Oscars 2024 highlights: "Oppenheimer" wins, a naked John Cena, Ken-demonium

There was talk of war — past conflicts, and current ones — and pleas for peace. There was a painful reminder of the recent death of Alexei Navalny. There were protests outside the Dolby Theatre, calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. And there was a bit of election-year politics, too, from host Jimmy Kimmel.

But the Oscars telecast is always a chaotic mix of moods and tones, and so even on a night ruled by somber themes, where the academy crowned a film about the the atomic bomb, there were joyful giggles when naked — well, almost — John Cena came out to present (naturally) the costume award, a throwback to the famous 1974 streaker. And the crowd was united in joyful silliness when Ryan Gosling took the stage (with a slew of fellow Kens) to sing “I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie,” causing what could only be called “Ken-demonium.” Ken may not have his own house in Barbie Land, but he sure owned this one.

The night, though, belonged not to “Barbie” but to its partner in the cultural and marketing phenomenon known as “Barbenheimer.” Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” won seven Oscars and cemented Nolan’s place in Hollywood history. The film’s haul included a satisfying win for longtime Nolan collaborator Cillian Murphy, who won best actor, and an emotional win for Robert Downey Jr., his first Oscar in an up-and-down career.

Those wins were expected, but there were still a few surprises. In the closest race, Emma Stone won her second Oscar for her hugely inventive performance in “Poor Things,” a victory that denied Lily Gladstone a chance to make history as the first Native American to win an Oscar.

And lest anyone forget this is an election year, Kimmel, back for the fourth time, came onstage late in the show to read out a critical social media post from one Donald Trump.

“Thank you for watching,” said Kimmel, a zealous critic of the former president. “Isn’t it past your jail time?”

More of the night’s notable moments:

Host Jimmy Kimmel speaks during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Viewers tuning in at the beginning may have been perplexed to find commercials instead. When he came on, Kimmel noted the show