--- --- # A Stuffed Rabbit Stole the Show at the Oscars. But People Agreed It Could Have Done More by [Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Feb 25, 2019 3:05 PM UTC by [Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Feb 25, 2019 3:05 PM UTC A stuffed animal rose to fame last night on the basis of its huge personality. Melissa McCarthy upstaged herself in the best way possible at the [2019 Oscars](http://time.com/5534976/oscars-2019-winners/) with a collection of rabbit props, and one in particular. The actor rolled onstage in a [gown with a bunch of stuffed animal rabbits](https://people.com/movies/oscars-2019-melissa-mccarthy-rabbit-dress-presenting-costume-design/) attached to its train as a playful spoof of Best Picture nominee _The Favourite_. She pulled the gag alongside a similarly fancifully dressed Brian Tyree Henry, of _If Beale Street Could Talk_, as they presented the award for [Best Costume Design](http://time.com/5536768/2019-oscars-review/). Why a bunch of rabbits? In the period film, a character based on Queen Anne, played by Best Actress winner Olivia Colman, obsessively dotes on her 17 pet rabbits. But the over-the-top costume got a lot of love from the crowd, regardless of familiarity with the movie’s plot. And while [McCarthy may have been nominated for Best Actress](http://time.com/5428161/melissa-mccarthy-can-you-ever-forgive-me/) for doing serious business in the drama _Can You Ever Forgive Me?_, once a comedian, always a comedian. Wearing the straightest of straight faces, McCarthy showed off her physical comedy chops when she used one of the bunnies as a hand puppet. The audience was transfixed. Amidst an emotional night, many agreed that the rabbit was a charmer. And it was one of the affair’s funniest moments— but everyone wanted much more from it. The rabbit may not have had a category to win last night, but see below for all the ways it scored top honors. > [](https://twitter.com/Kelly%5FHarrison/status/1099844965302259714) > [](https://twitter.com/MexHistorian/status/1099844061505163265) > [](https://twitter.com/aaroncostaganis/status/1099844309933846528) > [](https://twitter.com/GarelikNate2g8/status/1099844272948461568) > [](https://twitter.com/AliPlumb/status/1099854566621884418) > [](https://twitter.com/GIPHY/status/1099844973283942400) > [](https://twitter.com/marchalem1995/status/1099843770873462785) > [](https://twitter.com/MeggEmbers/status/1099843777756360704) > [](https://twitter.com/marywallerpr/status/1099844038335913986) > [](https://twitter.com/TIFF%5FNET/status/1099845963290685442) Shine on, rabbit. Until next year, when it’s just you up there, running the whole show. People Want a Stuffed Rabbit to Be Their 2019 Oscars Host ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5536947/oscars-2019-melissa-mccarthy-rabbit/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5536947/oscars-2019-melissa-mccarthy-rabbit/"},"headline":"A Stuffed Rabbit Stole the Show at the Oscars. But People Agreed It Could Have Done More","datePublished":"2019-02-25T15:05:59.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:57:41.044Z","description":"Melissa McCarthy’s puppet bit was a hit","url":"https://time.com/5536947/oscars-2019-melissa-mccarthy-rabbit/","keywords":["Newsfeed","awards","viral"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Ashley Hoffman","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5536947/oscars-2019-melissa-mccarthy-rabbit/","name":"A Stuffed Rabbit Stole the Show at the Oscars. But People Agreed It Could Have Done More"}}]}] ```