‘Green Book,’ Alfonso Cuaron, Spike Lee all triumph at Academy Awards

Rami Malek, left, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for "Bohemian Rhapsody", kisses Olivia Colman, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for "The Favourite", as they appear with Regina King, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for "If Beale Street Could Talk", and Mahershala Ali, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role for "Green Book", right, in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Rami Malek, left, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for “Bohemian Rhapsody”, kisses Olivia Colman, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for “The Favourite”, as they appear with Regina King, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for “If Beale Street Could Talk”, and Mahershala Ali, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role for “Green Book”, right, in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Rami Malek, left, and Lucy Boynton arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Eric Jamison/Invision/AP)
Rami Malek, left, and Lucy Boynton arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Eric Jamison/Invision/AP)
Margarita Martinez Merino, left, shakes hands with Diego Luna, right, as Yalitza Aparicio looks on during arrivals at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Leslie Bibb, from left, Sam Rockwell and Melissa McCarthy arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Leslie Bibb, from left, Sam Rockwell and Melissa McCarthy arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Samuel L. Jackson, left, and Glenn Close take a selfie prior to the start of the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
An image of Freddie Mercury appears on screen as Brian May, left, and Adam Lambert of Queen perform at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
An image of Freddie Mercury appears on screen as Brian May, left, and Adam Lambert of Queen perform at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Regina King accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for "If Beale Street Could Talk," as Maya Rudolph, from second left, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler look on at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Regina King accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for “If Beale Street Could Talk,” as Maya Rudolph, from second left, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler look on at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Yalitza Aparicio, right, congratulates Alfonso Cuaron in the audience as he is announced the winner of the award for best cinematography for "Roma" at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Yalitza Aparicio, right, congratulates Alfonso Cuaron in the audience as he is announced the winner of the award for best cinematography for “Roma” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, left, and Jimmy Chin accept the award for best documentary feature for "Free Solo" at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, left, and Jimmy Chin accept the award for best documentary feature for “Free Solo” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Melissa McCarthy, left, and Brian Tyree Henry present the award for best costume design at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Melissa McCarthy, left, and Brian Tyree Henry present the award for best costume design at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Ruth E. Carter accepts the award for best costume design for "Black Panther" at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Ruth E. Carter accepts the award for best costume design for “Black Panther” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Charlie Wachtel, left, and Spike Lee accept the award for best adapted screenplay for “BlacKkKlansman” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Alfonso Cuaron accepts the award for best cinematography for “Roma” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Lady Gaga, left, and Bradley Cooper react to the audience after a performance of “Shallow” from “A Star is Born” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Melissa Berton, left, and Rayka Zehtabchi accept the award for best documentary short subject for “Period. End of Sentence.” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Rami Malek accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for “Bohemian Rhapsody” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Frances McDormand, left, presents Olivia Colman with the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for “The Favourite” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Olivia Colman reacts as she accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for “The Favourite” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Peter Farrelly, center, and the cast and crew of "Green Book" accept the award for best picture at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Peter Farrelly, center, and the cast and crew of “Green Book” accept the award for best picture at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
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Rami Malek, left, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for "Bohemian Rhapsody", kisses Olivia Colman, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for "The Favourite", as they appear with Regina King, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for "If Beale Street Could Talk", and Mahershala Ali, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role for "Green Book", right, in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Rami Malek, left, and Lucy Boynton arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Eric Jamison/Invision/AP)
Leslie Bibb, from left, Sam Rockwell and Melissa McCarthy arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
An image of Freddie Mercury appears on screen as Brian May, left, and Adam Lambert of Queen perform at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Regina King accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for "If Beale Street Could Talk," as Maya Rudolph, from second left, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler look on at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Yalitza Aparicio, right, congratulates Alfonso Cuaron in the audience as he is announced the winner of the award for best cinematography for "Roma" at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, left, and Jimmy Chin accept the award for best documentary feature for "Free Solo" at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Melissa McCarthy, left, and Brian Tyree Henry present the award for best costume design at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Ruth E. Carter accepts the award for best costume design for "Black Panther" at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Peter Farrelly, center, and the cast and crew of "Green Book" accept the award for best picture at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
WTOP's Jason Fraley recaps the Oscars (Jason Fraley)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The feel-good, segregation-era, road-trip dramedy “Green Book” defied the oddsmakers as it was crowned best picture at the 91st Academy Awards on Sunday night.

Rami Malek, left, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for "Bohemian Rhapsody", kisses Olivia Colman, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for "The Favourite", as they appear with Regina King, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for "If Beale Street Could Talk", and Mahershala Ali, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role for "Green Book", right, in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)(Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Jordan Strauss)

Peter Farrelly’s buddy flick was an early favorite after winning the audience award at the Toronto Film Festival and the Golden Globe for best picture, but it endured various off-screen controversies and polarized reviews by some critics who found it to be retrograde.

Ultimately, Oscar voters went the traditional route, deciding not to bestow best picture on Netflix’s “Roma,” which would have been the the first streaming and first foreign-language film to win, or “Black Panther,” which would have been the first superhero movie to win.

It was an unexpected finale to a brisk, hostless ceremony awash in historic wins for diversity, including Spike Lee’s first competitive Oscar, who referenced “Do the Right Thing” during his acceptance speech for best adapted screenplay for “BlacKkKlansman.”

“Green Book” also won best supporting actor for Mahershala Ali and best original screenplay.

“The whole story is about love,” said Farrelly, a comedy veteran of broad comedies like “Dumb and Dumber” and “There’s Something About Mary.” ”It’s about loving each other despite the differences and find out the truth about who we are. We’re the same people.”

The Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles otherwise spread awards around for Ryan Coogler’s superhero sensation “Black Panther,” Alfonso Cuaron’s black-and-white personal epic “Roma,” and the Freddie Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Lee’s win for best adapted screenplay for his white supremacist drama “BlacKkKlansman,” an award he shared with three co-writers, gave the Dolby Theatre ceremony Sunday its signature moment. The crowd rose in a standing ovation, Lee leapt into the arms of presenter Samuel L. Jackson and even the backstage press room burst into applause.

Lee, whose film including footage of President Donald Trump following the violent white supremacist protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, urged mobilization for the upcoming election.

“Let’s be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love and hate,” said Lee, who was given an honorary Oscar in 2015. “Let’s do the right thing! You knew I had to get that in there.”

One of the biggest surprises of the night was in the best actress category. Olivia Colman won for her Queen Anne in the royal romp “The Favourite,” denying Glenn Close her first Oscar. Close remains the most-nominated living actor never to win, with seven nominations.

“Ooo. It’s genuinely quite stressful,” said a staggered Colman, who later turned to Close to say she was her idol, “And this is not how I wanted it to be.”

“Bohemian Rhapsody,” which kicked off the ABC telecast with a performance by Queen, won four awards despite pans from many critics and sexual assault allegations against its director, Bryan Singer, who was fired in mid-production. Its star, Rami Malek, won best actor for his full-bodied and prosthetic teeth-aided performance, and the film was honored for editing, sound mixing and sound editing.

“We made a film about a gay man, an immigrant who lived his life unapologetically himself,” said Malek. “We’re longing for stories like this. I am the son of immigrants from Egypt. I’m a first-generation American, and part of my story is being written right now.”

The lush, big-budget craft of “Black Panther” won for Ruth Carter’s costume design, Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart’s production design, and Ludwig Göransson’s score. Beachler had been the first African-American to ever be nominated in the category. Beachler and Carter became just the second and third black women to win non-acting Oscars.

“It just means that we’ve opened the door,” Carter, a veteran costume designer, said backstage. “Finally, the door is wide open.”

Two years after winning for his role in “Moonlight,” Mahershala Ali won again for his supporting performance in “Green Book” — a role many said was really a lead. Ali is the second black actor to win two Oscars following Denzel Washington, who won for “Glory” and “Training Day.” Ali dedicated the award to his grandmother.

The night’s co-lead nominee “Roma” won best director and best cinematography for Cuaron, whose film also notched Mexico’s first foreign language film Oscar. Cuaron and his “Three Amigos” countrymen — Alejandro Inarritu and Guillermo del Toro, who presented Cuaron with best picture — will have had a stranglehold on category, winning five of the last six years.

Cuaron, who becoming the first director to ever win for serving as his own director of photography, referenced an especially international crop of nominees in one of his three acceptance speeches.

“When asked about the New Wave, Claude Chabrol said there are no waves, there is only the ocean,” said Cuaron, referring to the French filmmaker. “The nominees tonight have proven that we are a part of the same ocean.”

The wins for “Roma” gave Netflix its most significant awards yet but “Green Book” denied the streaming giant the best picture win it dearly sought. Netflix remains to some a contentious force in Hollywood, since it largely bypasses theaters. The wins for “Black Panther” — along with best animated film winner “Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse” — meant the first Academy Awards for Marvel, the most consistent blockbuster factor Hollywood has ever seen.

Queen launched Sunday’s ceremony with a medley of hits that gave the awards a distinctly Grammy-like flavor, as Hollywood’s most prestigious ceremony sought to prove that it’s still “champion of the world” after last year’s record-low ratings.

To compensate for a lack of host, the motion picture academy leaned on its presenters, including an ornately outfitted Melissa McCarthy and David Tyree Henry and a Keegan-Michael Key who floated down like Mary Poppins. Following Queen, Tina Fey — alongside Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph — welcomed the Dolby Theatre audience to “the one-millionth Academy Awards.”

Rudolph summarized a rocky Oscar preamble that featured numerous missteps and backtracks by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: “There is no host, there won’t be a popular movie category and Mexico is not paying for the wall.”

The trio then presented best supporting actress to Regina King for her pained matriarch in Barry Jenkins’ James Baldwin adaptation “If Beale Street Could Talk.” The crowd gave King a standing ovation for her first Oscar.

“To be standing here representing one of the greatest artist of our time, James Baldwin, is a little surreal,” said King. “James Baldwin birthed this baby.”

The inclusivity of the winners Sunday stood in stark contrast to the #OscarsSoWhite backlash that marked the 2016 and 2015 Oscars. Since then, the academy has worked to diversify its largely white and male membership, adding several thousand new members and opening the academy up internationally.

More women won Oscars than ever before. Still, this year’s nominations were criticized for not including a female best director nominee or a best-picture nominee directed by a woman.

Though the once presumed front-runner “A Star Is Born” appeared to flame out as awards season continued, it won, as expected, for the song “Shallow,” which Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper performed during the ceremony. As she came off the stage, Cooper had his arm around Gaga as she asked, “Did I nail it?”

Best documentary went to Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s “Free Solo,” which chronicles rock climber Alex Honnold’s famed, free solo ascent of Yosemite’s El Capitan, a 3,000-foot wall of sheer granite, without ropes or climbing equipment. “Free Solo” was among a handful of hugely successful documentaries last year including the nominated Ruth Bader Ginsberg documentary “RBG” and the snubbed Fred Rogers doc “Won’t You Be My Neighbor.”

“Thank you Alex Honnold for teaching us to believe in the impossible,” said Vasarhelyi. “This film is for everyone who believes in the impossible.”

Adam McKay’s Dick Cheney biopic “Vice” won makeup and hairstyling for its extensive physical transformations. The category was one of the four that the academy initially planned to present during a commercial break and as its winners — Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe and Patricia Dehaney — dragged on in a litany of thank-yous, they were the first to have their microphone cut off.

To turn around ratings, Oscar producers pledged a shorter show. In the academy’s favor was a popular crop of nominees: “Bohemian Rhapsody,” ”A Star Is Born” and, most of all, “Black Panther” have all amassed huge sums in ticket sales. Typically, when there are box-office hits (like “Titanic”), more people watch the Oscars.

Here’s the full winners list:

Best picture: “Green Book”

Best actress: Olivia Colman, “The Favourite”

Best actor: Rami Malek, “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Best director: Alfonso Cuaron, “Roma”

Best supporting actress: Regina King, “If Beale Street Could Talk”

Best supporting actor: Mahershala Ali, “Green Book”

Foreign language film: Mexico’s “Roma”

Original screenplay: “Green Book,” Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie and Peter Farrelly

Adapted screenplay: “BlacKkKlansman,” Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott and Spike Lee

Original Song: “Shallow” from “A Star Is Born,” music and lyrics by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt.

Cinematography: Alfonso Cuaron, “Roma”

Best animated film: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”

Original Score: “Black Panther,” Ludwig Goransson

Costume design: Ruth Carter, “Black Panther”

Production design: “Black Panther”

Sound Editing: “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Sound Mixing: “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Film Editing: John Ottman, “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Animated short film: “Bao”

Documentary short subject: “Period. End of Sentence”

Visual effects: “First Man”

Live action short film: “Skin”

Documentary feature: “Free Solo”

Makeup and hairstyling: “Vice”

___

WTOP’s Jason Fraley contributed to this report by Associated Press writers Kristin M. Hall, Andrew Dalton and Lindsey Bahr.

WTOP's Jason Fraley reacts to the Oscars with Mark & Debbie (Jason Fraley)
WTOP's Jason Fraley reacts to the Oscars with Shawn & Hillary (Jason Fraley)

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