The 91st annual Academy Awards are done and dusted, but for the night's winners, the celebrations are just beginning. And while the stars of Hollywood might have been heading out to fete this year's Oscars at some of LA's after-parties, we're still recovering from an emotionally charged ceremony full of surprises.
Below, we round up the most heartwarming moments from this year's awards.
1. Spike Lee and Samuel L Jackson hug it out
When director Lee won his first (frankly overdue) Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, he also gave us one of the night's greatest memes.
Rushing on to the stage to accept his trophy, the BlacKkKlansman director wrapped presenter and long-time friend Samuel L Jackson in a hug, jumping into the Pulp Fiction star's arms and fist-pumping the air.
Spike Lee and Samuel Jackson are even cuter! Will Spike get the director win too?? #Oscars pic.twitter.com/uU0EpxN9DF
— Zachary Michaels (@ZacharyMichaels) February 25, 2019
When announcing Lee's win, Jackson also let out a whoop of excitement for the director, proving himself the ultimate hype man and friend.
2. The 'BlacKkKlansman' star also got a standing ovation
Getting a little gold man had been a long time coming for director Lee, who has been behind more than 35 films in his 30-plus-year career. So when his name was called out, the auditorium rose to its feet, with guests applauding the Malcolm X star.
Lee also received a standing ovation after finishing his acceptance speech, in which he called for voters to do "the right thing".
“The 2020 presidential election is around the corner," he urged viewers. "Let’s all mobilise, let’s all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate."
3. Rami Malek honoured his immigrant parents in his speech
He made history as he became the first Arab actor to pick up a Best Actor Oscar, and Rami Malek used his moment in the spotlight to pay tribute to those who helped him on his path to success.
"My mom is in here somewhere – I love you lady," said the Bohemian Rhapsody star in his heartfelt acceptance speech. "My family, thank you for all of this. My dad didn't get to see me do any of this, but I think he's looking down on me right now so this is a monumental moment."
Malek, who was born in the US to Egyptian parents, also delivered a pro-immigration message during his address. "We made a film about an immigrant who lived his life unapologetically himself," he said, of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. "I am the son of immigrants from Egypt. I am a first-generation American, and my story is being written right now. I cannot be more grateful to each and every one of you."
4. Olivia Colman's entire, teary acceptance speech
It was her first Academy Award nomination, as well as her debut Oscar win, but The Favourite star warned her children that they had better be watching at home "because this isn't going to happen again".
In a speech that had the audience laughing and crying in equal measure, the star – who won the Best Actress award for her performance as Queen Anne – proved just why she is the toast of Britain's stages and screens.
Watch Olivia Colman's endearingly shell-shocked acceptance speech for Best Actress #Oscars pic.twitter.com/l1RI0pIf3t
— The A.V. Club (@TheAVClub) February 25, 2019
"Ooh, it's genuinely quite stressful," she began, shaking, before adding: "This is hilarious." Her endearing acceptance was perhaps the most relatable in Oscars history, as Colman paid tribute to co-stars Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, "the two loveliest women", and revealed she used to work as a cleaner, where she would jokingly practise her Academy Awards speech.
"Any little girl who is practising their speech on the telly, you never know," she said. “I used to work as a cleaner, and I loved that job. And I did spend a lot of time imagining this.”
Just before her time ran out, Colman also, in an awestruck, fangirling tone, just said "Lady Gaga" as she made eye contact with the singer. She was a queen in her winning performance, and now she's queen of our hearts.
5. Her shout-out to a fellow nominee
GIRL IT WAS FLAWLESS pic.twitter.com/ixKGMyznnz
— Megan Rosati (@meganrosati) February 25, 2019
Colman may have starred in The Favourite, but The Good Wife's Glenn Close –who has been nominated for an Oscar six times but never won – was widely tipped to take home the Best Actress award.
Olivia Colman wins and calls out her “idol” Glenn Close at the #oscars: https://t.co/T3YCU1WzbB pic.twitter.com/Svr7Sr0T0q
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 25, 2019
And that's a fact that the Peep Show star acknowledged on stage, telling her category co-nominee "you've been my idol for so long". "This is not how I wanted it to be and I think you're amazing," Colman said to a laughing Close. "I love you very much."
6. Lady Gaga's emotional and inspirational speech
She may have missed out on the Best Actress award, but the singer scooped her first Oscar for Best Original Song thanks to Shallow from A Star is Born.
After bursting into tears on stage, Gaga thanked her co-star and director Bradley Cooper, before urging others to persist in following their goals.“If you are at home and sitting on your couch watching this right now, all I have to say is this is hard work,” she said in her acceptance speech.
"It's not about winning," Lady Gaga says in tearful acceptance speech. "What it's about is not giving up. If you have a dream, fight for it." https://t.co/zSrvQG8ZE6 pic.twitter.com/BkE6iMP0E8
— ABC News (@ABC) February 25, 2019
“I have worked hard for a long time, and it is not about winning but it’s about not giving up. If you have a dream, fight for it. There’s a discipline for passion, and it’s not about how many times you get rejected or you fall down or get beaten up, it’s about how many times you stand up and are brave.”
7. The producer who repped his film with his wardrobe
While most of the crowd were clad in designer threads, we couldn't help admiring the outfit of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse producer Avi Arad. Taking to the stage as the film won Best Animated Feature, the former chairman of Marvel Studios sported some of the comic book series merchandise, wearing a spider-clad beanie.
It was a refreshing change amid the sea of tuxes, and a pure film geek moment, and for that, we loved it.
8. The ladies behind 'Black Panther' give rousing addresses
It was up for seven trophies on the night, and ended up taking home three, becoming the first Oscar-winning film for Marvel Studios – and ending the assumption that superhero films just don't win Academy Awards.
But our most beloved moments from Black Panther at the ceremony came as costume designer Ruth E Carter and production designer Hannah Beachler each delivered moving speeches as they accepted an award apiece.
"Marvel may have created the first black superhero, but through costume design, we turned him into an African king,” Carter said, as she became the first woman of colour to take home an Oscar in the category of Best Costume Design. “It’s been my life’s honour to create costumes. Thank you to the academy, and thank you for honouring African royalty and the empowered way women can look and lead on screen.”
Beachler also became the first black woman to take home the Oscar for Best Achievement in Production Design, paying tribute to director Ryan Coogler, Marvel Studios and her art department team in her speech.
"I’m stronger because of my family who supported me through the rest of time," a visibly emotional Beachler added. "I give this strength to all those who come next to keep going to never give up, and when you think it’s impossible just remember to say this piece of advice I got from a very wise woman: ‘I did my best and my best is good enough.'"
9. The empowering message about menstruation
"I'm not crying because I'm on my period," joked Iranian-American director Rayka Zehtabchi, as her film Period. End of Sentence scooped the Best Documentary Short award. "I can't believe a film about menstruation just won an Oscar."
The winning film was shot in a rural village outside New Delhi, India, where local women clubbed together to fight the stigma of menstruation. In a location where many didn't have access to sanitary supplies, the women learnt to manufacture and sell their own pads, with the subject matter a first for the Oscars.
Producer Melissa Berton ended the speech with an inspiring message while highlighting the consequences many women around the world face, forced to miss school or work due to to a lack of supplies: “A period should end a sentence, not a girl’s education.”
10. The always-charming Chris Evans
He plays the chivalrous Captain America in the Marvel Universe, but the American star won hearts during this year's ceremony as he jumped up to offer an arm to Best Supporting Actress winner Regina King, helping her on to the stage after she became entangled in her gown.
How do I tattoo Chris Evans helping Regina King to my chest? #Oscars pic.twitter.com/VoMsOm46DL
— Ashley K. (@AshleyKSmalls) February 25, 2019
The gentlemanly star also won over viewers when he gave a little fist bump after announcing that Hannah Beachler had won the Best Production Design award for Black Panther.
chris evans celebrating that black panther won djgjeksks #Oscars pic.twitter.com/Gc4TTHBL54
— 🦋 (@616samwilson) February 25, 2019
Looks like some superheros wear velvet blazers instead of capes.
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Read more:
Rami Malek becomes the first Arab man to win Best Actor
The Oscars were a triumph for diversity - finally
Nadine Labaki didn't take home an Oscar but still shed light on plight of refugees
Who won at the 2019 Oscars? All of the Academy Awards winners
20 candid photos of celebrities at the 2019 Oscars
Oscars 2019: red carpet, winners and more
The must-see looks from the Oscars red carpet
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