Skip to content

Oscars 2020 pictures: The best of the ceremony

This year's Oscars made history with South Korean film Parasite being named best picture, making it the first non-English language film to take the top prize.

Reuters The cast and crew of Parasite accept their Oscar for best pictureReuters

Other highlights included Renee Zellweger winning best actress for playing Judy Garland in Judy, and Joaquin Phoenix winning best actor for Joker.

Here are the best pictures from some of the key moments at the ceremony in Los Angeles.

Shutterstock Singer-songwriter Janelle Monae performs on stageShutterstock
Singer-songwriter Janelle Monae kicked off the ceremony with a performance of A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, the title song from the film of the same name. The film stars Tom Hanks, who was nominated for best supporting actor.
BBC Presentational white space
Shutterstock Steve Martin and Chris Rock on stageShutterstock
In the absence of a host, comedians Steve Martin (left) and Chris Rock delivered an opening monologue, saying they hoped there wouldn't be a repeat of the envelope mix-up of 2017.
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters Steve Martin and Chris Rock appear on stageReuters
Chris Rock spotted Martin Scorsese in the audience and quipped: "I loved the first season of The Irishman," a reference to the film's 3.5-hour running time.
BBC Presentational white space
AFP Regina King gives Brad Pitt an OscarAFP
Regina King announced the first Oscar win of the evening; Brad Pitt for best supporting actor for Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood.
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters Brad Pitt with his OscarReuters
It was the first acting Oscar for Pitt. "Leo, I'll ride on your coat tails any day," he joked - shouting out his co-star in the film, Leonardo DiCaprio.
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters Mindy Kaling presents an Oscar to Josh Cooley and Mark NielsenReuters
Actress and writer Mindy Kaling then presented the Oscar for best animated feature film to the team of Toy Story 4, including Josh Cooley (left) and Mark Nielsen (centre).
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters Karen Rupert Toliver and Matthew A. Cherry hold OscarsReuters
Karen Rupert Toliver (left) and Matthew A. Cherry picked up an Oscar for best animated short for Hair Love. The film tells the story of a father who tries to do his daughter's hair for the first time.
BBC Presentational white space
Getty Images Idina Menzel singingGetty Images
Idina Menzel gave the first performance of the evening, singing Into the Unknown from Frozen 2.
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters Director Bong Joon-ho receives a hug from Noah BaumbachReuters
Director Bong Joon-ho received a hug from fellow filmmaker Noah Baumbach after Joon-ho won the Oscar for best original screenplay for Parasite.
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters Taika Waititi holds his OscarReuters
Taika Waititi held his Oscar tightly after winning the statuette for best adapted screenplay for Jojo Rabbit, as presenters Natalie Portman (left) and Timothee Chalamet (right) looked on.
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters Scarlett Johansson gives Laura Dern a congratulatory hugReuters
Scarlett Johansson gives Laura Dern a congratulatory hug after she wins best supporting actress for Marriage Story.
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters Laura Dern with her OscarReuters
Dern gave a shout-out to her mother and fellow actress Dianne Ladd, who was actually nominated for the same award on three occasions.
BBC Presentational white space
EPA Eminem performs on stageEPA
Eminem took to the stage to perform Lose Yourself, from his 2002 film 8 Mile, in a performance not advertised in advance.
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters James Corden and Rebel Wilson dressed as catsReuters
James Corden (left) and Rebel Wilson reprised their roles in the poorly-received film adaptation of Cats. "As cast members of the motion picture Cats, nobody more than us understands the importance of good visual effects," they joked as they introduced the category.
BBC Presentational white space
AFP Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler and Dominic TuohyAFP
(Left to right) Dominic Tuohy, Guillaume Rocheron and Greg Butler celebrated their Oscar win for best visual effects for the film 1917.
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters Director Bong Joon Ho holds his Oscar aloftReuters
Director Bong Joon-ho held his Oscar aloft as Parasite won best international feature film.
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters Gal Gadot hands composer Hildur Guonadottir an OscarReuters
Gal Gadot handed composer Hildur Guonadottir an Oscar for best original score for her work on Joker.
BBC Presentational white space
EPA Hildur Guonadottir bows with her OscarEPA
Guonadottir said: "A film composer is only as creative as the dialogue with the director. Todd Phillips, you were so generous to invite me on this journey."
BBC Presentational white space
Shutterstock Spike Lee presents an Oscar to Bong Joon-hoShutterstock
One of the biggest awards for the evening - best director - went to Bong Joon-ho for Parasite, beating Hollywood giants like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino. Spike Lee presented the award.
BBC Presentational white space
Shutterstock Finneas O'Connell and Billie Eilish perform on stageShutterstock
In an In Memoriam section, Billie Eilish performed Yesterday by The Beatles with Finneas O'Connell, as faces of some of those we've lost flashed up on screen. Kobe Bryant, who died last month in a helicopter crash, was among those remembered, along with Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas.
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters Olivia Colman and Joaquin PhoenixReuters
Joaquin Phoenix beat Leonardo DiCaprio and others to win best actor for Joker. After being presented with the award by Olivia Colman, he gave a rallying cry for animal rights and veganism. "I think we've become very disconnected from the natural world," he said.
BBC Presentational white space
Reuters Renee Zellweger holds her Oscar for best actressReuters
Renee Zellweger won the best actress Oscar for her portrayal of Judy Garland. Among her dedications, Zellweger said: "Ms Garland, you are certainly among the heroes who unite and define us, and this is certainly for you."
EPA The cast and crew of Parasite accept their Oscar for best pictureEPA
And the big win of the evening was Parasite, named best picture, making it the first ever foreign language film to win the main prize. The producers described the win as "a very opportune moment in history right now", thanking the Academy.

.