Oscars 2024: Cillian Murphy, Christopher Nolan, Robert Downey Jr - 1st time Academy Award Winners

Oscars 2024 was held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The 96th Academy Awards saw a series of first-time winners. From Cillian Murphy to Christopher Nolan, several bigwigs of Hollywood won their first accolades at the Academy. 

Christopher Nolan 

In his decades-long career, Christopher Nolan had not won an Oscar award for direction. The filmmaker won his maiden directing award for Oppenheimer. During his acceptance, he said: "Movies are just a little bit over 100 years old." He added, "I would imagine being 100 years into painting or theatre. We don't know where this incredible journey is going from here, but to know that you think that I'm a meaningful part of it means the world to me." 

Cillian Murphy

Cillian Murphy scripted history at the Academy by becoming the first Irish actor to take home an Oscar. The actor too won the honour for Oppenheimer. Christopher Nolan's film Oppenheimer dominated the 96th Academy Awards as it took home seven trophies, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. "We made a film about the man who created the atomic bomb, and for better or for worse, we're all living in Oppenheimer's world," Murphy said while accepting the honour.

Robert Downey Jr. 

In a third for Oppenheimer, Robert Downey Jr. lifted the trophy for the Best Supporting Actor. Oppenheimer is a biopic centred on Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist behind the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In his acceptance speech, he said: "Here's my little secret: I needed this job more than it needed me." The actor, who struggled with drug addiction for much of the 1990s and early aughts before getting sober and launching his comeback, thanked Tom Hansen, his lawyer of 40 years, "half of which he spent trying to get me insured and bailing me out."

Godzilla Minus One 

Godzilla Minus One became the first Japanese-made film to take the Visual Effects trophy at Oscars 2024. The franchise has a legacy of 70 years. The film was up against Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, Napoleon and The Creator in the category. Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima won their first Oscar for their work in the film. 

Oppenheimer registers other firsts 

Oppenheimer has also registered other first victories. The biographical drama earned Emma Thomas and Charles Roven their first Academy awards in the Best Picture category as a producer. Jennifer Lame also won her first Oscar for Best Editing in the film. Hoyte van Hoytema won his first Oscar for Best Cinematography for his work in the movie.

A year of firsts 

Apart from the major categories, the academy awarded several other artists for the first time. Holly Waddington won her first Oscar for Best Costume Design for her work on Poor Things. In another win for the Emma Stone starrer, James Price, Shona Heath and Zsuzsa Mihalek each picked up their first win for Best Production Design. Additionally, the makeup and hairstyling team Nadia Stacey and Josh Weston won their first Oscar for Poor Things. Justine Triet and Arthur Harari also joined the list of first-time winners. They lifted the trophy for Best Original Screenplay for Anatomy of a Fall. Kris Bowers won his first Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject for The Last Repair Shop, alongside Ben Proudfoot. James Wilson won his first Oscar for Best International Feature for The Zone of Interest. He wins as a producer on the film. Raney Aronson-Rath, Mstyslav Chernov and Michelle Mizner won their first Oscar for Best Documentary Feature Film for 20 Days in Mariupol. Steven Rales won his first Oscar as a producer for Best Live Action Short Film for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. Cord Jefferson picked up his very first Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for American Fiction. Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn won their first Oscar for Best Sound for The Zone of Interest.