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Yuh-Jung Youn

Hollywood history-making at the 2021 Oscars

Danielle Hurst

Hey Hollywooders! Welcome back to HollyGOOD Tuesday, where we cover all things Hollywood. While last week we talked about 10 things you may not have known about the Oscars, this week we’re focusing on all of the 2021 Oscars moments that will go down in history. If you watched, you know the event was nothing short of epic and inclusive right from the beginning with the Oscars pre-show, filled with HollyGOOD quotes from Oscar winners and presenters and relatable tweets from viewers at home.

Half of the acting Oscars went to people of color and two out of the five directors nominated were women. We truly do love to see it.

Here are some of our favorite historical moments from this special Hollywood night.

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We stan the acknowledgment of Native lands

The 2021 Oscars started off strong with the recognition of the Tongva indigenous people, whose ancestral land the Oscars were being held on. This set the tone for the rest of the show, and hopefully, it sets the precedent for more inclusivity in Hollywood in the future.

“For a while, it felt as though the Oscars only represented the views of old white men. And while it is hard to tell how much the judging of the Oscars has changed, they have definitely improved their representation and recognition of the diversity in Hollywood,” Hollywood.com’s very own videography Ange shared after watching the 2021 Oscars Sunday night. “They started the performance by recognizing the Native land the ceremony took place on. And the rest of the ceremony seemed to take that introduction seriously. So many of the speeches covered the problems that exist in Hollywood, such as racism, homophobia, and homelessness.”

While Hollywood still has a long way to go, the 2021 Oscars was a step in the right direction.

Viewers at home, including UN Women, shared similar sentiments:

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First Black women to win Best Hair and Makeup

Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson became the first Black women to ever win the Oscar for Best Hair and Makeup for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom on Netflix. 

“I want to say thank you to our ancestors who put the work in, were denied but never gave up,” Mia Neal said in her acceptance speech. “And I also stand here as Jamika and I break this glass ceiling with so much excitement for the future. Because I can picture Black trans women standing up here and Asian sisters and our Latino sisters and indigenous women. And I know that one day it won’t be unusual or groundbreaking; it will just be normal.”

Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson reminded women of color everywhere to keep breaking that glass ceiling. 

Ma Rainey Black Bottom actress Viola Davis posted in support of her “posse.” 

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Yuh-Jung Youn wins for Best Supporting Actress…and best speech 

Yuh-Jung Youn made history when she became the first Korean woman to win an Oscar in the show’s 93-year history when she won for Best Supporting Actress in Minari. 

Not only was this moment iconic, but her speech simply made the night. Yuh-Jung Youn made an inspiring speech and even cracked a few jokes, and started off her speech by fangirling over Brad Pitt.

“Mr. Brad Pitt, finally. It’s nice to meet you. Where were you while we were filming? It’s an honor to meet you.” We think Brad Pitt the honor goes to Brad Pitt for finally meeting Yuh-Jung Youn. 

She finished her speech by thanking her two sons, “I like to thank my two boys who made me go out and work. This is the result because mommy worked so hard.”

Best Actress winner Frances McDormand, Best Actor winner Anthony Hopkins, and Best Supporting Actress Winner Yuh-Hung Youn show us that age is just a number; all 3 Oscar winners are over the age of 60.

You can watch Yuh-Jung Youn in Minari by renting it on Amazon. 

Chloé Zhao’s Historic win for Nomadland 

Chloé Zhao won Best Director for her film Nomadland, marking a HUGE moment in Oscars history. She is the second woman to win the award and the first-ever woman of color to win the Best Director award in all of Oscars history. 

In her speech, Chloé Zhao recalled memorizing Chinese poems with her father, and cited one in particular that translates to “People at birth are inherently good.” She continued by saying, “Those six words had such great impact on me when I was a kid, and I still truly believe them today, even though sometimes it might seem like the opposite is true. But I have always found goodness in the people I met, everywhere I went in the world. “


 
 
 
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Chloé Zhao was named Best Director at the BAFTA Film Awards, Critics Choice Awards, and Golden Globes, making her the most decorated director in a single award season.

We *cannot wait* to see what is next from this talented filmmaker. 

While the 2021 Oscars were nothing short of inclusive, there is still more work to be done. But for now, we can bask in the glory of some of our favorite Academy Awards moments. 

Here are some of Twitter’s favorite moments from this iconic night. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Entertainment News Like This: Frances McDormand is still the G.O.A.T., 3 decades and 3 Oscars wins later

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Danielle Hurst
Danielle Hurst

Movies in theaters