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Stuart Heritage

The problem with starting a ceremony with a big award is that it sets the tone for speech length. Now that Culkin has gone without being played off, everyone else is going to push the boundaries. Nobody is going to sleep tonight, are they?

Kieran Culkin wins best supporting actor

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Which isn’t a surprise, since he’s been dominating the season. But, hey, at least we get a nice speech. He is, for once, overwhelmed. He’s tearing up, and sincerely praising Jeremy Strong. He’s going long, telling everyone an anecdote about how his wife promised to give him four children if he ever won an Oscar. “Let’s get cracking,” he tells her as he walks off stage. Might be the speech of the night already.

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Robert Downey Jr is on stage, introducing each of the best supporting actor nominees with a little speech that seems to mainly seems to be about Robert Downey Jr.

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And now, a tonal change to acknowledge the fires. The Oscars also shines a light on behind-the-scenes craftspeople, not famous or wealthy, who come from a community devastated by disaster. The sincerity is undercut somewhat by a bizarre song and dance number about how Conan O’Brien won’t waste anyone’s time. He’s accompanied by the sandworm from Dune playing piano. It’s not great, but at least it’s over quickly. And now for the first award.

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A very good joke about Amazon’s takeover of the Bond franchise, announcing that the new 007 is Amazon senior executive Steven Belsky. This is followed by housekeeping. If speeches go too long, O’Brien says, winners will first be greeted by the sight of John Lithgow looking slightly disappointed, and then a headshot from the early part of their careers.

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Karla Sofía Gascón, who is in attendance, has been the butt of two jokes so far. “If you’re tweeting about the ceremony, my name is Jimmy Kimmel,” O’Brien tells her. He’s also made a joke about The Brutalist’s use of AI. And, to a lesser extent, how confusing Dune: Part Two was.

Chloe Mac Donnell

After his recent BAFTA look that consisted of a long black trench coat and statement shirt from Versace, Colman Domingo’s Oscars look is a little more pared back. If a hot crimson coloured blazer with contrasting black lapels and an exaggerated tie detailing can be considered subtle?

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Coming on as “four-time Oscar viewer”, O’Brien immediately berates the audience for his lack of standing ovation. And so far they are his worst enemy, stomping all over his setups by cheering whenever he says the name of a film out loud.

Morwenna Ferrier

And over to Mikey Madison in another two-parter of a dress by Dior to temper any stuffiness on the red carpet. More updos, more bows at the waist, more golden age of Hollywood-meets-boudoir-meets-bombshell, and finally a bit of colour – Peppa pink! How grown up.

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And now for Conan O’Brien, starting the show proper with a spoof of The Substance. He makes his entrance by crawling out of Demi Moore’s back. Thank heavens he’s here.

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Grande’s off, and Cynthia Erivo has taken her place, singing a song from The Wiz. It’s a bit less well known than Somewhere Over the Rainbow, but Erivo is belting it like there’s no tomorrow. And once that’s done, Grande comes back on to duet Defying Gravity. In a nice nod to the berserk Wicked press tour, they’re holding hands and fighting back tears.

Morwenna Ferrier

For an actor not afraid to challenge established norms of dress, this is a relatively sober taupe look from Jeremy Strong. It is by Loro Piana, though, his favourite brand – and Kendall Roy’s.

Chloe Mac Donnell

More protest dressing. The actor Kayo Shekoni has just turned around to the cameras and lifted her right foot to showcase her black heels that are emblazoned with the words Free Congo in gold text.