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Curtain up for the 94th Academy Awards.
Last year, the award ceremony was significantly smaller due to the corona pandemic.
At that time, the scene was a historic train station building in Los Angeles with only a few hundred guests.
This year, the event returned to the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.
Photo: ETIENNE LAURENT / EPA
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The show opened with a performance by artist Beyoncé.
Tennis icons Serena and Venus Williams announced at the beginning of the show that Beyoncé would be singing from a tennis court in Compton - where they started their sports career.
The song "Be Alive" from the movie "King Richard," which tells of the rise of the two Williams sisters to the top of women's tennis, was also nominated for an Oscar.
Photo: ROBYN BECK / AFP
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The gala was presented for the first time by three women: Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall.
Photo: Chris Pizzello / dpa
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Lady Gaga and Liza Minnelli awarded the Oscar for best picture.
Photo: Chris Pizzello/AP
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Again and again the rights of minorities played a role in the Oscars.
For example, in the acceptance speech by Ariana DeBose, who received the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in the musical »West Side Story«.
She told the audience, »You see an openly queer, non-white woman, an Afro-Latina, who has found her strength and her life through art.«
Photo: Robyn Beck / AFP
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DeBose embodies the film character Anita in the musical remake.
Actress Rita Moreno won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1962 for her role in the original film »West Side Story«.
Photo: Chris Pizzello/AP
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Jessica Chastain is still over the moon at the Governors Ball after the 94th Academy Awards ceremony at the award in the category »Best Actress« for her role in the movie »The Eyes of Tammy Faye«.
Photo: John Locher / dpa
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This performance should be remembered above all: After comedian Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith during the awards ceremony, husband Will Smith went on stage, slapped Rock and returned to his seat.
Here you can read more about it.
Photo: Robyn Beck / AFP
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During the commercial break, Denzel Washington (right) and Tyler Perry (left) spoke to Smith.
Photo: ROBYN BECK / AFP
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In his acceptance speech for the award for best leading actor, he later cried.
"You have to protect your family," he said - like his character Richard Williams did with his daughters Venus and Serena.
Art sometimes imitates life, he added: »I seem like the crazy father« – something that Richard Williams was also accused of.
"My apologies to the Academy and my fellow nominees."
Photo: Robyn Beck / AFP
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Jada Pinkett Smith and her husband were seen holding hands for the rest of the evening.
PHOTO: BRIAN SNYDER / REUTERS
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Betty White was remembered.
The "Golden Girls" actress died on New Year's Eve shortly before her 100th birthday.
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis commemorated the lifelong animal activist - holding a puppy.
PHOTO: BRIAN SNYDER / REUTERS
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Becky G, Megan Thee Stallion and Luis Fonsi perform the surprise hit »We Don't Talk About Bruno« from the award-winning animated film »Encanto«.
Photo: Chris Pizzello/AP
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The Oscar for the best film song went to Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell for "No Time to Die", the theme song of the last James Bond film of the same name, which the siblings also performed at the Oscar gala.
PHOTO: BRIAN SNYDER / REUTERS
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And in their pajamas, at the end of a busy evening, Hall, Schumer and Sykes said: Good night!
Photo: ROBYN BECK / AFP
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