88th Oscars: Best picture goes to Spotlight and Leonardo DiCaprio bagged Best actor

88th Oscars (2016) – That was a tough three-way race between Spotlight, The Revenant and The Big Short. But, this time the awards are more about Leonardo DiCaprio who finally got his statue for the best actor in The Revenant – after 4 earlier nominations. Well, the disappointing times are over for DiCaprio! Alejandro G. Iñárritu, DiCaprio’s director has got second Direction award for the same. “The Revenant” got 12 nominations and finally won three! Brie Larson won the best actress award for acting in drama “Room” as a mother who had spent much of her life being a captive. Overall, “Mad Max” won six statuettes from 10 nominations. The major disappointment of the evening was the loss of Sylvester Stallone to Mark Rylance for best supporting actor.

This has been the most controversial Oscars season with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences roiling over less number of acting nominees of color again this time. Like previous years’ awards, this time no particular film dominated the Oscars as the voters favored their love to most of the contenders. Once the show ends and the cameras are off, all the newly anointed award winners go to engraving station at the Governors Ball at Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood where they get their personal nameplates affixed to the Oscar statuettes. The art foundry of New York ‘Polich Tallix’ prepares these engraved nameplates well in advance for the ceremony.

Leonardo arrived early at the station carrying his first Oscar. He asked politely to the technician who affixed his nameplate, “Wow, manually? Do they do this every year?” the technician answered with a yes. “I wouldn’t know,” said Leonardo jokingly.

All eyes were on Leonardo DiCaprio at the ball, but he left the party in a short while flanked by security. And why wouldn’t it be? There was a swarm of well-wishers who wanted a peek of the man who stole the night.

Picture: Oscars.org / Press Photograph.