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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Hampton U chapter.

On February 9, 2020, 23.6 million people tuned in to watch the 92nd Academy Awards. Acclaimed actress and singer Janelle Monae opened the awards show with a theatrical and dynamic performance. With the exception of Monae and a few presenters, including Mahershala Ali and Zazie Beetz, there were few individuals of color on screen that night. The general public’s approval, or lack thereof, was perhaps reflected in the network’s floundering ratings: “The show, which ran for about 3 ½ hours, was watched by the smallest audience the event has ever generated” (Barney). Lack of representation is one of the most important issues to highlight in regards to the show. Keep reading for a recap of other important notes from the night.  

 

Here’s a quick recap of the night’s biggest winners.

 

Best Director, Best Original Screenplay – Bong Joon-ho, Parasite

This South Korean filmmaker has taken the entertainment industry by storm with his 2019 offering, the drama/mystery Parasite. His infectious smile and humility made him one of the biggest scene stealers during the award show. Parasite emerged as a big winner of the night, garnering recognition for Best Directing, Best Original Screenplay, Best International Feature Film and Best Picture. His film has officially made history as the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture.

 

Best Actress – Renee Zellwegger, Judy

You may recognize Zellwegger from her starring role in Bridget Jones’s Diary or the 1996 movie Jerry Maguire. Her stirring performance as Judy Garland in the 2019 drama/romance Judy was highly lauded. She walked away with the well deserved title – Best Actress. 

 

Best Actor – Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

Some believe Phoenix’s transformative portrayals of one of the world’s most beloved villains rivals that of Heath Ledger. For most who have followed awards season and Joaquin’s previous BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Awards, this Academy recognition comes with little surprise.

 

Highlights

  • Best Animated Short Film – Hair Love
  • Cynthia Erivo’s performance of “Stand Up” from Harriet
  • Spike Lee’s Tribute to Kobe Bryant: The untimely passing of the basketball legend was not lost on Academy-Award winner Spike Lee.
  • Billie Eilish’s performance of “Yesterday” during the In Memoriam recognition: While many chose to react to her facial expressions during Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig’s parody performance, the teenager’s heartfelt rendition of “Yesterday” paid tribute to film legends who recently passed. 

 

Sources: 

The Mercury News

Statista

Cnet

Insider

IMDB

Kenya Cummins

Hampton U '20

"I became an artist, and thank God I did, because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life." (Viola Davis) Hi! I'm a senior Strategic Communication Major, Cinema Studies Minor at Hampton University. My aspirations post-grad are to become a filmmaker, writer and world traveler.
Tiana Ruffin

Hampton U '21

I have the privilege to serve as Campus Correspondent for the Her Campus Hampton U Chapter a second year! I am a graduating Senior, Strategic Communications major, Marketing minor currently studying at the illustrious Hampton University. I am from Richmond, VA (shoutout to the 804!). In addition to classes, I run my own creative agency, Tiana Nichelle Marketing where I specialize in social media management, content creation, public relations, and branding. My love for the PR and Communications industry is the reason my ultimate goal is to become a celebrity publicist in the upcoming years! Her Campus Hampton U is an organization that is near and dear to me and I am so happy to be a leader of this ELITE chapter!