people to come tonight." "So many, we just came from backstage, and there are so many, tonnes of them!" said Tiffany.
Stars crash a movie screening
Jimmy gave a special shout out to moviegoers, to those who actually bother to go out to watch films. He arranged a treat for one group of movie buffs who were watching A Wrinkle in Time at a cinema down the road from the Dolby Theatre.
"I thought it would be nice if we got a group together to go over there to thank them in person, to surprise them, so who wants to come with me?" asked Jimmy. The chat show host managed to rally Ansel Elgort, Mark Hamill, Guillermo del Toro, Emily Blunt, Gal Gadot, Lupita Nyong'o and Margot Robbie among others to walk over to the cinema, where the stars crashed the screening and gave out snacks including sweets and popcorn, as well as firing hot dogs at the crowd.
"Ansel go ahead, fire that thing into the crowd. Do not aim the hot dogs at the vegetarians!" Jimmy joked.
© Photo: Getty ImagesJordan Peele makes history
The Get Out director and writer made history as the first black screenwriter to win an Oscar. Jordan, 39, who made his name in sketch comedy, told the audience: "This means so much to me. I stopped writing this movie about 20 times because I thought it was impossible. I thought it wasn't gonna work, I thought no one would ever make this movie, but I kept coming back to it because I knew if someone let me make this movie, then people would hear it and people would see it."
© Photo: Getty Images#MeToo movement
Following the sexual harassment scandal that has plagued Hollywood for the past year, and the ongoing conversation about the lack of diversity in Tinseltown, the Academy paid tribute to some of the most notable trailblazers, who have bucked the trend and brought about change.
Ashley Judd, Annabella Sciorra and Salma Hayek presented the video montage, that featured the likes of Kumail Nanjiani, star of semi-autobiographical comedy The Big Sick, who said: "Some of my favourite movies are movies by straight, white dudes about straight, white dudes. Now straight, white dudes can watch movies starring me and you relate to that – it's not that hard. I've done it my whole life."
Emma Watson unveils new Time's Up tattoo
Lee Daniels continued: "Get ready for some more Get Outs, some more Black Panthers, some more Wrinkle in Times – we're here and we're not going anywhere."
© Photo: Getty ImagesSandra Bullock and Emma Stone presenting
Natalie Portman famously called out the lack of female nominees for Best Director at the Golden Globes ceremony in January. Sandra Bullock and Emma Stone took a leaf out of her book, this time drawing attention to female presence in some of the categories.
The Gravity star announced the "four men and one trailblazing woman," Rachel Morrison, who were in the running for the Best Cinematography award, while Emma presented Best Director, reading out the names of "these four men and Greta Gerwig," director of Lady Bird.
