For much of the night, the Oscars went according to plan — even without a host: Awards pretty much went the way experts, like TheWrap’s Steve Pond, had anticipated. However, no awards show would be complete without at least a few surprises.
SURPRISE: “Green Book” for Best Picture
The film about a white man who drives a black concert pianist through the South in 1962 had been criticized throughout this Oscar season, with one of the screenwriters even coming under fire for old tweets in which he said Muslims in New York rejoiced after 9/11. Many thought that could hurt the film’s chances. And though the Best Picture race seemed fairly up in the air, “Green Book” still managed to surprise and beat out the likes of “Roma,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Black Panther,” “A Star Is Born,” “Vice,” “The Favourite” and “BlacKkKlansman.”
SURPRISE: Olivia Colman, Best Actress for “The Favourite”
The British actress wasn’t a front-runner for the top female acting award, though she did take home the BAFTA in the same category. At the Oscars on Sunday, she beat out Glenn Close in “The Wife,” Lady Gaga in “A Star is Born,” Yalitza Aparicio in “Roma” and Melissa McCarthy in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
SNUB: Glenn Close, “The Wife”
After Close won numerous awards for her performance in “The Wife,” including the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild Award and the Independent Spirit Award, many thought the actress had the Academy Award for Best Actress in the bag. However, Colman ended up winning for her role in “The Favourite” — and even Colman was shocked.
SURPRISE: “Bohemian Rhapsody” was the night’s winningest film
Though it lost Best Picture to “Green Book” the Freddie Mercury/Queen biopic managed to land four Oscars, including one for lead actor Rami Malek — more than any other film. This despite the fact that the film had just 61 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest of any Best Picture nominee.
SNUB: Bryan Singer
Not only was the credited director of “Bohemian Rhapsody” MIA at the Oscars, he was not even mentioned by any of the film’s winners — perhaps stemming from the fact that he was fired during production and subsequently accused of sexual misconduct (charges that he has denied).
SURPRISE: The Oscars don’t need a host after all
When Kevin Hart dropped out as this year’s host after years-old homophobic tweets resurfaced (for which he has since apologized), the Academy scrambled for a replacement — and then opted to go hostless for the first time since 1989. But, to everyone’s surprise, the 91st Academy Awards actually ran smoothly, and presenters made efforts to be entertaining and memorable.
