Women won a record of 15 Oscars this year at the 91st Academy Awards, which makes history for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. FF2 Media contributor Nikoleta Morales was backstage in the press room, hearing first-hand how the female winners continue to support other women and spoke about a much-needed change. Read what the 2019 female Oscar winners had to say below:
Best Actress in Supporting Role
Regina King for If Beale Streets Could Talk
This is her first Oscar nomination and win. She shared how she felt loved as a child and this helped her get to where she is today. Now she roots for other women. “Especially then, the Academy was not as reflective as it is now. We are still trying to get more reflective. But I feel like I’ve had so many women that have paved the way, are paving the way, and I feel like I walk in their light, and I also am creating my own light. And there are young women that will walk in the light that I’m continuing to shine and expand from those women before me.”
Best Costume Design
Ruth Carter for Black Panther
“Finally, the door is wide open. And I’ve been struggling and, you know, digging deep, and mentoring, and doing whatever I could to raise others up. And I hope through my example this means that there is hope, and other people can come on in and win an Oscar just like I did.” Ruth Carter is the first African-American to win Best Costume Design category.
Best Production Design
Hannah Beachler for Black Panther
This was the first time this award was given to an African-American female and she couldn’t hide her excitement. “I’ve been given so much advice over the years, and every bit of it has changed everything. I think the advice that changed everything for me the
most was when I arrived in Oakland all those years ago with Ryan on the first day, and he said, ‘You know what? Just be honest, and be truthful, and be you; because if you don’t, if you’re not yourself, then, you know, this is never going to work.’”
Best Original Song
Lady Gaga – “Shallow” from A Star is Born
Lady Gaga shared with us the “joy” that Bradley Cooper gave her and how she wanted to give joy back. “I also have a true dream in our future as we evolve as humanity that these award shows will not be male and female but that we include everyone. I wish to not be in the shallow, but I am. But I wish to dive off the deep end, and watch me do it. I think this is something that speaks to many people. And during, I think, a very shallow time, it’s a
chance for us all to grab hands, you know, and just dive off into the water together, and swim into the deepest depths of the ocean that we can.”
Best Actress
Olivia Colman for The Favourite
She was more than excited to win this tough category and she shared her admiration and thanked other female co-stars on stage and backstage. In relation to the other two nominees for the role: “I’ve just been told I completely forgot Melissa and Yalitza as well, so but, you know, it’s not an everyday occurrence. So I don’t know how anyone is composed and remembers everything because it’s a very weird situation. But to those two beautiful women I forgot to say thank you to.”
Best Documentary (Short)
Rayka Zehtabchi and Melissa Berton for Period. End of Sentence
Melissa Berton shared what reaction the Indian women had after seeing the film. “The students and I were able to go three months after that to meet everybody and see, and we were able to screen the film. Actually, the women in the village were the first audience to actually see the finished film, one of the first audiences, and they really felt proud of how they came across. And we’ve been talking to them all week, because they’re here; and this has made a lot of change for them.”
Best Animated Short Film
Domee Shi and Becky Neiman-Cobb for Bao
Domee She: “We are just so happy that Bao was just so embraced by the world and by the Academy, but I’m also happy to say, like, I’m now not the only female short director at Pixar. There’s two amazing shorts that came out of Pixar over the last couple weeks. Purl and Kitbull, directed by the very talented Kristen Lester and Rosana Sullivan. Check them out. These ladies are super talented. Wow. Bao blazed a trail, but, you know, we are just happy to be one of many, many female directors to come.”
© Nikoleta Morales (2/27/19) FF2 Media
Click on the video below to hear the full set of backstage interviews with the Bao directors. Note that FF2 had the honor of asking the final question which begins at 6:25.
Featured Photo: Becky Neiman-Cobb and Domee Shi pose backstage with the Oscar® for best animated short film during the live ABC Telecast of The 91st Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 24, 2019. Credit: ©A.M.P.A.S.
