By Zach Johnson
In so many ways, it was a momentous Oscars® Sunday.
The Walt Disney Company won six Academy Awards® during the 94th annual ceremony, broadcast live on ABC from the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. Hosted by Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes, the show’s theme was “Movie Lovers Unite”—and boy, did they! Join us in celebrating Disney’s wins below:
In the first televised win of the night, Ariana DeBose was awarded Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Anita in 20th Century Studios’ West Side Story, marking a historic moment as the first Afro-Latina and openly queer woman of color to receive the honor. In her acceptance speech, DeBose singled out her character’s signature song, “America,” saying, “Now you see why Anita says, ‘I want to be in America.’ Because even in this weary world that we live in, dreams do come true.”
With her win, DeBose and Rita Moreno also made history as the first pair of women to win Academy Awardsfor playing the same character in the same story; their wins come 60 years apart. “You’re staring at me right now, and I’m so grateful,” DeBose told her co-star. “Your Anita paved the way for tons of Anitas like me. I love you so much.”
DeBose referenced another song from the film, “Somewhere,” in her closing remarks. “Imagine this little girl in the back seat of a white Ford Focus. Look into her eyes. You see an openly queer woman of color, an Afro-Latina, who found her life and strength in art,” DeBose said, eliciting cheers. “And that’s what I believe we are here to celebrate. So, to anybody who has ever questioned your identity—ever, ever, ever—or you find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: There is indeed a place for us.”
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Encanto was recognized as Best Animated Feature. This is the second Oscar win for director Byron Howard and producer Clark Spencer, and the first Oscar win for director Jared Bush and producer Yvett Merino. “I am so proud to be a part of a film that puts beautiful diverse characters front and center,” Merino said onstage, “and that people everywhere are seeing themselves in the film.”
Howard thanked “key people,” including the “incomparable Lin-Manuel Miranda and Germaine Franco, and Charise Castro Smith, our co-director and the heart of the Madrigal family.” Bush added, “And we have to thank the entire country of Colombia.”
Jenny Beavan won the award for Best Costume Design for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures’ Cruella. “If you hear a really embarrassing noise, it’s probably my family somewhere up there,” she joked at the beginning of her acceptance speech. Beavan said her Oscars ensemble was designed to “honor my inner Cruella,” which included graffiti by costume illustrator Thom Botwood. After thanking the film’s costume supervisor, Clare Spragge, and her “team of the most phenomenal, creative, clever, generous, amazing people,” Beavan celebrated the hair and makeup team, as well as the cast, for bringing their collective vision to life. In fact, she said, Emma Thompson hyperventilating with joy in her costume fittings “is one of the highlights of my career.”
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), from Searchlight Pictures, Disney’s Onyx Collective, and Hulu, won Best Documentary Feature, marking the first Oscar wins for first-time director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and producers Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent, and David Dinerstein. It also marks Disney’s Onyx Collective and Hulu’s first Oscar win, and Searchlight Pictures’ first win in the category.
In his stirring acceptance speech, Thompson fought back tears. “It’s not lost on me that the Harlem Cultural Festival is something that my beautiful mother and my dad should have taken me to when I was 5 years old,” he said. “This is such a stunning moment for me right now, but this is not about me. This is about marginalized people in Harlem that needed to heal from pain. Just know that in 2022, this is not just a 1969 story about marginalized people in Harlem. This is a story of, of… I’m sorry, I’m just overwhelmed right now.” As he paused to collect himself, the crowd erupted in applause. Thompson continued, “I’m going to get myself together and I’ll thank everyone proper when I get offstage… I’m so happy right now, I could cry. Thank you.”
Searchlight Pictures’ The Eyes of Tammy Faye received two awards. The first win of the night was for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, marking the studio’s first victory in that category. While accepting the award alongside Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh, Linda Dowds shared the honor with everyone involved, saying, “It does take a village.
Later in the night, Jessica Chastain won Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of evangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. This marked her first win and Searchlight Pictures’ sixth win in the Best Actress in a Leading Role category. In her acceptance speech, Chastain channeled Bakker, sharing a “radical” message of acceptance and love with viewers. Acknowledging that “we are coming out of some difficult times that have been filled with a lot of trauma and isolation,” Chastain said, “In times like this, I think of Tammy, and I’m inspired by her radical acts of love. We’ve talked about love a lot, and I’m inspired by her compassion; I see it as a guiding principle that leads us forward. It connects us all in the desire that we want to be accepted for who we are, accepted for who we love, and to live a life without the fear of violence or terror.”
“For any of you out there who do in fact feel hopeless or alone,” Chastain continued, “I just want you to know you are unconditionally loved for the uniqueness that is you.”
See below for a complete list of Academy Awards won by The Walt Disney Company:
The Eyes of Tammy Faye | Searchlight Pictures
- 2 Academy Awards
- Best Actress in a Leading Role – Jessica Chastain
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Encanto | Walt Disney Animation Studios | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | Streaming on Disney+
- 1 Academy Award
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- Best Animated Feature Film
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) | Searchlight Pictures | Onyx Collective | Hulu | Streaming on Hulu and Disney+
- 1 Academy Award
- Best Documentary (Feature)
West Side Story | 20th Century Studios | Streaming on Disney+
- 1 Academy Award
-
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Ariana DeBose
Cruella | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | Streaming on Disney+
- 1 Academy Award
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- Best Costume Design
