The 95th Academy Awards ceremony, also known as the Oscars 2023, was held on March 12th, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. This highly anticipated event celebrated the best films of 2022, honoring exceptional performances, storytelling, direction, and technical achievements. In this article, we’ll explore the complete list of winners in various categories and highlight some of the most notable moments of the ceremony.
Best Picture:
The Best Picture award is considered the most prestigious and coveted category at the Oscars. It recognizes the overall excellence of a film, taking into account various factors such as direction, writing, acting, and technical achievements. Here are the nominees and winner for the Best Picture category at Oscars 2023:
- The Power of Love
- American Tragedy
- The French Dispatch
- The Last Duel
- Belfast
- Dune
- Don’t Look Up
- Licorice Pizza
- The Lost Daughter
- West Side Story
Winner: Belfast
The historical drama Belfast, directed by Kenneth Branagh, won the Best Picture award at Oscars 2023. The film explores a young boy’s life during the late 1960s in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during the height of the Troubles. The film also won the Best Original Screenplay award, making it a significant triumph for the film.
Best Director:
The Best Director category honors the outstanding direction of a film. This category is awarded to the director who has shown exceptional skill in bringing together various aspects of the film, such as the script, actors, cinematography, and sound. Here are the nominees and winner for the Best Director category at Oscars 2023:
- Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
- Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
- Kenneth Branagh, Belfast
- Denis Villeneuve, Dune
- Wes Anderson, The French Dispatch
Winner: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
Jane Campion won the Best Director award for her western drama film, The Power of the Dog. The film explores the lives of two ranching brothers and their relationship with a widow and her son in 1925 Montana. Campion’s skillful direction, along with the excellent performances of the cast, made the film a critical and commercial success.
Best Actor in a Leading Role:
The Best Actor in a Leading Role category honors the outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role. Here are the nominees and winner for the Best Actor in a Leading Role category at Oscars 2023:
- Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
- Adam Driver, Annette
- Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick… Boom!
- Will Smith, King Richard
- Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth
Winner: Will Smith, King Richard
Will Smith won the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams, in King Richard. Smith’s transformation into the character, along with his nuanced and emotional performance, made him a clear favorite for the award.
Best Actress in a Leading Role:
The Best Actress in a Leading Role category honors the outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role. Here are the nominees and winner for the Best Actress in a Leading Role category at Oscars 2023:
- Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
- Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
- Lady Gaga, House of Gucci
- Kristen Stewart, Spencer
- Rachel Z
Here is the complete list:
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Picture | Everything Everywhere All at Once – Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, and Jonathan Wang, producers |
| Best Director | Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All at Once |
| Best Actor | Brendan Fraser – The Whale as Charlie |
| Best Actress | Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All at Once as Evelyn Quan Wang |
| Best Supporting Actor | Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All at Once as Waymond Wang |
| Best Supporting Actress | Jamie Lee Curtis – Everything Everywhere All at Once as Deirdre Beaubeirdre |
| Best Original Screenplay | Everything Everywhere All at Once – Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Women Talking – Sarah Polley; based on the novel by Miriam Toews |
| Best Animated Feature | Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar, and Alex Bulkley |
| Best International Film | All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany) – directed by Edward Berger |
| Best Documentary Feature | Navalny – Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller, and Shane Boris |
| Best Documentary Short | The Elephant Whisperers – Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga |
| Best Live Action Short | An Irish Goodbye – Tom Berkeley and Ross White |
| Best Animated Short | The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse – Charlie Mackesy and Matthew Freud |
| Best Original Score | All Quiet on the Western Front – Volker Bertelmann |
| Best Original Song | “Naatu Naatu” from RRR – Music by M. M. Keeravani; Lyrics by Chandrabose |
| Best Sound | Top Gun: Maverick – Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon, and Mark Taylor |
| Best Production Design | All Quiet on the Western Front – Production Design: Christian M. Goldbeck; Set Decoration: Ernestine Hipper |
| Best Cinematography | All Quiet on the Western Front – James Friend |
| Best Makeup and Hairstyling | The Whale – Adrien Morot, Judy Chin, and Annemarie Bradley |
| Best Costume Design | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Ruth E. Carter |
| Best Film Editing | Everything Everywhere All at Once – Paul Rogers |
| Best Visual Effects | Avatar: The Way of Water – Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, and Daniel Barrett |
