Arts & Life

'12 Years A Slave,' 'Gravity' Win Big At The Oscars

By Steve Mulllis,

Published March 2, 2014 at 5:45 PM CST

Cate Blanchett took the Best Actress Oscar for <em>Blue Jasmine,</em> and promptly perplexed everyone by telling Julia Roberts to "hashtag suck it."

1 of 15 — Cate Blanchett took the Best Actress Oscar for Blue Jasmine, and promptly perplexed everyone by telling Julia Roberts to "hashtag suck it."

Cate Blanchett took the Best Actress Oscar for Blue Jasmine, and promptly perplexed everyone by telling Julia Roberts to "hashtag suck it."

Jennifer Lawrence handed the Best Actor Oscar to Matthew McConaughey for <em>Dallas Buyers Club; </em>the actor delivered a typically goofy if ultimately sincere speech.

2 of 15 — Jennifer Lawrence handed the Best Actor Oscar to Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club; the actor delivered a typically goofy if ultimately sincere speech.

Jennifer Lawrence handed the Best Actor Oscar to Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club; the actor delivered a typically goofy if ultimately sincere speech.

Singer Darlene Love — featured in the Best Documentary Feature winner <em>20 Feet from Stardom — </em>blew the roof off the Dolby Theater with a verse of the gospel standard "His Eye Is on the Sparrow."

3 of 15 — Singer Darlene Love — featured in the Best Documentary Feature winner 20 Feet from Stardom — blew the roof off the Dolby Theater with a verse of the gospel standard "His Eye Is on the Sparrow."

Singer Darlene Love — featured in the Best Documentary Feature winner 20 Feet from Stardom — blew the roof off the Dolby Theater with a verse of the gospel standard "His Eye Is on the Sparrow."

Producer Peter Del Vecho (left) and directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck won Oscars for their animated feature <em>Frozen.</em>

4 of 15 — Producer Peter Del Vecho (left) and directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck won Oscars for their animated feature Frozen.

Producer Peter Del Vecho (left) and directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck won Oscars for their animated feature Frozen.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O and Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig turned in a low-key, classy take on "The Moon Song" from <em>Her,</em> nominated for an Oscar.

5 of 15 — Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O and Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig turned in a low-key, classy take on "The Moon Song" from Her, nominated for an Oscar.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O and Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig turned in a low-key, classy take on "The Moon Song" from Her, nominated for an Oscar.

The room exploded when Lupita Nyong'o won the Best Supporting Actress trophy for her role in <em>12 Years a Slave</em>. "No matter where you are from, your dreams are all valid," she said in her thank-you speech.

6 of 15 — The room exploded when Lupita Nyong'o won the Best Supporting Actress trophy for her role in 12 Years a Slave. "No matter where you are from, your dreams are all valid," she said in her thank-you speech.

The room exploded when Lupita Nyong'o won the Best Supporting Actress trophy for her role in 12 Years a Slave. "No matter where you are from, your dreams are all valid," she said in her thank-you speech.

And then host Ellen DeGeneres put on her party dress, as part of a tribute to <em>The Wizard of Oz</em> in its 75th anniversary year.

7 of 15 — And then host Ellen DeGeneres put on her party dress, as part of a tribute to The Wizard of Oz in its 75th anniversary year.

And then host Ellen DeGeneres put on her party dress, as part of a tribute to The Wizard of Oz in its 75th anniversary year.

<em>12 Years a Slave </em>screenwriter John Ridley — also an NPR commentator — took home an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

8 of 15 — 12 Years a Slave screenwriter John Ridley — also an NPR commentator — took home an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

12 Years a Slave screenwriter John Ridley — also an NPR commentator — took home an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Nicholas Reed (left) and Malcolm Clarke won the Documentary Short Subject award for <em>The Lady in Number 6, </em>about the Holocaust survivor and pianist Alice Herz-Sommer.

9 of 15 — Nicholas Reed (left) and Malcolm Clarke won the Documentary Short Subject award for The Lady in Number 6, about the Holocaust survivor and pianist Alice Herz-Sommer.

Nicholas Reed (left) and Malcolm Clarke won the Documentary Short Subject award for The Lady in Number 6, about the Holocaust survivor and pianist Alice Herz-Sommer.

Bono led U2 through a read of their song "Ordinary Love," from <em>Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom; </em>it was nominated for a Best Original Song statue.

10 of 15 — Bono led U2 through a read of their song "Ordinary Love," from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom; it was nominated for a Best Original Song statue.

Bono led U2 through a read of their song "Ordinary Love," from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom; it was nominated for a Best Original Song statue.

Songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez (left) and Robert Lopez won the Original Song award for "Let It Go," from Disney's <em>Frozen, </em>and accepted with a charming rhymed speech. With his win, Robert Lopez joined the EGOT club — becoming the 12th person to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.

11 of 15 — Songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez (left) and Robert Lopez won the Original Song award for "Let It Go," from Disney's Frozen, and accepted with a charming rhymed speech. With his win, Robert Lopez joined the EGOT club — becoming the 12th person to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.

Songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez (left) and Robert Lopez won the Original Song award for "Let It Go," from Disney's Frozen, and accepted with a charming rhymed speech. With his win, Robert Lopez joined the EGOT club — becoming the 12th person to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.

Idina Menzel sang the big anthem from<em> Frozen — </em>seemingly unrattled by the way John Travolta mangled her name in the introduction.

12 of 15 — Idina Menzel sang the big anthem from Frozen — seemingly unrattled by the way John Travolta mangled her name in the introduction.

Idina Menzel sang the big anthem from Frozen — seemingly unrattled by the way John Travolta mangled her name in the introduction.

13 of 15 — Angelina Jolie and Sidney Poitier presented the award for Best Director ...

Angelina Jolie and Sidney Poitier presented the award for Best Director ...

14 of 15 — ... which went to Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity. Cuaron is the first Latino to take home the directing statue.

... which went to Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity. Cuaron is the first Latino to take home the directing statue.

Director Steve McQueen spoke of the millions of people living in modern slavery after his <em>12 Years a Slave </em>took the Best Picture Oscar.

15 of 15 — Director Steve McQueen spoke of the millions of people living in modern slavery after his 12 Years a Slave took the Best Picture Oscar.

Director Steve McQueen spoke of the millions of people living in modern slavery after his 12 Years a Slave took the Best Picture Oscar.

After several days of heavy rain in Los Angeles, the sun came out just as the 86th annual Academy Awards got underway at the Dolby Theater.

The big award of the night, for Best Picture, went to 12 Years a Slave. The film tells the harrowing tale of Solomon Northup, a free black man in New York who was sold into slavery. (See the full list of winners below.)

The big acting awards went to Matthew McConaughey and Cate Blanchett. McConaughey won Best Actor for his role as a Texas man suffering from AIDS in Dallas Buyers Club, and Best Actress went to Cate Blanchett for her turn in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine.

Gravity took home the most trophies: seven Academy Awards, including for director Alfonso Cuaron and for cinematography, visual effects and original music score.

The first award of the night went to Jared Leto, who, as many expected, won Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club. He dedicated his award to his mother, his date for the night.

"Thank you for teaching me to dream," he said.

Best Supporting Actress went to newcomer Lupita Nyong'o for her portrayal of a slave under the thumb of a sadistic master in 12 Years a Slave.

"It doesn't escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone else's, and so I want to salute the spirit of Patsey, for her guidance," she said in her acceptance speech.

Another widely predicted winner was Frozen, which took home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. The Disney film has made more than $1 billion worldwide.

Ellen DeGeneres took over hosting duties this year, bringing a less controversial vibe than the salty humor of last year's host, Seth MacFarlane.

DeGeneres opened by poking fun at many actors in the crowd, including mocking Jennifer Lawrence for falling on her way onto the red carpet, just as she did when she accepted an Oscar last year for Silver Linings Playbook.

"If you win tonight, I think we should bring you the Oscar," said DeGeneres to Lawrence, nominated for her performance in American Hustle.

DeGeneres also spent parts of the show mingling with the crowd, taking selfies to post on Twitter (including one record-breaking star-stuffed tweet) and even delivering pizza to several actors.

Here's how NPR's Linda Holmes, Bob Mondello and others live-tweeted the night at #NPROscars:

List Of Winners:

Best picture: 12 Years a Slave

Actor in a leading role: Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

Actress in a leading role: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Actor in a supporting role: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Actress in a supporting role: Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)

Directing: Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)

Best original screenplay: Spike Jonze (Her)

Best adapted screenplay: John Ridley (12 Years a Slave)

Visual effects: Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, David Shirk and Neil Corbould (Gravity)

Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity)

Music — original score: Steven Price (Gravity)

Music — original song: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez ("Let It Go" from Frozen)

Costume design: Catherine Martin (The Great Gatsby)

Production design: Catherine Martin — Production Design; Beverley Dunn — Set Decoration (The Great Gatsby)

Makeup and hairstyling: Adruitha Lee, Robin Mathews (Dallas Buyers Club)

Short film: Anders Walter and Kim Magnusson (Helium)

Animated feature film: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee and Peter Del Vecho (Frozen)

Animated short film: Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares (Mr. Hublot)

Documentary feature film: Morgan Neville, Gil Friesen and Caitrin Rogers (20 Feet from Stardom)

Documentary short subject: Malcolm Clarke and Nicholas Reed (The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life)

Foreign language film: The Great Beauty

Film editing: Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger (Gravity)

Sound mixing: Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead and Chris Munro (Gravity)

Sound editing: Glenn Freemantle (Gravity)