Oscars 2023: The 95th Academy Awards

Daniel Scheinert, left, and Daniel Kwan accept the award for best original screenplay for "Everything Everywhere All At Once".

The 95th Academy Awards definitely wasn’t like last year’s ceremony – and for that, the people behind the scenes are probably breathing a sigh of relief.

After “the slap,” the Academy instituted a crisis team that was on hand to make sure things didn’t get out of hand.

But Sunday night was devoid of that type of drama – and of many surprises.

As expected, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” was a big winner, taking home the awards for best actress, supporting actor and actress, best original screenplay, best picture and best directing categories.

Brendan Fraser bested Austin Butler for best actor, which wasn’t exactly an upset as they were both leading contenders.

The closest thing that came to a shocker was Sarah Polley’s win for best-adapted screenplay for “Women Talking,” a small film that felt very much the David that beat out the Goliath of a blockbuster, “Top Gun: Maverick,” in the category.

Sarah Polley accepts the Oscar for best adapted screenplay for "Women Talking.”

All of this meant the show was allowed to let the talent and their heartfelt speeches shine.

From Ruth E. Carter, who paid tribute to her centenarian mother who recently passed away as she became the first Black woman to be awarded two Oscars with her best costume design win for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” to Daniel Kwan admitting to feeling imposter syndrome with his wins as co-director and co-writer of “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

Even the humor seemed to flow without much controversy, even if Kimmel did throw in a dad-type joke here and there.

Host Jimmy Kimmel speaks onstage.

It felt like a throwback to an era where the ceremony celebrated the art and artists minus the moments that go viral for the wrong reasons.

It will remain to be seen if such positivity was a positive for the ratings.

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Take a look behind the curtain at Hollywood’s biggest night. Check out more photos from the show here.

Ke Huy Quan kisses Jamie Lee Curtis after they won the best supporting actor and best supporting actress awards.

Host Jimmy Kimmel prepares before taking the stage.

Shelves of Oscar statuettes sit backstage.

Dwayne Johnson sits on Emily Blunt’s lap.

People watch a monitor displaying Ke Huy Quan.

Ross White, Seamus O'Hara, Tom Berkeley and James Martin share an emotional moment backstage after "The Irish Goodbye" won the Oscar for best live action short film.

Producer Jonathan Wang speaks onstage after “Everything Everywhere All At Once” won the award for best picture.

“Everything Everywhere All At Once” took home the best picture Oscar on Sunday night.

The film’s producer, Jonathan Wang, began the speech by saying, “To my brilliant and beautiful wife, if all the shiny stuff and tuxedos goes away I would love to do taxes and laundry with you for the rest of my life.”

He also cried about his late father saying he had taught him:

Daniel Kwan, one of the directors, also spoke:

Brendan Fraser accepts the best actor award for “The Whale.”

Brendan Fraser’s best actor win for “The Whale” wasn’t a total surprise, but it was a delightful victory nonetheless.

The actor had been favored along with “Elvis” star Austin Butler to potentially take home the Oscar, and Fraser appeared both shocked and humbled by the win.

He thanked the usual suspects, including his family, agent and studio.

Fraser had a special shoutout for his costar, Hong Chau.

“I want to tell you that only whales can swim at the depth of talent of Hong Chau,” he said.

“Everything Everywhere All At Once”

“Everything Everywhere All At Once” took home the Academy Award for best picture, capping a sweep of the major prizes Sunday night.

The A24 film led among the films nominated at the 95th Oscars, with 11 nominations. “Everything Everywhere All At Once” won seven of those awards.

Prior to tonight, the movie had won two Golden Globe Awards, five Critics’ Choice Awards (including Best Picture) and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. 

CNN Style’s Oscar Holland contributed reporting.

Michelle Yeoh accepts the award for best actress.

Michelle Yeoh continued her streak of strong acceptance speeches.

After making history as the first Asian woman to win the best actress Academy Award, she began her speech by saying “for all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities,” holding her statue aloft.

“This is proof that dream big, and dreams do come true,” she said.

But it was what she said next that really energized the crowd.

Hell yeah, Michelle Yeoh. Hell yeah.

She dedicated her win to her mom and all the moms because “they are really the superheroes.”

Michelle Yeoh reacts to winning the best actress award.

Michelle Yeoh in “Everything Everywhere All At Once”

Michelle Yeoh’s performance in “Everything Everywhere All At Once” has won her the award for best actress in a leading role.

Yeoh’s win makes her the first woman of Asian descent and the first Malaysian-born performer to win an Oscar for best actress. She also is the fifth person of Asian descent to win an Oscar in an acting category, the first to win in a lead acting category and also the first actress to win for portraying a Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese-speaking character for her role as Evelyn Quan Wang  

While Yeoh became an international icon 23 years ago, thanks to Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” it wasn’t until “Everything Everywhere All at Once” that she gained her first Oscar nomination.

CNN’s Dan Heching contributed reporting.

Brendan Fraser in “The Whale”

The Oscar for best actor in a leading role went to Brendan Fraser for “The Whale.”

Fraser gave a buried-under-makeup performance as a reclusive, obese teacher in the film.

He thanked the academy and the studio for making a “bold film.” He also thanked director Darren Aronofsky for throwing him a lifeline role.

Fraser thanked his fellow nominees, saying: “It is an honor to be named beside you in this category.”

“I’m so grateful for you,” he told the crowd. “Goodnight.”

“RRR”

RRR’s “Naatu Naatu” won the Academy Award for best original song, the first from an Indian film production to ever do so.

Singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava made their debut at the Oscars earlier performing “Naatu Naatu,” which features lyrics from Chandrabose and music by M.M. Keervaani.

Accepting the award, Keervaani said “I grew up listening to The Carpenters and now here I am with the Oscars,” before going on to sing his speech to the tune of “Top of the World” by The Carpenters. 

Chandrabose added, “Namaste.” 

Chandrabose and M. M. Keervaani accept the best original song award for “Naatu Naatu.”

More background: “Naatu Naatu” was featured in the Telegu-language film, “RRR,” which is India’s fourth-highest grossing picture, according to IMDb, earning nearly $155 million worldwide. It became Netflix’s most-watched non-English movie last June.

CNN’s Tara Subramaniam contributed reporting.

Directors Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert on set of “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert took home the Academy Award for best directors for their work on “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”

Known as “the Daniels,” the directors thanked their families while accepting yet another award for the strange and sentimental film.

Scheinert dedicated the win to “all the mommies of the world,” including his mom, who he thanked for “not squashing my creativity.”

Kwan also expressed gratitude to his immigrant parents, siblings, son and ancestors while accepting the award.