Birdman soared past the competition, winning the Best Picture prize at the 87th Academy Awards.
Director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film, shot to resemble a single take and featuring a large ensemble cast, was a major undertaking; what may have clinched the award for Birdman, though, is the film’s element of satire. In a Hollywood defined by big-budget superhero films, a movie that asked what it meant for a franchise player to try to be an artist was an apt winner. (It has gone widely noted that this win makes three of the past four Best Pictures about the challenges and inner strength of the people who make movies, after 2011’s The Artist and 2012’s Argo.)
Also of note: Birdman’s $36 million domestic box-office take makes it the second-lowest-grossing Best Picture of the past 35 years, though presumably its audience will grow thanks to the Academy’s imprimatur. Birdman also won Oscars for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Cinematography.
Oscars 2015: Celebrities on the Red Carpet
Emma Stone attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Scarlett Johansson attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Chris Pratt and Anna Faris attend the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Jessica Chastain attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter attend the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Chris Pine attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Reese Witherspoon attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Anna Kendrick attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Frazer Harrison—Getty Images
Rosamund Pike attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Bradley Cooper attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Neil Patrick Harris, right, and David Burtka attendsthe 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Lupita Nyong'o attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Gwyneth Paltrow attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Eddie Redmayne attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Julianne Moore attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Oprah Winfrey attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Nicole Kidman attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
America Ferrera attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Cate Blanchett attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Michael Keaton attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
David Oyelowo attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
J.K. Simmons attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Zendaya attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Josh Hutcherson attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Kevin Hart attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Dakota Johnson attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Melanie Griffith attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Hans Zimmer attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Ethan Miller—WireImage/Getty Images
Giuliana Rancic attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Jason Reitman attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jeff Kravitz—FilmMagic/Getty Images
Margot Robbie attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Joanna Newsom, left, and Andy Samberg attend the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Common attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Karolina Kurkova attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Jamie Chung attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Patricia Arquette attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Michael Strahan attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Michael Buckner—WireImage/Getty Images
Mario Lopez attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Ryan Seacrest attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Will i Am attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Kelly Osbourne attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Miles Teller attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Felicity Jones attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
John Stamos attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Naomi Watts attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Marion Cotillard attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Alejandro G. Inarritu attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Genesis Rodriguez attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Frazer Harrison—Getty Images
Laura Dern attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Questlove attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Chrissy Teigen attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Faith Hill and Tim McGraw attend the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jeff Kravitz—FilmMagic/Getty Images
John Legend attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Rita Ora attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Chloe Grace Moretz attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Viola Davis attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Chiwetel Ejiofor attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Kerry Washington attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Sienna Miller attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Ansel Elgort attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Ed Norton and Shauna Robertson attend the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Channing Tatum attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Keira Knightley attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston attend the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Steve Granitz—WireImage/Getty Images
Chris Evans attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Felicity Jones attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Frazer Harrison—Getty Images
Lady Gaga attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Jennifer Lopez attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Solange Knowles attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Jason Merritt—Getty Images
Advertisement
