Oscars 2023: Brendan Fraser, Michelle Yeoh clinch Best Actor awards
The 95th Academy Awards have been announced! The star-studded ceremony was attended by the who's who of Hollywood such as Pedro Pascal, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Andrew Garfield, Elizabeth Olsen, and Nicole Kidman, among others. The most prestigious and the most competitive category of the evening: Best Actors (Male and Female) have been clinched by Brendan Fraser and Michelle Yeoh. Congratulations to both!
Check who was in contention for Best Actor
Fraser won the coveted award for The Whale. He played a middle-aged man struggling with immense obesity in the celebrated drama. Austin Butler (Elvis), Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin), Paul Mescal (Aftersun), and Bill Nighy (Living) were also competing for the Best Actor Academy Award. All these films opened to overwhelmingly positive critical reviews when they came out last year.
Check out other nominees for Best Actress
Yeoh took home the award for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Other nominees in this department included Cate Blanchett (Tár), Ana de Armas (Blonde), Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie), and Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans). The category received cut-throat competition since all these actors had won hearts and immense critical applause for their powerful performances in these movies. Yeoh's biggest competitor was two-time Oscar-winning actor Blanchett.
Fraser got teary-eyed on stage
Teary-eyed Fraser had a hard time keeping his overwhelming emotions in check as he took the stage to receive the Best Actor in a Leading Role trophy. He said, "My goodness, I thank the Academy for this honor and for our studio A24 for making such a bold film. I am grateful to [director] Darren Aronofsky for throwing me a creative lifeline."
Here's what Fraser said
Yeoh scripted history with her smashing win
Yeoh is the first Asian female actor ever to clinch the highest honor in world cinema in this category. In her acceptance speech, she said, "For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof that dreams come true. And ladies...never let anyone tell you that you're past your prime."
