Mark Rylance, winner of the award for best actor in a supporting role for Bridge of Spies,” from left, Brie Larson, winner of the award for best actress in a leading role for Room, Leonardo DiCaprio, winner of the award for best actor in a leading role for The Revenant, and Alicia Vikander, winner of the award for best actress in a supporting role for The Danish Girl pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Brie Larson, winner of the award for best actress in a leading role for “Room”, left, and Alicia Vikander, winner of the award for best actress in a supporting role for “The Danish Girl” pose backstage at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
Leonardo DiCaprio, winner of the award for best actor in a leading role for The Revenant, left, and Alejandro G. Inarritu, winner of the award for best director for The Revenant, pose in the press room with their awards at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Leonardo DiCaprio, winner of the award for best actor in a leading role for “The Revenant”, left, embraces Kate Winslet backstage at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
Jacob Tremblay, from left, Abraham Attah, and Chris Rock present the award for best live action short film at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Host Chris Rock and Girl Scouts participate in a skit at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Brian d’Arcy James, left, and Rachel McAdams appear on stage after they accept the award for best picture for “Spotlight” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Leonardo DiCaprio accepts the award for best actor in a leading role for “The Revenant” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Mark Rylance accepts the award for best actor in a supporting role for “Bridge of Spies” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Quincy Jones, center, and Pharell Williams, right, present Ennio Morricone with the award for best original score for “The Hateful Eight” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Asif Kapadia, left, and James Gay-Rees accept the award for best documentary feature for “Amy” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Alejandro G. Inarritu accepts the award for best director for “The Revenant” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Jonas Rivera, left, and Pete Docter accept the award for best animated feature film for “Inside Out” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Vice President Joe Biden introduces a performance by Lady Gaga at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Droid characters from “Star Wars”, BB-8, from left, R2-D2, and C-3PO speak at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Host Chris Rock speaks at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Host Chris Rock speaks at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Lady Gaga performs “Til It Happens To You” that is nominated for best original song from “The Hunting Ground” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Lady Gaga, center, performs “Til It Happens To You” that is nominated for best original song from “The Hunting Ground” on stage with survivors of abuse at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Charlize Theron arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Mindy Kaling arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Margot Robbie arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
Heidi Klum arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Naomi Watts arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
Leonardo DiCaprio, left, and Kate Winslet arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Daisy Ridley arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP)
Photo by Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP
Charlize Theron arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Taylor Kinney, left, and Lady Gaga arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Abraham Attah arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
Sophie Turner arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Aaron Rodgers, left, and Olivia Munn arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Jordyn Blum, left, and Dave Grohl arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP)
Photo by Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP
Cate Blanchett, left, and Bryan Cranston arrivs at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Olivia Wilde, left, Jason Sudeikis and arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
Saoirse Ronan arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
Sylvester Stallone, left, and Jennifer Flavin arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Hannah Redmayne, left, and Eddie Redmayne arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP)
Photo by Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP
Rooney Mara arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Alicia Vikander arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Sofía Vergara arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
Activist Najee Ali holds up his fist as he leads a protest prior to the Academy Awards ceremony, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles in support of the nationwide TV tune-out protesting the lack of diversity in Hollywood.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Rev. Al Sharpton, right, and activist Najee Ali lead a rally prior to the Academy Awards ceremony, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles in support of the nationwide tv tune-out protesting the lack of diversity in Hollywood.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Protestors gather outside of the offices of WABC-TV to rally for more diversity in the film industry Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, in New York.
(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Brie Larson arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Adepero Oduye arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
Jacob Tremblay arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, left, and Maria Eladia Hagerman arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Kelly Ripa arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
An Academy Award statuette is seen on display at Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Workmen are trailed by photographers as they roll out the red carpet for the Oscars in front of the Dolby Theatre on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016, in Los Angeles. The 88th Academy Awards will be held on Sunday
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Eighteen years after Leonardo DiCaprio shouted those famous words in “Titanic” (1997), he can now finally say them at the Oscars, winning his elusive Best Actor at the 88th annual Academy Awards.
But when it came time to see whether Leo’s survival tale “The Revenant” would also win the top prize of Best Picture, an uncertainty hung over the stage as Morgan Freeman opened the final envelope of the night, marking the culmination of one of the tightest Best Picture races in recent memory.
While many pundits picked “The Revenant” for the top prize based on its wins at the DGA Awards, BAFTAs and Golden Globes, WTOP was a rare source that picked “Spotlight” for the worthy upset.
Turned out, we nailed it.
Not only did “Spotlight” win the top prize at the SAG Awards, Critics Choice Awards and Independent Spirit Awards, it more importantly had Oscar history working in its favor.
First, no one had ever directed back-to-back Best Pictures, which Alejandro G. Iñárritu was trying to do after last year’s “Birdman.” Second, only two movies had ever won Best Picture without a screenplay nomination — “Titanic” and “Sound of Music” — both understandable outliers considering their massive box office phenomenons, which “Revenant” lacked. Those two red flags, combined with the polarizing nature of “Revenant,” allowed “Spotlight” to slide in for a much deserved victory.
The film’s chronicle of the Boston Globe’s investigation into the Catholic Church’s child sex-abuse scandal was an “All the President’s Men” for our time, or “All the Pope’s Men” considering its subject matter. The riveting film boasted a sparkling script, deep cast and powerful subject matter.
The subject of abuse also fueled Brie Larson’s Best Actress win for “Room,” in which she played an abducted woman who must raise her son (Jacob Tremblay) in captivity. The power performance cemented Larson as among the best of her generation after the brilliant “Short Term 12.”
Picking up the most awards was George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road,” which won a total of six in the technical categories: Editing, Costumes, Hair/Makeup, Production Design, Sound Mixing and Sound Editing. Name another action movie that has done that well at the Oscars.
In the supporting actor categories, Alicia Vikander took Best Supporting Actress for “The Danish Girl,” in which she played the conflicted spouse of Eddie Redmayne’s gender-bending husband. It was a dominant year for Vikander, whose “Ex Machina” earned Best Visual Effects.
On the supporting actor side, Mark Rylance (“Bridge of Spies”) upset the people’s champ Sylvester Stallone (“Creed”). For once, Rocky Balboa wasn’t the underdog; he was the favorite going in, and Rylance scored the surprise knockout with his “standing man” performance for Steven Spielberg.
Best Director went to Alejandro G. Inarritu for “The Revenant,” his second straight win after last year’s “Birdman,” while Best Cinematography went to Emmanuel Lubezki, his third straight win after “Gravity,” “Birdman” and “Revenant.” The Mexican filmmakers have truly taken the industry by storm, causing Inarritu to offer some choice words for the “Oscars So White” controversy.
While host Chris Rock hilariously lampooned the topic throughout the night — in light of a boycott by Spike Lee, Will Smith and others — Inarritu wished to expand the conversation beyond just “black and white.” Backstage, he asked, “Are the ‘Oscars So Brown’ now?” and called for a less polarized, more complex conversation, urging Hollywood — and society — to move beyond a “tribal” mindset.
Hailed by The Washington Post for “his savantlike ability to name every Best Picture winner in history," Jason Fraley began at WTOP as Morning Drive Writer in 2008, film critic in 2011 and Entertainment Editor in 2014, providing daily arts coverage on-air and online.
