The 96th Academy Awards was held on March 10, 2024, and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel for the fourth time, following the 2017, 2018 and 2023 Oscars. This year marked the debut of a phenomenon known as 'Barbenheimer,' or 'Barbieheimer,' which consisted of endless memes pairing the movies 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer.' Despite winning at the box office, Barbie failed to win any Oscars, while Oppenheimer emerged as the night's big winner, taking home seven Academy Awards, including 'Best Director,' 'Best Actor,' 'Best Supporting Actor,' and 'Best Picture.' Killers of the Flower Moon director Martin Scorsese surpassed Steven Spielberg, breaking the record for the most 'Best Picture' nominations. This was also the fifth consecutive year with at least one 'Best Picture' nominee directed by a woman. Emma Stone won the 'Best Actress' Award for her role in 'Poor Things,' while Da'Vine Joy Randolph won 'Best Supporting Actress' for her performance in 'The Holdovers.'

The ceremony ran smoothly inside, and there were some memorable moments for the audience, including wrestler John Cena's Streaker bit. However, outside of the venue, hundreds of people gathered to protest against what the organizers had termed as Hollywood's 'active support of U.S.-funded Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.'