Oscars 2022: Apple TV beats Netflix for first streaming Best Picture with CODA. Here are all the hory-making moments

The 2022 Oscars have concluded. Like every year, this year’s announcements were accompanied expressions of delight or dress on social media sites, and the ceremony, most have concluded, was a mixed bag. However, the conversation after the 94th Academy Awards was not about the best picture winner Coda, or horic wins for Ariana DeBose or hearing-impaired actor Troy Kotsur, but when the best actor winner, Will Smith, smacked presenter Chris Rock across the face after taking offence at his joke directed at wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
But setting the on-stage shenanigans aside for a minute, here’s looking at the illustrious firsts that the 94th Academy Awards witnessed.

The Power of the Dog led the event going in with 12 nods. It, however, could win only one trophy — Jane Campion for Best Director. The evening (or morning for Indians) really belonged to CODA, which clinched all 3 trophies it was nominated in, including the biggest one (Best Picture), and Dune, which won the most trophies (six).
The ceremony was an upgrade on the 2021’s iteration, which was deeply affected the Covid-19 pandemic and sheer scarcity of theatrical releases.
Ariana DeBose is the first openly queer woman of colour and first openly queer performer to win an acting Oscar

The Oscar for Actress in a Supporting Role goes to Ariana DeBose for her exceptional performance in ‘West Side Story.’ #Oscars @ArianaDeBose pic.twitter.com/ZydSL3LD3m
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 28, 2022
Ariana DeBose, the star of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, made hory becoming the first openly queer woman of colour to win an Oscar and the first openly queer performer to win acting Oscar. In her emotional acceptance speech, she underlined the importance of her win, saying, “For anyone who’s ever questioned your identity ever, ever, ever, or find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you that there is indeed a place for us.”
West Side Story character Anita’s second win
DeBose’s win in the Best Supporting Character category was not the first time an actor won an Oscar for the character Anita. That had come with Rita Moreno’s win in the 1962’s original West Side Story. Interestingly, DeBose’s win came exactly 60 years later.
CODA is first Best Picture winner for a streaming service

The Oscar for Actor in a Supporting Role goes to Troy Kotsur for his spectacular performance in ‘CODA.’ Congratulations! #Oscars @troykotsur pic.twitter.com/pX3tZGzt2X
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 28, 2022
While CODA star Troy Kotsur was the second deaf actor to win an acting Oscar (his co-star in the film, Marlee Matlin, won the first for 1986’s Children of a Lesser God), the film also became the first Best Picture winner for a streaming service. Apple TV+ defeated the world leader in the space, Netflix, and its closest contender The Power of the Dog in what most people think is an upset. Netflix also had Don’t Look Up in the race.
CODA is the first Best Picture winner with a predominantly Deaf cast

Best Picture goes to ‘CODA’ – Congratulations! #Oscars pic.twitter.com/X2feIYmC6d
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 28, 2022
CODA is also the first film with a mostly Deaf cast to take home the Best Picture trophy at the Oscars. And although this is not a first, the Sian Heder directorial is the third film to win the biggest Oscar without nominations in Best Director or Best Film Editing categories. The other two are Grand Hotel and Wings
Jane Campion’s Best Director win marks the first back-to-back win women in the category

#Oscars | #JaneCampion wins the Best Director trophy for #ThePowerOfTheDog! It is her second Academy Award.
Live Updates: https://t.co/Cz0ynNdHD6 pic.twitter.com/YiuLGmJNyE
— Indian Express Entertainment 😷 (@ieEntertainment) March 28, 2022
The Power of the Dog was a bust with just a single win among 12 nominations. But that win, of its director Jane Campion in Best Director category, marked the second consecutive win of a woman — the first time it has happened in the Academy Awards’ hory.

Best Actor in a Leading Role goes to Will Smith for his incredible performance in ‘King Richard’ Congratulations! #Oscars pic.twitter.com/y0UTX48214
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 28, 2022
First Oscar wins for Will Smith and Kenneth Branagh
Will Smith and Kenneth Branagh have been working in Hollywood for decades now, but this year’s Academy Awards was the first time they won Oscars. While Will Smith took home the Best Actor trophy for his performance in King Richard, Branagh won in the Best Original Screenplay category for his semi-autobiographical film Belfast.