Oscars Photos: Best & Worst Moments (2015)

Neil Patrick Harris Opens

Image Credit: Photo Credit: AP Images

The first-time Academy Awards host drew on his experience hosting the Tonys five times with a musical number that paid tribute to the art of film. "No one's drunk and bitter yet 'cause no one has lost," Harris sang as the camera flashed to nominee Benedict Cumberbatch drinking from a flask. The song also saluted Field of Dreams, Ghost, The Avengers, Star Wars and Risky Business, among others, and this year's nominees. An equally wide-eyed Anna Kendrick — reprising her role of Cinderella from Into the Woods — and a cynical Jack Black joined Harris for the opening.
Advice to All Those Watching

Image Credit: Photo Credit: AP Images

"If I may: Call your mom, everybody. I'm told there's like a billion people or so [watching]. Call your mom, call your dad — if you're lucky enough to have a parent or two alive on this planet, call them. Don't text, don't email, call them on the phone. Tell them you love them, and thank them, and listen to them for as long as they want to talk to you." said best supporting actor winner for Whiplash J.K. Simmons before thanking his own parents.
“Lost Stars”

Adam Levine took the Dolby Theatre stage with Maroon 5 to perform the nominated song from the film Begin Again.
Don’t Play Off ‘Ida’

Director Pawel Pawlikowski of foreign-language film winner Ida said, "We made a film, black and white, about the need for silence and withdrawal from the world and contemplation, and here we are at this epicenter of noise and all the tension — fantastic! Life is full of surprises!" He then hilariously refused to leave the podium and stayed well past his musical cue to exit, which caused the audience to laugh and applaud.
“Everything Is Awesome”

Tegan and Sara and The Lonely Island's incredibly fun and colorful performance of the nominated Lego Movie track also featured Batman, Questlove, and construction workers and astronauts who went into the audience to give out Oscars made of Legos (very similar to the one director Phil Lord posted on Twitter when he learned the film wasn't nominated in the animation category).
“I Love That Dress”

"… it takes a lot of balls to wear a dress like that," said host Harris spontaneously of Dana Perry's look after she and Ellen Goosenberg Kent won the documentary short subject Oscar for Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1.
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You”

Tim McGraw took the stage to perform the nominated song from Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me.
‘Birdman’ in Briefs

One bit spoofed Birdman's continuous shot, but with a spin — Harris, who was locked out of his dressing room with his robe in the door, walked through the hallway as Whiplash's Miles Teller drummed away. "Not my tempo," the host told Teller before he came onstage in just white briefs, black socks and dress shoes, as Michael Keaton did in Times Square.
“Grateful”

Rita Ora stood on a platform as lasers fired away around her to perform "Grateful," the nominated song from Beyond the Lights written by Diane Warren.
Patricia Arquette

"To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else's equal rights," said best supporting actress winner for Boyhood Patricia Arquette, with Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lopez in visibly strong agreement in the audience. "It's our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America."
Jared Leto Speaks the Truth

"Each of the nominees for best actress in a supporting role is proven and powerful. They are four women, plus — in accordance with California State Law — Meryl Streep," said Jared Leto. When the audience laughed and Streep shook her head in bemusement, he said with relief, "Thank you! I was a little nervous about that one."
In Memoriam

"Whatever role they played in moviemaking, the films they were a part of made us laugh and cry and consider life with fresh eyes. They tickled us, raised our spirits when we needed it, challenged our minds and shocked our complacencies. Through their work, they shared a piece of their soul, and so we will miss them with the same sadness as we miss an old friend," said a moved Meryl Streep before the show honored those lost over the past year. "But their work will stand and remind us of how lucky we were to have them with us for a while. There will never be anyone like them, each and every one."
“I Can’t Let Go”

Jennifer Hudson performed the touching ballad as part of the show's In Memoriam segment.
Words of Courage

"The disclosures that Edward Snowden reveal don't only expose a threat to our privacy but to our democracy itself," said Citizenfour's Laura Poitras upon winning the best documentary honor. "When the most important decisions being made affecting all of us are made in secret, we lose our ability to check the powers that control. Thank you to Edward Snowden for his courage and for the many other whistleblowers."
“Glory”

John Legend and Common brought their winning Selma song to the Oscars, performing on a replica of the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge. The moving performance brought Selma stars David Oyelowo and Carmen Ejogo to tears, as well as Chris Pine.
“Wickedly Talented”

Idina Menzel and John Travolta reunited a year later after Travolta's infamous flub of Menzel's name to present the original song winner. After hugging with affection, they poked fun at the moment, saying all is forgotten. "Not like it’s going to follow me around for the rest of my life," said Menzel after Travolta's apology, to which he joked, "Me either." When it came time for Travolta to announce the winner, Menzel humorously asked if he needed help doing so.
‘Selma’

"This bridge was once a landmark of a divided nation but now is a symbol for change. The spirit of this bridge transcends race, gender, religion, sexual orientation and social status. … This bridge was built on hope, welded with compassion and elevated by love for all human beings," said Common upon winning the original song Oscar. Legend added, "We know that right now, the struggle for freedom and justice is real. We live in the most incarcerated country in the world. There are more black men under correctional control today than were under slavery in 1850. When people are marching with our song, we want to tell you we are with you, we see you, we love you, and march on."
‘The Sound of Music’

As part of special 50th anniversary tribute to The Sound of Music, Lady Gaga hit the high notes on "The Hills Are Alive," "My Favorite Things," "Edelweiss" and "Climb Every Mountain." Afterward, Andrews came onstage, gave Gaga a hug and told the audience before presenting the Oscar for best score, "I think that I do speak for everyone connected to the movie when I say, we all really felt blessed to be a part of it. And as for me, well, how lucky can a girl get?"
“Stay Weird, Stay Different”

"When I was 16 years old, I tried to kill myself because I felt weird and I felt different and I felt like I did not belong," said the winning Imitation Game screenwriter Graham Moore. "And now I'm standing here. So I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she's weird or she's different or she doesn't fit in anywhere: Yes you do. I promise you do. Stay weird, stay different, and then when it's your turn and you're standing on this stage, please pass the same message to the next person who comes along."
Alejandro G. Inarritu’s Luck

The Birdman helmer told the audience of his good luck charm to win the best director award: wearing Michael Keaton's tighty-whities from the film's memorable Times Square scene. "They are tight, smells like balls, but it worked!"
Eddie of ‘Everything’

"I am fully aware that I am a lucky, lucky man. This Oscar — wow! — this belongs to all of those people around the world battling ALS," said the overwhelmed best actor winner Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything, pausing to stare at the statue in his hand. "I will be its custodian, and I promise you I will look after him, I will polish him, I will answer his beck and call, I will wait on him hand and foot."
Fountain of Youth

"I read an article that said that winning an Oscar can make you live five years longer, and if that's true, then I'd like to thank the Academy because my husband is younger than me!" said Still Alice best actress winner Julianne Moore. "One of the wonderful things about movies is that it makes us feel seen and not alone, and people with Alzheimer's deserve to be seen so that we can find a cure."
‘Birdman’ Beyond America

After presenter Sean Penn told the audience, "Who gave this son of a bitch a green card?" the Birdman cast took the stage. "Oh my God, they want me to talk because I'm the worst English-speaking guy here?" said best picture helmer Alejandro G. Inarritu. "Maybe next year the government will inflict some immigration rules to the Academy? Two Mexicans in a row — that's suspicious, I guess." He dedicated the award to those in Mexico: "I pray that we can find and build the government that we deserve. And the ones that live in this country, who are part of the latest generation of immigrants in this country, I just pray that they can be treated with the same dignity and respect of the ones who came before and built this incredible immigrant nation."

Neil Patrick Harris Opens

Advice to All Those Watching

“Lost Stars”

Don’t Play Off ‘Ida’

“Everything Is Awesome”

“I Love That Dress”

“I’m Not Gonna Miss You”

‘Birdman’ in Briefs

“Grateful”

Patricia Arquette

Jared Leto Speaks the Truth

In Memoriam

“I Can’t Let Go”

Words of Courage

“Glory”

“Wickedly Talented”

‘Selma’

‘The Sound of Music’

“Stay Weird, Stay Different”

Alejandro G. Inarritu’s Luck

Eddie of ‘Everything’

Fountain of Youth

‘Birdman’ Beyond America