The 91st Academy Awards, held on February 24, 2019, recognized the excellence of films released in 2018. Green Book claimed the top prize for Best Picture, while Roma and The Favourite led the field with 10 nominations each. This ceremony was notable for being the first hostless Oscars in 30 years and for the historic inclusion of Black Panther as the first superhero film nominated for Best Picture.
Overview of the 91st Academy Awards (2019)
As we look back from 2026, the 91st Academy Awards remain a significant turning point in the history of the Oscars. The ceremony took place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, produced by Donna Gigliotti and Glenn Weiss. The event faced considerable scrutiny before it even began, following the withdrawal of the intended host, Kevin Hart. This led the Academy to proceed without a formal emcee, a move that resulted in a tighter, more music-forward telecast that many critics at the time found refreshing.
The nominations were announced on January 22, 2019, by Tracee Ellis Ross and Kumail Nanjiani. The list reflected a diversifying industry, with Netflix earning its first Best Picture nomination for Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma. This marked a major shift in how streaming services were perceived by the traditional Hollywood establishment. Simultaneously, the inclusion of Black Panther signaled a growing acceptance of blockbuster genre films within the Academy’s most prestigious categories.
The competition was fierce across all major categories. The Favourite and Roma tied for the most nominations (10), followed closely by A Star Is Born and Vice with 8 nominations each. The eventual Best Picture winner, Green Book, entered the night with 5 nominations, ultimately taking home three trophies.
The Big Six: Main Category Nominees and Winners
The primary categories—Best Picture, Directing, and the four acting awards—often define the legacy of an Oscar year. In 2019, these categories were marked by both predictable sweeps and stunning upsets.
Best Picture
The Best Picture race was one of the most debated in recent memory. While Roma was the critical darling and won several precursor awards, the Academy ultimately chose Green Book, a choice that sparked significant discourse regarding its portrayal of racial dynamics.
- Green Book (Winner)
- Black Panther
- BlacKkKlansman
- Bohemian Rhapsody
- The Favourite
- Roma
- A Star Is Born
- Vice
Best Director
Alfonso Cuarón’s win for Roma was historic, as he also served as the film's cinematographer and editor. His win solidified his status as one of the era’s premiere filmmakers.
- Alfonso Cuarón – Roma (Winner)
- Spike Lee – BlacKkKlansman
- Paweł Pawlikowski – Cold War
- Yorgos Lanthimos – The Favourite
- Adam McKay – Vice
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Rami Malek’s transformation into Freddie Mercury for Bohemian Rhapsody was the dominant narrative of the season. Despite strong competition from veterans like Christian Bale and Viggo Mortensen, Malek swept the awards circuit.
- Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody (Winner)
- Christian Bale – Vice
- Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born
- Willem Dafoe – At Eternity's Gate
- Viggo Mortensen – Green Book
Best Actress in a Leading Role
The Best Actress category provided the biggest surprise of the night. While many expected Glenn Close to finally win her first Oscar for The Wife, Olivia Colman’s performance in The Favourite earned her the statuette.
- Olivia Colman – The Favourite (Winner)
- Yalitza Aparicio – Roma
- Glenn Close – The Wife
- Lady Gaga – A Star Is Born
- Melissa McCarthy – Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Mahershala Ali won his second Oscar in three years for his portrayal of Don Shirley in Green Book. His win was widely expected following his victories at the SAG and Golden Globe awards.
- Mahershala Ali – Green Book (Winner)
- Adam Driver – BlacKkKlansman
- Sam Elliott – A Star Is Born
- Richard E. Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me?
- Sam Rockwell – Vice
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Regina King took home the award for her powerful performance in Barry Jenkins' If Beale Street Could Talk. This category was particularly competitive, featuring two nominees from The Favourite.
- Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk (Winner)
- Amy Adams – Vice
- Marina de Tavira – Roma
- Emma Stone – The Favourite
- Rachel Weisz – The Favourite
Complete List of Nominees and Winners by Category
Below is the exhaustive list of the remaining categories from the 2019 Academy Awards. Winners are highlighted in bold.
Writing Categories
- Best Original Screenplay: Green Book (Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, and Peter Farrelly); The Favourite; First Reformed; Roma; Vice.
- Best Adapted Screenplay: BlacKkKlansman (Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, and Spike Lee); The Ballad of Buster Scruggs; Can You Ever Forgive Me?; If Beale Street Could Talk; A Star Is Born.
Feature Films (Animation, Documentary, Foreign)
- Best Animated Feature: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; Incredibles 2; Isle of Dogs; Mirai; Ralph Breaks the Internet.
- Best Foreign Language Film: Roma (Mexico); Capernaum (Lebanon); Cold War (Poland); Never Look Away (Germany); Shoplifters (Japan).
- Best Documentary Feature: Free Solo; Hale County This Morning, This Evening; Minding the Gap; Of Fathers and Sons; RBG.
Technical and Craft Categories
- Best Original Score: Black Panther (Ludwig Göransson); BlacKkKlansman; If Beale Street Could Talk; Isle of Dogs; Mary Poppins Returns.
- Best Original Song: "Shallow" from A Star Is Born; "All the Stars" from Black Panther; "I'll Fight" from RBG; "The Place Where Lost Things Go" from Mary Poppins Returns; "When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings" from The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.
- Best Sound Editing: Bohemian Rhapsody; Black Panther; First Man; A Quiet Place; Roma.
- Best Sound Mixing: Bohemian Rhapsody; Black Panther; First Man; Roma; A Star Is Born.
- Best Production Design: Black Panther; The Favourite; First Man; Mary Poppins Returns; Roma.
- Best Cinematography: Roma (Alfonso Cuarón); Cold War; The Favourite; Never Look Away; A Star Is Born.
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Vice; Border; Mary Queen of Scots.
- Best Costume Design: Black Panther (Ruth E. Carter); The Ballad of Buster Scruggs; The Favourite; Mary Poppins Returns; Mary Queen of Scots.
- Best Film Editing: Bohemian Rhapsody; BlacKkKlansman; The Favourite; Green Book; Vice.
- Best Visual Effects: First Man; Avengers: Infinity War; Christopher Robin; Ready Player One; Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Short Film Categories
- Best Documentary Short: Period. End of Sentence.; Black Sheep; End Game; Lifeboat; A Night at the Garden.
- Best Live Action Short: Skin; Detainment; Fauve; Marguerite; Mother.
- Best Animated Short: Bao; Animal Behaviour; Late Afternoon; One Small Step; Weekends.
Statistical Snapshot of the 91st Academy Awards
The distribution of awards in 2019 was relatively spread out among the top contenders, though Bohemian Rhapsody emerged as the numerical leader in terms of total wins.
| Film | Nominations | Wins | Key Victories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bohemian Rhapsody | 5 | 4 | Best Actor, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing |
| Roma | 10 | 3 | Best Director, Foreign Language Film, Cinematography |
| Green Book | 5 | 3 | Best Picture, Supporting Actor, Original Screenplay |
| Black Panther | 7 | 3 | Score, Production Design, Costume Design |
| The Favourite | 10 | 1 | Best Actress |
| A Star Is Born | 8 | 1 | Best Original Song |
| Vice | 8 | 1 | Best Makeup and Hairstyling |
| BlacKkKlansman | 6 | 1 | Best Adapted Screenplay |
| First Man | 4 | 1 | Best Visual Effects |
| If Beale Street Could Talk | 3 | 1 | Best Supporting Actress |
The Impact of the "No Host" Decision
One of the most discussed aspects of the 2019 nominations and subsequent ceremony was the absence of a host. After Kevin Hart stepped down due to a controversy involving resurfaced social media posts, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) decided to go hostless for the first time since the 61st ceremony in 1989.
The experiment was largely considered a success in terms of pacing. Instead of a long opening monologue, the show began with a high-energy performance by Queen + Adam Lambert. Presenters were given more leeway, and the focus shifted more directly to the nominees. This format was so well-received that it influenced the structure of several subsequent ceremonies in the early 2020s. From an SEO and viewer engagement perspective, the lack of a host meant that the individual performances and acceptance speeches—like Olivia Colman’s endearing and humorous speech—became the primary viral moments of the night.
Diversity and Representation in the 2019 Nominees
The 2019 nominations were a landmark year for diversity. For the first time, several barriers were broken by artists of color and international filmmakers:
- Ruth E. Carter and Hannah Beachler: Carter became the first African American to win Best Costume Design (Black Panther), and Beachler became the first African American to win Best Production Design (Black Panther).
- Spike Lee: After decades in the industry, Spike Lee won his first competitive Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay (BlacKkKlansman).
- Yalitza Aparicio: Making her film debut in Roma, Aparicio became the first Indigenous Mexican woman nominated for Best Actress.
- Marvel Studios: The nomination of Black Panther for Best Picture was a validation of the cultural and artistic impact of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a feat that had eluded superhero films since the genre's explosion in the 2000s.
Legacy of the 2019 Oscar Nominees in 2026
Seven years later, the class of 2019 remains highly influential. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is now cited as a foundational shift in animation style, influencing an entire decade of visual storytelling. Roma opened the floodgates for streaming services, proving that a film does not need a traditional theatrical-only window to achieve the highest honors in the industry.
While the Best Picture win for Green Book continues to be a point of debate among film historians—often compared to the controversial win of Crash over Brokeback Mountain—the overall quality of the 2019 nominee list is regarded as exceptionally high. Films like The Favourite launched Olivia Colman into a period of undisputed stardom, and the technical achievements in First Man and Black Panther set new standards for their respective crafts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which film had the most nominations at the 2019 Academy Awards?
Both Roma and The Favourite led the 2019 Academy Awards with 10 nominations each. Roma competed in major categories like Best Picture, Director, and Actress, while The Favourite also secured double nominations in the Supporting Actress category for Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz.
Why was there no host for the 2019 Oscars?
The 2019 Oscars went without a host after comedian Kevin Hart withdrew from the position. Hart stepped down following a public outcry over past homophobic tweets and his initial refusal to apologize. The Academy opted not to replace him, choosing instead to use various presenters to lead different segments of the show.
Did Black Panther win any Oscars in 2019?
Yes, Black Panther won three Academy Awards out of its seven nominations. It won for Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and Best Original Score. These wins were historic, as they were the first Oscars ever won by Marvel Studios.
Was Roma the first Netflix movie to be nominated for Best Picture?
Yes, Roma was the first film produced and distributed by Netflix to receive a nomination for Best Picture. This nomination was a significant milestone for streaming platforms, leading to a change in how the Academy evaluates non-theatrical primary releases.
Who won Best Actress in 2019?
Olivia Colman won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role as Queen Anne in The Favourite. Her victory was considered one of the night's biggest surprises, as many pundits expected Glenn Close to win for The Wife.
Practical Recommendation for Film Researchers
If you are researching the 2019 Academy Awards for historical or academic purposes, it is recommended to view the Official Academy Awards Database. This resource provides the most accurate and verified data regarding every nominee and winner in the Academy's history. For those interested in the cultural impact of these films, the AFI (American Film Institute) archives provide contemporary reviews and analysis from 2019 that offer context on how these films were perceived at the time of their release.
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