The 94th Academy Awards: Will Smith and Jessica Chastain Win Awards

The 94th Academy Awards, held at the Dolby Theatre, showcased a range of achievements in the film industry. Will Smith received the Best Actor award for his role in 'King Richard', a film that chronicles the life of Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. This recognition marked a pivotal moment in Smith's career, highlighting his transition from blockbuster action star to a serious actor capable of delivering powerful performances. Jessica Chastain won the Best Actress award for her portrayal in 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye', a biographical film that explores the life of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. Chastain's win underscored her ability to embody complex characters and brought attention to the film's themes of faith and redemption. The ceremony also featured notable wins in other categories, including 'CODA', which made history as the first film distributed by a streaming service to win Best Picture. This win reflects the changing landscape of film distribution and the increasing influence of streaming platforms in the industry. Additionally, Troy Kotsur's win for Best Supporting Actor made him the first deaf male actor to receive an Oscar, while Ariana DeBose's victory as Best Supporting Actress marked her as the first openly queer woman of color to win an acting Oscar. The event was not without controversy, as it became infamous for an incident involving Will Smith and presenter Chris Rock, which overshadowed some of the evening's achievements. Overall, the awards highlighted significant trends in representation and the evolving nature of storytelling in cinema. • Co‑hosted by Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes. • Best Picture & Director: Apple’s coming‑of‑age drama CODA won Best Picture, becoming the first film distributed by a streaming service to win; Jane Campion won Best Director for The Power of the Dog. Other nominees included Belfast, Don’t Look Up, Drive My Car, Dune, King Richard, Licorice Pizza, Nightmare Alley and West Side Story. • Acting awards: Will Smith (King Richard) won Best Actor, Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye) won Best Actress, Troy Kotsur (CODA) became the first deaf male actor to win an Oscar, and Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) became the first openly queer woman of colour to win an acting Oscar. • Other highlights: Disney’s Encanto won Animated Feature, Japan’s Drive My Car won International Feature, and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune swept technical categories (six wins). The show became infamous when Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock after a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith; Smith later apologised in his acceptance speech.