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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Entertainment
Michael Sun

Hugh Grant, Malala and a donkey: the best memes and moments from the 2023 Oscars

Hugh Grant Cocaine Bear Oscars Andrew Garfield Lady Gaga Malala Yousafzai Rihanna David Byrne James Martin Ashley Graham

Hugh Grant has his moment

Hugh Grant stammered and equivocated his way through one of the more excruciating awards moments ahead of the ceremony – in an interview that launched a thousand memes.

“The whole of humanity is here … it’s Vanity Fair,” he said in a red carpet interview with American model Ashley Graham, referring to the 1848 novel by William Thackeray.

“It’s all about Vanity Fair – that’s where we let loose and have a little bit of fun!” beamed Graham in response, referring to the magazine that famously hosts an Oscars afterparty.

Unfortunately, that is not where the awkwardness ended. Did he have his bets on any winners tonight? “Not anyone in particular,” Grant said. Who was he wearing? “Just my suit.” What was it like being in Glass Onion? “I’m in it for about three seconds.”

Presenting an award later in the night, he referred to his face as a scrotum, possibly making him the first person to say “scrotum” at the Oscars (not factchecked, do not hold us to this).

Rihanna and Lady Gaga: a makeover, a makeunder

As Hugh Grant nattered away, both Rihanna and Lady Gaga (in an unexpected appearance) made their entrances – the former in distinctly covert attire, bucket hat and all; and the latter in mesh corsetry, courtesy of Versace – which she risked to save a photographer from a stumble.

Both artists later pulled off elaborate wardrobe changes to perform their Oscar-nominated songs.

Rihanna swapped her normal person cosplay for a floor-length gown; Gaga swapped her floor-length gown for … normal person cosplay?

Spare a thought for Gaga’s makeup artist, who has been working overtime tonight.

David Byrne sausage party

Do not Google that phrase. Speaking of best original song nominees, David Byrne stepped on stage to perform This is a Life – his track with Son Lux and Mitski from the night’s big winner, Everything Everywhere All at Once – and seconds in, revealed his accoutrement of choice: a set of hotdog fingers referencing a much-shared scene in the multiverse epic.

(Presumably he did not have to pay US$55,000 for the honour, unlike one recent megafan.)

Happy birthday James!

And for a number certainly not nominated for best original song: the entire Oscars audience sang happy birthday to James Martin, the lead actor of An Irish Goodbye, which took home best live action short for its tale of two brothers checking off the bucket list of their late mother.

An especially spirited rendition came from The Banshees of Inisherin star Colin Farrell, who swung a thumbs-up to his fellow Irish actor.

All aboard the Ke Huy Quan express

For an Oscars narrative no one was mad at, look no further than Ke Huy Quan, who continued his domination of this year’s awards season. To no surprise, he picked up best supporting actor for his portrayal of Everything Everywhere All at Once’s soft, stoic dad – a role he nabbed after a long hiatus from the screen and more than 30 years after his child acting days in The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

He used his speech as an opportunity to once again thank the establishment for “welcoming me back”, in a comeback fit for the movies. “Dreams are something you have to believe in,” he said. “I almost gave up on mine.”

Donkeys and bears and raccoons, oh my

But the real winner of the night? Animals – of all forms, of all sizes, of varying degrees of appropriateness – that stormed the stage and aisles of the Dolby Theatre.

Of the creatures on display, it was Jenny – the beloved donkey from The Banshees of Inisherin – who glistened in the spotlight.

“If you’re feeling upset or if you win or if you’re feeling anxious or if you just love mules, come up and give her a hug,” said host Jimmy Kimmel.

Joining Jenny in the menagerie was the titular lead of Cocaine Bear, a movie about a bear on cocaine.

She stood alongside her director, Elizabeth Banks, who was on stage to present an award.

This was not the bear’s first public appearance – she had also appeared with Banks on a Variety cover last month – and it certainly wasn’t her last.

She later stumbled into the audience pit of the Oscars to torment fellow actors and producers, including – in a cringeworthy series of moments – one very unlucky Malala Yousafzai. “Cocaine Bear, leave Malala alone!” is a phrase none of us thought we’d hear.

Honourable animal mentions also go to: the raccoon from Everything Everywhere All at Once, resplendent on screen behind David Byrne as he performed; and the poor, lonely pooch of Charlie Mackesy, who won best animated short for The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse – then admitted in his speech he had left his dog behind in the hotel room.

Andrew Garfield’s face

Anyone on a specific section of Twitter knows that Andrew Garfield’s face goes viral about once every 12 hours, but a different version of it made waves at the Oscars.

Accosted by Kimmel – who made a passing reference to Garfield’s Spider-Man during one of many gags about The Slap – Garfield shrugged and flashed his pearly whites in a “help me” smile, which cemented his status as the night’s certified reaction picture. To quote someone else, Andrew Garfield … you are all of us!

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