90th Academy Awards
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| 90th Academy Awards | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | 90th Academy Awards |
| Date | March 4, 2018 |
| Host | Jimmy Kimmel |
| Producer | Michael De Luca |
| Director | Glenn Weiss |
| Best picture | The Shape of Water |
| Most wins | The Shape of Water (4) |
| Most nominations | The Shape of Water (13) |
| Network | ABC |
| Runtime | 3 hours, 48 minutes |
| Last | 89th Academy Awards |
| Next | 91st Academy Awards |
90th Academy Awards was the 2018 ceremony honoring achievements in 2017 in film presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The event took place on March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles and was televised in the United States by ABC. Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the ceremony awarded films released in 2017 across categories including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress.
Background and ceremony details
The ceremony followed the nominations announcement made at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater by actors Tiffany Haddish and Andy Serkis, with nominees drawn from members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences branches including the Directors Branch, Actors Branch, and Writers Branch. The awards honored films released between January 1 and December 31, 2017, within eligibility rules set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Motion Picture Association of America. Nomination leaders included Guillermo del Toro's film, which garnered multiple nominations, while other major nominees included works by Christopher Nolan, Jordan Peele, Greta Gerwig, and Steven Spielberg. The ceremony occurred amid the broader cultural context of the Me Too movement and the ongoing debates sparked by the Harvey Weinstein revelations, which influenced Academy voting discussions and onstage commentary.
Winners and nominees
The Academy presented awards across 24 competitive categories. Guillermo del Toro won Best Director for his work alongside production partners such as Guillermo del Toro (producer) and collaborators including Gary Dauberman. Frances McDormand won Best Actress for her role in a film produced by Annapurna Pictures and distributed by Fox Searchlight. Gary Oldman received Best Actor for his portrayal of a historical figure associated with Winston Churchill, a performance recognized by bodies including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts prior to Oscar night. Allison Janney won Best Supporting Actress for a role in a film distributed by CBS Films and 20th Century Fox, while Sam Rockwell took Best Supporting Actor for his performance in a film produced by Paramount Pictures and Plan B Entertainment. The film that led nominations and wins secured Best Picture, while wins in technical categories honored craftspeople from institutions such as IMAX Corporation and collaborators from Industrial Light & Magic and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Presenters and performers
Presenters included a cross-section of Academy members and film industry figures: actors Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, and directors Martin Scorsese and Alfonso Cuarón appeared to present major awards. Musicians and performers who took the stage included Lady Gaga, who performed a song from a nominated film, accompanied by collaborators from Interscope Records and noted composers from Sony Classical. Other performers included nominees from the Original Song and Original Score categories such as John Williams, Alexandre Desplat, and vocalists affiliated with Atlantic Records. The ceremony also featured an in-memoriam segment honoring figures from the film community, including members of SAG-AFTRA and guilds such as the Directors Guild of America.
Ceremony production and broadcast
The production team was led by producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd with director Glenn Weiss staging the live broadcast for ABC and Creative Artists Agency-represented talent appearing onstage. The telecast utilized camera work coordinated by crews from Regency Enterprises and technical services provided by Dolby Laboratories and local unions including International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. The broadcast featured live commercials sold by Disney's ABC Television Network sales division and international distribution handled through partners such as BBC and CBC Television. Televised runtime ran longer than previous years, incorporating pre-show elements from Red Carpet Live and backstage interviews with correspondents from outlets including Entertainment Tonight and E! News.
Reception and ratings
Critical reception in outlets such as Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times, and Los Angeles Times discussed the ceremony's pacing, host monologues by Jimmy Kimmel, and the Academy's handling of social issues raised by movements like Time's Up. Ratings measured by Nielsen Media Research indicated viewership declines relative to prior years' ceremonies, with demographic performance assessed across age brackets important to advertisers such as Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo. International response varied, with coverage by broadcasters including Canal+, M6, and TV Asahi noting local interest in nominated films and talent such as Timothée Chalamet and Margot Robbie.
Controversies and notable moments
The ceremony included several widely discussed moments: an onstage joke by Jimmy Kimmel referencing political figures led to commentary from commentators at Fox News and CNN, while a host-led gag involving Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway's prior Oscar moment drew renewed attention to the Best Picture mix-up from earlier awards history. A surprise onstage protest by an activist connected to #MeToo themes prompted statements from the Academy Board of Governors and responses from producers such as Reginald Hudlin. The evening also featured emotional acceptance speeches referencing organizations like Planned Parenthood and unions including IATSE, and sparked debate about diversity and representation that involved voices from NAACP and advocacy groups such as Time's Up.