Calif., US, March 12 (HBTV): Delivering Christopher Nolan, Cillian Murphy, and Robert Downey Jr. their very first Oscars, Oppenheimer took home seven of the 13 awards it was nominated for, including Best Picture.

The most closely watched contest of the Academy Awards went to Emma Stone, who won best actress for her performance as Bella Baxter in Poor Things. In what was seen as the night’s most nail-biting category, Stone won over Lily Gladstone of Killers of the Flower Moon. Gladstone would have become the first Native American to win an Academy Award.

Protest and politics intruded on an election-year Academy Awards on Sunday, where demonstrations for Gaza raged outside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, and awards went to Oppenheimer, “ The Zone of Interest” and “ 20 Days in Mariupol.” Sunday’s broadcast, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, had plenty of razzle dazzle, including a sprawling song-and-dance rendition of the “Barbie” hit “I’m Just Ken” by Ryan Gosling, with an assist on guitar by Slash. A sea of Kens swarmed the stage.

(With inputs from agencies)