Oscars 2022 Live Updates: Catch Up on Every Moment of the Night
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“Welp, I said it wouldn’t be boring.” That’s how Oscars producer Will Packer summed up the 94th annual Academy Awards in a tweet sent after the ceremony, and after Will Smith slapping Chris Rock became the moment that overshadowed absolutely everything else. But beyond the tabloid headlines, there was so much else to dig into at this year’s awards. Jane Campion, the first woman nominated twice for best director, won her long-anticipated best director statue for The Power of the Dog. CODA made history as the first movie with a primarily deaf cast to win best picture, and Ariana DeBose celebrated her victory as the first openly queer woman to win an acting award. Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes balanced comedic moments with shepherding the show along, and did you know that Megan Thee Stallion performed “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”? Because she really did!
Below, you can relive every major moment in our live blog, which we kept updated minute-by-minute for every crazy twist and turn of the night (including, yes, the very big twist). Thanks for joining us!
The Will Smith and Chris Rock Aftermath, Inside the Room
Oscar-goers were as shocked as everyone at home when Will Smith took to the stage and slapped Chris Rock, but they heard Smith’s anger loud and clear. The ceremony continued on as planned afterward, with Questlove’s best documentary win and a 50th anniversary tribute to The Godfather, but everyone in the room was still buzzing about the entirely unscripted fight.
During the commercial break, reports Rebecca Ford, Denzel Washington pulled Smith over to the side for a conversation, and was kneeling with his arm around Jada Pinkett Smith when the show came back from commercial. Meanwhile in the lobby, people huddled around their phones watching replays of the incident. “I don’t think that’s a joke,” one woman said. Two others added, “Look, we went to rehearsals, and that was not in Chris Rock’s script.”
The uncensored version, for the curious, was captured on Twitter from Japanese television.
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In the press room, an Academy librarian confirmed for Joy Press that, to their knowledge, there had never been real violence onstage at the Oscars.
A Very Happy Ending
During a tribute to late comedian Betty White during the In Memoriam portion of the Oscars, Jamie Lee Curtis cradled a dog named Mac N Cheese, reminding viewers of White's dedication to rescuing animals.
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The message resonated so much with John Travolta and his family that following the award show, his 11-year-old son Ben adopted the pup.
Behind the Scenes with Caitriona Balfe
When selecting her gown for the 2022 Oscars, Caitriona Balfe looked to the past for inspiration, taking her styling cues from one of the most iconic actresses in Hollywood history: Grace Kelly.
The Belfast star managed to perfectly capture the aesthetic of silver screen sirens of yesteryear in a custom white column dress by Louis Vuitton featuring bejeweled straps and a peplum that descended into a ruffled train. She completed the look with a Van Cleef & Arpels heritage necklace, as well as diamond earrings, a bracelet, and a ring from the brand.
Balfe explained to Vanity Fair that, “The inspiration for tonight’s look was 1950s and '60s Cristobal Balenciaga creations.” She added that she specifically “wanted Nicolas [Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton's creative director] to play with that.”
Just Joking!
Following an Oscars at which jokes about spouses were not taken lightly, some viewers questioned cohost Amy Schumer’s bit involving nominated real-life couple Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst. But on Monday, Schumer confirmed that the bit—in which she joked that Dunst was a “seat filler,” much to Plemons’ apparent chagrin—was scripted, and both Power of the Dog stars were in on the joke.
Will Smith Apologizes
After nearly 24 hours of Oscar headlines almost exclusively about it, Will Smith has apologized for slapping Chris Rock. “I would like to publicly apologize to you Chris,” he wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. “I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be.”
How Netflix Lost (Again)
If someone had told you even two years ago that Apple would be the first streamer to take home the best picture Oscar… well, it would have seemed entirely insane. The deep-pocketed tech company only entered into entertainment in 2019, and their splashy acquisition of CODA at Sundance in early 2021 seemed like a signal that they were serious, not the beginning of a major Oscar push.
Meanwhile Netflix has been pushing its way into the awards conversation since 2015’s Beasts of No Nation, and has allowed a wide range of auteurs ample budget to make their dream projects a reality. But for the third time in as many years, Netflix has promoted a film with a ton of nominations that fell short of the best picture prize. This year, they took home just one Oscar: Jane Campion’s for best director.
How did this happen? David Canfield has broken down what CODA teaches us about what it takes to win best picture today, and how Netflix might potentially try to follow that model. At the same time, Apple is gearing up for what could be another massively successful Oscar run: Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon is right around the corner.
The Little Gold Men Team Explains It All
In what has become a yearly tradition, the Little Gold Men team gathered early Monday morning for a look back on Sunday night— the broadcast highs and lows, the unexpected near-shutout of The Power of the Dog, and yes, the slap. Listen to Richard Lawson, Katey Rich, and Rebecca Ford break it all down below.
What You Didn’t See on TV
For the biggest moment of the Oscar broadcast, it was less about what you didn’t see and what you didn’t hear— namely Will Smith’s expletive-laden shout to Chris Rock, who then told the audience, “Will Smith just slapped the shit out of me.” But after that seismic moment the commercial breaks became a flurry of activity, with Denzel Washington coming over to console Smith, his publicist ducking in and out of the theater, and Questlove back in the press room setting a precedent that many nominees and winners would follow: not commenting.
Our team inside the Dolby Theatre of Anthony Breznican, Rebecca Ford, and Joy Press put together all the details of what they saw that you didn’t see on TV. It’s the closest you can get to being in the room beside them.
Spring Is In the Air and On the Red Carpet
The Oscars 2022 was a big night for the stars — and pastel colors.
On Sunday night, the glitz and glamour of the red carpet returned for Hollywood's biggest night—the first fully in-person Academy Awards show since 2020 — with A-list nominees and special attendees going all out. One trend that graced both the Academy Awards and Vanity Fair Oscar party red carpets was soft, spring-inspired pastel hues.
Instant Classic
In a sleek custom Prada tux, Rami Malek presented at the Oscars 2022 on Sunday night—but he was really looking forward to listening to Billie Eilish perform.
“When dressing for something like the Oscars, I always aim to go as classic and elegant as possible,” he said before heading to the show on Sunday. “I want to be able to look back on these moments and feel that it was timeless. I leave the edgier looks to other events like a premiere or fashion show.”
Falling in Love with Oscar Fashion
“It was love at first sight!” Drive My Car actress Sonia Yuan said of the custom Prada dress she wore to the Oscars 2022.
“The sleek modern cut of the dress is to die for. I particularly love how elongated and complementing the dress fits on my body," she told Vanity Fair.
Tiffany’s Take
How did Oscar presenter Tiffany Haddish feel about Will Smith’s already infamous slap? It was “the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she told People at the Governors Ball. “When I saw a Black man stand up for his wife, that meant so much to me. As a woman who has been unprotected, for someone to say, ‘Keep my wife’s name out your mouth, leave my wife alone,’ that’s what your husband is supposed to do, right? Protect you.”
Kodi Smit-McPhee's Oscar Look Was Inspired By Timothée Chalamet
When pulling together his look for the Oscars 2022, best-supporting actor nominee Kodi Smit-McPhee looked to fellow red carpet fashion plate Timothée Chalamet for a little inspiration.
"There aren’t many men who are bold on the red carpet. I love how brave and daring Timothée Chalamet is. I’ve always admired what a risk taker he is with fashion. People need to learn to not be afraid of color!” he told Vanity Fair.
Queue It Up
CODA made history at this year’s Oscars as the first film from a streaming service to win best picture. This landmark achievement signals that companies like AppleTV+ and Netflix will hold an important place in the awards race moving forward. And fittingly, each film to walk away from the 94th Academy Awards with a trophy—from Dune to Encanto—is already available to stream in some capacity. Ready to play catch-up? There’s no time like the present.
A Picture Worth a Thousand Words
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Jaden Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Trey Smith and Willow Smith pose for Mark Seliger at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
The family portrait was taken after an unbelievable night for Will, who slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The incident left viewers and attendees dumbfounded.
Following the shocking altercation, Will delivered an emotional speech while accepting the best actor Oscar for his role in King Richard. But several hours later, Will was in better spirits and celebrated his win at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
Shawn Mendes Brings Gratitude to the Oscars
On Sunday night, pop star Shawn Mendes made his first-ever Oscars appearance, where he presented the award for best adapted screenplay alongside Tracee Ellis Ross. The pair engaged in a bit of banter before giving the award to Sian Heder for CODA, which eventually went on to win best picture later on in the night.
Before the big show got started, Vanity Fair caught up with the singer as prepared for the red carpet with a routine that included under-eye patches and burning some palo santo
A Late, Great Addition
Rachel Zegler may not have known she was going to her first Oscars a week before it happened, but it was a big moment for the “better late than never” crowd.
The West Side Story actor pulled together an elegant contribution to the first Oscars legacy with a custom Dior gown, Tiffany & Co. jewelry, and full glam.
Inside the Vanity Fair Oscar Party
Our own Julie Miller was keeping an eye on every huge star at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, and has shared all in her party report. “Rita Ora and a sneaker-clad Al Pacino, in a fantastically unexpected pairing, made small talk on a banquette with Ora’s boyfriend Taika Waititi and Jessica Alba sitting nearby. Kim Kardashian, in a figure-hugging electric-blue gown, chatted with Tyler Perry and sister Kendall Jenner, pulling her sunglasses on for photographs. Bill Murray, wearing a beret and bolo tie, danced with his Lost in Translation filmmaker Sofia Coppola—stopping to gently assist her after a shoe malfunction.”
For more unbeatable celebrity pairings where that came from, read on!
A Will Smith Dance Party Starring Will Smith
Will Smith arrived at the Vanity Fair Oscar party with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith and headed directly for the dance floor, where DJ D-Nice switched to playing Smith hits like “Gettin’ Jiggy With It” and “Summertime.” Smith was in the center of the party, dancing and singing along. You could feel the entire gravitational pull of the room move toward him.
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