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The 30 best biographies of all time.

Biographer Richard Holmes once wrote that his work was “a kind of pursuit… writing about the pursuit of that fleeting figure, in such a way as to bring them alive in the present.”

At the risk of sounding cliché, the best biographies do exactly this: bring their subjects to life. A great biography isn’t just a laundry list of events that happened to someone. Rather, it should weave a narrative and tell a story in almost the same way a novel does. In this way, biography differs from the rest of nonfiction .

All the biographies on this list are just as captivating as excellent novels , if not more so. With that, please enjoy the 30 best biographies of all time — some historical, some recent, but all remarkable, life-giving tributes to their subjects.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great biographies out there, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized biography recommendation  😉

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1. A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar

This biography of esteemed mathematician John Nash was both a finalist for the 1998 Pulitzer Prize and the basis for the award-winning film of the same name. Nasar thoroughly explores Nash’s prestigious career, from his beginnings at MIT to his work at the RAND Corporation — as well the internal battle he waged against schizophrenia, a disorder that nearly derailed his life.

2. Alan Turing: The Enigma: The Book That Inspired the Film The Imitation Game - Updated Edition by Andrew Hodges

Hodges’ 1983 biography of Alan Turing sheds light on the inner workings of this brilliant mathematician, cryptologist, and computer pioneer. Indeed, despite the title ( a nod to his work during WWII ), a great deal of the “enigmatic” Turing is laid out in this book. It covers his heroic code-breaking efforts during the war, his computer designs and contributions to mathematical biology in the years following, and of course, the vicious persecution that befell him in the 1950s — when homosexual acts were still a crime punishable by English law.

3. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton is not only the inspiration for a hit Broadway musical, but also a work of creative genius itself. This massive undertaking of over 800 pages details every knowable moment of the youngest Founding Father’s life: from his role in the Revolutionary War and early American government to his sordid (and ultimately career-destroying) affair with Maria Reynolds. He may never have been president, but he was a fascinating and unique figure in American history — plus it’s fun to get the truth behind the songs.

Prefer to read about fascinating First Ladies rather than almost-presidents? Check out this awesome list of books about First Ladies over on The Archive.

4. Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston

A prolific essayist, short story writer, and novelist, Hurston turned her hand to biographical writing in 1927 with this incredible work, kept under lock and key until it was published 2018. It’s based on Hurston’s interviews with the last remaining survivor of the Middle Passage slave trade, a man named Cudjo Lewis. Rendered in searing detail and Lewis’ highly affecting African-American vernacular, this biography of the “last black cargo” will transport you back in time to an era that, chillingly, is not nearly as far away from us as it feels.

5. Churchill: A Life by Martin Gilbert

Though many a biography of him has been attempted, Gilbert’s is the final authority on Winston Churchill — considered by many to be Britain’s greatest prime minister ever. A dexterous balance of in-depth research and intimately drawn details makes this biography a perfect tribute to the mercurial man who led Britain through World War II.

Just what those circumstances are occupies much of Bodanis's book, which pays homage to Einstein and, just as important, to predecessors such as Maxwell, Faraday, and Lavoisier, who are not as well known as Einstein today. Balancing writerly energy and scholarly weight, Bodanis offers a primer in modern physics and cosmology, explaining that the universe today is an expression of mass that will, in some vastly distant future, one day slide back to the energy side of the equation, replacing the \'dominion of matter\' with \'a great stillness\'--a vision that is at once lovely and profoundly frightening.

Without sliding into easy psychobiography, Bodanis explores other circumstances as well; namely, Einstein's background and character, which combined with a sterling intelligence to afford him an idiosyncratic view of the way things work--a view that would change the world. --Gregory McNamee

6. E=mc²: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation by David Bodanis

This “biography of the world’s most famous equation” is a one-of-a-kind take on the genre: rather than being the story of Einstein, it really does follow the history of the equation itself. From the origins and development of its individual elements (energy, mass, and light) to their ramifications in the twentieth century, Bodanis turns what could be an extremely dry subject into engaging fare for readers of all stripes.

7. Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

When Enrique was only five years old, his mother left Honduras for the United States, promising a quick return. Eleven years later, Enrique finally decided to take matters into his own hands in order to see her again: he would traverse Central and South America via railway, risking his life atop the “train of death” and at the hands of the immigration authorities, to reunite with his mother. This tale of Enrique’s perilous journey is not for the faint of heart, but it is an account of incredible devotion and sharp commentary on the pain of separation among immigrant families.

8. Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera

Herrera’s 1983 biography of renowned painter Frida Kahlo, one of the most recognizable names in modern art, has since become the definitive account on her life. And while Kahlo no doubt endured a great deal of suffering (a horrific accident when she was eighteen, a husband who had constant affairs), the focal point of the book is not her pain. Instead, it’s her artistic brilliance and immense resolve to leave her mark on the world — a mark that will not soon be forgotten, in part thanks to Herrera’s dedicated work.

9. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Perhaps the most impressive biographical feat of the twenty-first century, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is about a woman whose cells completely changed the trajectory of modern medicine. Rebecca Skloot skillfully commemorates the previously unknown life of a poor black woman whose cancer cells were taken, without her knowledge, for medical testing — and without whom we wouldn’t have many of the critical cures we depend upon today.

10. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Christopher McCandless, aka Alexander Supertramp, hitchhiked to Alaska and disappeared into the Denali wilderness in April 1992. Five months later, McCandless was found emaciated and deceased in his shelter — but of what cause? Krakauer’s biography of McCandless retraces his steps back to the beginning of the trek, attempting to suss out what the young man was looking for on his journey, and whether he fully understood what dangers lay before him.

11. Let Us Now Praise Famous Men: Three Tenant Families by James Agee

"Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us.” From this line derives the central issue of Agee and Evans’ work: who truly deserves our praise and recognition? According to this 1941 biography, it’s the barely-surviving sharecropper families who were severely impacted by the American “Dust Bowl” — hundreds of people entrenched in poverty, whose humanity Evans and Agee desperately implore their audience to see in their book.

12. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

Another mysterious explorer takes center stage in this gripping 2009 biography. Grann tells the story of Percy Fawcett, the archaeologist who vanished in the Amazon along with his son in 1925, supposedly in search of an ancient lost city. Parallel to this narrative, Grann describes his own travels in the Amazon 80 years later: discovering firsthand what threats Fawcett may have encountered, and coming to realize what the “Lost City of Z” really was.

13. Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang

Though many of us will be familiar with the name Mao Zedong, this prodigious biography sheds unprecedented light upon the power-hungry “Red Emperor.” Chang and Halliday begin with the shocking statistic that Mao was responsible for 70 million deaths during peacetime — more than any other twentieth-century world leader. From there, they unravel Mao’s complex ideologies, motivations, and missions, breaking down his long-propagated “hero” persona and thrusting forth a new, grislier image of one of China’s biggest revolutionaries.

14. Mad Girl's Love Song: Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted by Andrew Wilson by Andrew Wilson

Titled after one of her most evocative poems, this shimmering bio of Sylvia Plath takes an unusual approach. Instead of focusing on her years of depression and tempestuous marriage to poet Ted Hughes, it chronicles her life before she ever came to Cambridge. Wilson closely examines her early family and relationships, feelings and experiences, with information taken from her meticulous diaries — setting a strong precedent for other Plath biographers to follow.

15. The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes

What if you had twenty-four different people living inside you, and you never knew which one was going to come out? Such was the life of Billy Milligan, the subject of this haunting biography by the author of Flowers for Algernon . Keyes recounts, in a refreshingly straightforward style, the events of Billy’s life and how his psyche came to be “split”... as well as how, with Keyes’ help, he attempted to put the fragments of himself back together.

16. Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder

This gorgeously constructed biography follows Paul Farmer, a doctor who’s worked for decades to eradicate infectious diseases around the globe, particularly in underprivileged areas. Though Farmer’s humanitarian accomplishments are extraordinary in and of themselves, the true charm of this book comes from Kidder’s personal relationship with him — and the sense of fulfillment the reader sustains from reading about someone genuinely heroic, written by someone else who truly understands and admires what they do.

17. Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts

Here’s another bio that will reshape your views of a famed historical tyrant, though this time in a surprisingly favorable light. Decorated scholar Andrew Roberts delves into the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, from his near-flawless military instincts to his complex and confusing relationship with his wife. But Roberts’ attitude toward his subject is what really makes this work shine: rather than ridiculing him ( as it would undoubtedly be easy to do ), he approaches the “petty tyrant” with a healthy amount of deference.

18. The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson IV by Robert A. Caro

Lyndon Johnson might not seem as intriguing or scandalous as figures like Kennedy, Nixon, or W. Bush. But in this expertly woven biography, Robert Caro lays out the long, winding road of his political career, and it’s full of twists you wouldn’t expect. Johnson himself was a surprisingly cunning figure, gradually maneuvering his way closer and closer to power. Finally, in 1963, he got his greatest wish — but at what cost? Fans of Adam McKay’s Vice , this is the book for you.

19. Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser

Anyone who grew up reading Little House on the Prairie will surely be fascinated by this tell-all biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Caroline Fraser draws upon never-before-published historical resources to create a lush study of the author’s life — not in the gently narrated manner of the Little House series, but in raw and startling truths about her upbringing, marriage, and volatile relationship with her daughter (and alleged ghostwriter) Rose Wilder Lane.

20. Prince: A Private View by Afshin Shahidi

Compiled just after the superstar’s untimely death in 2016, this intimate snapshot of Prince’s life is actually a largely visual work — Shahidi served as his private photographer from the early 2000s until his passing. And whatever they say about pictures being worth a thousand words, Shahidi’s are worth more still: Prince’s incredible vibrance, contagious excitement, and altogether singular personality come through in every shot.

21. Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss

Could there be a more fitting title for a book about the husband-wife team who discovered radioactivity? What you may not know is that these nuclear pioneers also had a fascinating personal history. Marie Sklodowska met Pierre Curie when she came to work in his lab in 1891, and just a few years later they were married. Their passion for each other bled into their passion for their work, and vice-versa — and in almost no time at all, they were on their way to their first of their Nobel Prizes.

22. Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

She may not have been assassinated or killed in a mysterious plane crash, but Rosemary Kennedy’s fate is in many ways the worst of “the Kennedy Curse.” As if a botched lobotomy that left her almost completely incapacitated weren’t enough, her parents then hid her away from society, almost never to be seen again. Yet in this new biography, penned by devoted Kennedy scholar Kate Larson, the full truth of Rosemary’s post-lobotomy life is at last revealed.

23. Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford

This appropriately lyrical biography of brilliant Jazz Age poet and renowned feminist, Edna St. Vincent Millay, is indeed a perfect balance of savage and beautiful. While Millay’s poetic work was delicate and subtle, the woman herself was feisty and unpredictable, harboring unusual and occasionally destructive habits that Milford fervently explores.

24. Shelley: The Pursuit by Richard Holmes

Holmes’ famous philosophy of “biography as pursuit” is thoroughly proven here in his first full-length biographical work. Shelley: The Pursuit details an almost feverish tracking of Percy Shelley as a dark and cutting figure in the Romantic period — reforming many previous historical conceptions about him through Holmes’ compelling and resolute writing.

25. Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin

Another Gothic figure has been made newly known through this work, detailing the life of prolific horror and mystery writer Shirley Jackson. Author Ruth Franklin digs deep into the existence of the reclusive and mysterious Jackson, drawing penetrating comparisons between the true events of her life and the dark nature of her fiction.

26. The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel

Fans of Into the Wild and The Lost City of Z will find their next adventure fix in this 2017 book about Christopher Knight, a man who lived by himself in the Maine woods for almost thirty years. The tale of this so-called “last true hermit” will captivate readers who have always fantasized about escaping society, with vivid descriptions of Knight’s rural setup, his carefully calculated moves and how he managed to survive the deadly cold of the Maine winters.

27. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

The man, the myth, the legend: Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple, is properly immortalized in Isaacson’s masterful biography. It divulges the details of Jobs’ little-known childhood and tracks his fateful path from garage engineer to leader of one of the largest tech companies in the world — not to mention his formative role in other legendary companies like Pixar, and indeed within the Silicon Valley ecosystem as a whole.

28. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

Olympic runner Louis Zamperini was just twenty-six when his US Army bomber crashed and burned in the Pacific, leaving him and two other men afloat on a raft for forty-seven days — only to be captured by the Japanese Navy and tortured as a POW for the next two and a half years. In this gripping biography, Laura Hillenbrand tracks Zamperini’s story from beginning to end… including how he embraced Christian evangelism as a means of recovery, and even came to forgive his tormentors in his later years.

29. Vera (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov) by Stacy Schiff

Everyone knows of Vladimir Nabokov — but what about his wife, Vera, whom he called “the best-humored woman I have ever known”? According to Schiff, she was a genius in her own right, supporting Vladimir not only as his partner, but also as his all-around editor and translator. And she kept up that trademark humor throughout it all, inspiring her husband’s work and injecting some of her own creative flair into it along the way.

30. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt

William Shakespeare is a notoriously slippery historical figure — no one really knows when he was born, what he looked like, or how many plays he wrote. But that didn’t stop Stephen Greenblatt, who in 2004 turned out this magnificently detailed biography of the Bard: a series of imaginative reenactments of his writing process, and insights on how the social and political ideals of the time would have influenced him. Indeed, no one exists in a vacuum, not even Shakespeare — hence the conscious depiction of him in this book as a “will in the world,” rather than an isolated writer shut up in his own musty study.

If you're looking for more inspiring nonfiction, check out this list of 30 engaging self-help books , or this list of the last century's best memoirs !

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50 Must-Read Biographies

Rebecca Hussey

Rebecca holds a PhD in English and is a professor at Norwalk Community College in Connecticut. She teaches courses in composition, literature, and the arts. When she’s not reading or grading papers, she’s hanging out with her husband and son and/or riding her bike and/or buying books. She can't get enough of reading and writing about books, so she writes the bookish newsletter "Reading Indie," focusing on small press books and translations. Newsletter: Reading Indie Twitter: @ofbooksandbikes

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The best biographies give us a satisfying glimpse into a great person’s life, while also teaching us about the context in which that person lived. Through biography, we can also learn history, psychology, sociology, politics, philosophy, and more. Reading a great biography is both fun and educational. What’s not to love?

Below I’ve listed 50 of the best biographies out there. You will find a mix of subjects, including important figures in literature, science, politics, history, art, and more. I’ve tried to keep this list focused on biography only, so there is little in the way of memoir or autobiography. In a couple cases, authors have written about their family members, but for the most part, these are books where the focus is on the biographical subject, not the author.

The first handful are group biographies, and after that, I’ve arranged them alphabetically by subject. Book descriptions come from Goodreads.

Take a look and let me know about your favorite biography in the comments!

All We Know: Three Lives by Lisa Cohen

“In  All We Know , Lisa Cohen describes their [Esther Murphy, Mercedes de Acosta, and Madge Garland’s] glamorous choices, complicated failures, and controversial personal lives with lyricism and empathy. At once a series of intimate portraits and a startling investigation into style, celebrity, sexuality, and the genre of biography itself,  All We Know  explores a hidden history of modernism and pays tribute to three compelling lives.”

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

“Set amid the civil rights movement, the never-before-told true story of NASA’s African-American female mathematicians who played a crucial role in America’s space program. Before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of professionals worked as ‘Human Computers,’ calculating the flight paths that would enable these historic achievements. Among these were a coterie of bright, talented African-American women.”

The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage by Paul Elie

“In the mid-twentieth century four American Catholics came to believe that the best way to explore the questions of religious faith was to write about them – in works that readers of all kinds could admire.  The Life You Save May Be Your Own  is their story – a vivid and enthralling account of great writers and their power over us.”

The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester

“As definitions were collected, the overseeing committee, led by Professor James Murray, discovered that one man, Dr. W. C. Minor, had submitted more than ten thousand. When the committee insisted on honoring him, a shocking truth came to light: Dr. Minor, an American Civil War veteran, was also an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane.”

The Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser

“In a sweeping narrative, Fraser traces the cultural, familial and political roots of each of Henry’s queens, pushes aside the stereotypes that have long defined them, and illuminates the complex character of each.”

John Adams by David McCullough

“In this powerful, epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the adventurous life-journey of John Adams, the brilliant, fiercely independent, often irascible, always honest Yankee patriot — ‘the colossus of independence,’ as Thomas Jefferson called him.”

A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee’s Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival by Melissa Fleming

“Emotionally riveting and eye-opening,  A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea  is the incredible story of a young woman, an international crisis, and the triumph of the human spirit. Melissa Fleming shares the harrowing journey of Doaa Al Zamel, a young Syrian refugee in search of a better life.”

At Her Majesty’s Request: An African Princess in Victorian England by Walter Dean Myers

“One terrifying night in 1848, a young African princess’s village is raided by warriors. The invaders kill her mother and father, the King and Queen, and take her captive. Two years later, a British naval captain rescues her and takes her to England where she is presented to Queen Victoria, and becomes a loved and respected member of the royal court.”

John Brown by W.E.B. Du Bois

“ John Brown is W. E. B. Du Bois’s groundbreaking political biography that paved the way for his transition from academia to a lifelong career in social activism. This biography is unlike Du Bois’s earlier work; it is intended as a work of consciousness-raising on the politics of race.”

Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America’s Most Powerful Mobster by Stephen L. Carter

“[Eunice Hunton Carter] was black and a woman and a prosecutor, a graduate of Smith College and the granddaughter of slaves, as dazzlingly unlikely a combination as one could imagine in New York of the 1930s ― and without the strategy she devised, Lucky Luciano, the most powerful Mafia boss in history, would never have been convicted.”

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang

“An engrossing record of Mao’s impact on China, an unusual window on the female experience in the modern world, and an inspiring tale of courage and love, Jung Chang describes the extraordinary lives and experiences of her family members.”

Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

“Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnet, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. Above all else, Cleopatra was a shrewd strategist and an ingenious negotiator. Though her life spanned fewer than forty years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world.”

Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson

“Einstein was a rebel and nonconformist from boyhood days, and these character traits drove both his life and his science. In this narrative, Walter Isaacson explains how his mind worked and the mysteries of the universe that he discovered.”

Enrique’s Journey: The Story of a Boy’s Dangerous Odyssey to Reunite with His Mother by Sonia Nazario

“In this astonishing true story, award-winning journalist Sonia Nazario recounts the unforgettable odyssey of a Honduran boy who braves unimaginable hardship and peril to reach his mother in the United States.”

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

“After stumbling upon a hidden trove of diaries, New Yorker writer David Grann set out to solve ‘the greatest exploration mystery of the 20th century’: What happened to the British explorer Percy Fawcett & his quest for the Lost City of Z?”

Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman

“Amanda Foreman draws on a wealth of fresh research and writes colorfully and penetratingly about the fascinating Georgiana, whose struggle against her own weaknesses, whose great beauty and flamboyance, and whose determination to play a part in the affairs of the world make her a vibrant, astonishingly contemporary figure.”

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik Ping Zhu

“Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg never asked for fame she was just trying to make the world a little better and a little freer. But along the way, the feminist pioneer’s searing dissents and steely strength have inspired millions. [This book], created by the young lawyer who began the Internet sensation and an award-winning journalist, takes you behind the myth for an intimate, irreverent look at the justice’s life and work.”

Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston by Valerie Boyd

“A woman of enormous talent and remarkable drive, Zora Neale Hurston published seven books, many short stories, and several articles and plays over a career that spanned more than thirty years. Today, nearly every black woman writer of significance—including Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Alice Walker—acknowledges Hurston as a literary foremother.”

Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin

“ Shirley Jackson  reveals the tumultuous life and inner darkness of the literary genius behind such classics as ‘The Lottery’ and  The Haunting of Hill House .”

The Path to Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert A. Caro

“This is the story of the rise to national power of a desperately poor young man from the Texas Hill Country. The Path to Power reveals in extraordinary detail the genesis of the almost superhuman drive, energy, and ambition that set LBJ apart.”

The Life of Samuel Johnson   by James Boswell

“Poet, lexicographer, critic, moralist and Great Cham, Dr. Johnson had in his friend Boswell the ideal biographer. Notoriously and self-confessedly intemperate, Boswell shared with Johnson a huge appetite for life and threw equal energy into recording its every aspect in minute but telling detail.”

Barbara Jordan: American Hero by Mary Beth Rogers

“Barbara Jordan was the first African American to serve in the Texas Senate since Reconstruction, the first black woman elected to Congress from the South, and the first to deliver the keynote address at a national party convention. Yet Jordan herself remained a mystery.”

Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera

“This engrossing biography of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo reveals a woman of extreme magnetism and originality, an artist whose sensual vibrancy came straight from her own experiences: her childhood near Mexico City during the Mexican Revolution; a devastating accident at age eighteen that left her crippled and unable to bear children.”

Florynce “Flo” Kennedy: The Life of a Black Feminist Radical by Sherie M. Randolph

“Often photographed in a cowboy hat with her middle finger held defiantly in the air, Florynce ‘Flo’ Kennedy (1916–2000) left a vibrant legacy as a leader of the Black Power and feminist movements. In the first biography of Kennedy, Sherie M. Randolph traces the life and political influence of this strikingly bold and controversial radical activist.”

The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel

“In 1986, a shy and intelligent twenty-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the forest. He would not have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later, when he was arrested for stealing food.”

The Lady and the Peacock: The Life of Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma by Peter Popham

“Peter Popham … draws upon previously untapped testimony and fresh revelations to tell the story of a woman whose bravery and determination have captivated people around the globe. Celebrated today as one of the world’s greatest exponents of non-violent political defiance since Mahatma Gandhi, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize only four years after her first experience of politics.”

Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo”   by Zora Neale Hurston

“In 1927, Zora Neale Hurston went to Plateau, Alabama, just outside Mobile, to interview eighty-six-year-old Cudjo Lewis. Of the millions of men, women, and children transported from Africa to America as slaves, Cudjo was then the only person alive to tell the story of this integral part of the nation’s history.”

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

“Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine.”

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

“Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincoln’s political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer rises from obscurity to prevail over three gifted rivals of national reputation to become president.”

The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke by Jeffrey C. Stewart

“A tiny, fastidiously dressed man emerged from Black Philadelphia around the turn of the century to mentor a generation of young artists including Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Jacob Lawrence and call them the New Negro — the creative African Americans whose art, literature, music, and drama would inspire Black people to greatness.”

Warrior Poet: A Biography of Audre Lorde by Alexis De Veaux

“Drawing from the private archives of the poet’s estate and numerous interviews, Alexis De Veaux demystifies Lorde’s iconic status, charting her conservative childhood in Harlem; her early marriage to a white, gay man with whom she had two children; her emergence as an outspoken black feminist lesbian; and her canonization as a seminal poet of American literature.”

Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary by Juan Williams

“Thurgood Marshall stands today as the great architect of American race relations, having expanded the foundation of individual rights for all Americans. His victory in the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954, the landmark Supreme Court case outlawing school segregation, would have him a historic figure even if he had not gone on to become the first African-American appointed to the Supreme Court.”

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

“In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself.”

The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk by Randy Shilts

“ The Mayor of Castro Street  is Shilts’s acclaimed story of Harvey Milk, the man whose personal life, public career, and tragic assassination mirrored the dramatic and unprecedented emergence of the gay community in America during the 1970s.”

Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford

“The most famous poet of the Jazz Age, Millay captivated the nation: She smoked in public, took many lovers (men and women, single and married), flouted convention sensationally, and became the embodiment of the New Woman.”

How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at An Answer by Sarah Bakewell

This book is “a vivid portrait of Montaigne, showing how his ideas gave birth to our modern sense of our inner selves, from Shakespeare’s plays to the dilemmas we face today.”

The Silent Woman: Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes by Janet Malcolm

“From the moment it was first published in The New Yorker, this brilliant work of literary criticism aroused great attention. Janet Malcolm brings her shrewd intelligence to bear on the legend of Sylvia Plath and the wildly productive industry of Plath biographies.”

Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley   by Peter Guralnick

“Based on hundreds of interviews and nearly a decade of research, [this book] traces the evolution not just of the man but of the music and of the culture he left utterly transformed, creating a completely fresh portrait of Elvis and his world.

Mrs. Robinson’s Disgrace: The Private Diary of a Victorian Lady by Kate Summerscale

“Kate Summerscale brilliantly recreates the Victorian world, chronicling in exquisite and compelling detail the life of Isabella Robinson, wherein the longings of a frustrated wife collided with a society clinging to rigid ideas about sanity, the boundaries of privacy, the institution of marriage, and female sexuality.”

Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt

“A young man from a small provincial town moves to London in the late 1580s and, in a remarkably short time, becomes the greatest playwright not of his age alone but of all time. How is an achievement of this magnitude to be explained?”

The Invisible Woman: The Story of Charles Dickens and Nelly Ternan by Claire Tomalin

“When Charles Dickens and Nelly Ternan met in 1857, she was 18: a professional actress performing in his production of  The Frozen Deep . He was 45: a literary legend, a national treasure, married with ten children. This meeting sparked a love affair that lasted over a decade, destroying Dickens’s marriage and ending with Nelly’s near-disappearance from the public record.”

Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol by Nell Irvin Painter

“Slowly, but surely, Sojourner climbed from beneath the weight of slavery, secured respect for herself, and utilized the distinction of her race to become not only a symbol for black women, but for the feminist movement as a whole.”

The Black Rose by Tananarive Due

“Born to former slaves on a Louisiana plantation in 1867, Madam C.J. Walker rose from poverty and indignity to become America’s first black female millionaire, the head of a hugely successful beauty company, and a leading philanthropist in African American causes.”

Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow

“With a breadth and depth matched by no other one-volume life, [Chernow] carries the reader through Washington’s troubled boyhood, his precocious feats in the French and Indian Wars, his creation of Mount Vernon, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention and his magnificent performance as America’s first president.”

Ida: A Sword Among Lions by Paula J. Giddings

“ Ida: A Sword Among Lions  is a sweeping narrative about a country and a crusader embroiled in the struggle against lynching: a practice that imperiled not only the lives of black men and women, but also a nation based on law and riven by race.”

Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser

“But the true saga of [Wilder’s] life has never been fully told. Now, drawing on unpublished manuscripts, letters, diaries, and land and financial records, Caroline Fraser—the editor of the Library of America edition of the Little House series—masterfully fills in the gaps in Wilder’s biography.”

Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon

“Although mother and daughter, these two brilliant women never knew one another – Wollstonecraft died of an infection in 1797 at the age of thirty-eight, a week after giving birth. Nevertheless their lives were so closely intertwined, their choices, dreams and tragedies so eerily similar, it seems impossible to consider one without the other.”

Virginia Woolf by Hermione Lee

“Subscribing to Virginia Woolf’s own belief in the fluidity and elusiveness of identity, Lee comes at her subject from a multitude of perspectives, producing a richly layered portrait of the writer and the woman that leaves all of her complexities and contradictions intact.”

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable

“Of the great figures in twentieth-century American history perhaps none is more complex and controversial than Malcolm X. Constantly rewriting his own story, he became a criminal, a minister, a leader, and an icon, all before being felled by assassins’ bullets at age thirty-nine.”

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

“On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.”

Want to read more about great biographies? Check out this post on presidential biographies , this list of biographies and memoirs about remarkable women , and this list of 100 must-read musician biographies and memoirs .

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The 50 Best Biographies of All Time

Think you know the full and complete story about George Washington, Steve Jobs, or Joan of Arc? Think again.

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Biographies have always been controversial. On his deathbed, the novelist Henry James told his nephew that his “sole wish” was to “frustrate as utterly as possible the postmortem exploiter” by destroying his personal letters and journals. And one of our greatest living writers, Hermione Lee, once compared biographies to autopsies that add “a new terror to death”—the potential muddying of someone’s legacy when their life is held up to the scrutiny of investigation.

Why do we read so many books about the lives and deaths of strangers, as told by second-hand and third-hand sources? Is it merely our love for gossip, or are we trying to understand ourselves through the triumphs and failures of others?

To keep this list from blossoming into hundreds of titles, we only included books currently in print and translated into English. We also limited it to one book per author, and one book per subject. In ranked order, here are the best biographies of all time.

Crown The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, by Tom Reiss

You’re probably familiar with The Count of Monte Cristo , the 1844 revenge novel by Alexandre Dumas. But did you know it was based on the life of Dumas’s father, the mixed-race General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, son of a French nobleman and a Haitian slave? Thanks to Reiss’s masterful pacing and plotting, this rip-roaring biography of Thomas-Alexandre reads more like an adventure novel than a work of nonfiction. The Black Count won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 2013, and it’s only a matter of time before a filmmaker turns it into a big-screen blockbuster.

Farrar, Straus and Giroux Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret, by Craig Brown

Few biographies are as genuinely fun to read as this barnburner from the irreverent English critic Craig Brown. Princess Margaret may have been everyone’s favorite character from Netflix’s The Crown , but Brown’s eye for ostentatious details and revelatory insights will help you see why everyone in the 1950s—from Pablo Picasso and Gore Vidal to Peter Sellers and Andy Warhol—was obsessed with her. When book critic Parul Sehgal says that she “ripped through the book with the avidity of Margaret attacking her morning vodka and orange juice,” you know you’re in for a treat.

Inventor of the Future: The Visionary Life of Buckminster Fuller, by Alec Nevala-Lee

If you want to feel optimistic about the future again, look no further than this brilliant biography of Buckminster Fuller, the “modern Leonardo da Vinci” of the 1960s and 1970s who came up with the idea of a “Spaceship Earth” and inspired Silicon Valley’s belief that technology could be a global force for good (while earning plenty of critics who found his ideas impractical). Alec Nevala-Lee’s writing is as serene and precise as one of Fuller’s geodesic domes, and his research into never-before-seen documents makes this a genuinely groundbreaking book full of surprises.

Free Press Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original, by Robin D.G. Kelley

The late American jazz composer and pianist Thelonious Monk has been so heavily mythologized that it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. But Robin D. G. Kelley’s biography is an essential book for jazz fans looking to understand the man behind the myths. Monk’s family provided Kelley with full access to their archives, resulting in chapter after chapter of fascinating details, from his birth in small-town North Carolina to his death across the Hudson from Manhattan.

University of Chicago Press Frank Lloyd Wright: A Biography, by Meryle Secrest

There are dozens of books about America’s most celebrated architect, but Secrest’s 1998 biography is still the most fun to read. For one, she doesn’t shy away from the fact that Wright could be an absolute monster, even to his own friends and family. Secondly, her research into more than 100,000 letters, as well as interviews with nearly every surviving person who knew Wright, makes this book a one-of-a-kind look at how Wright’s personal life influenced his architecture.

Ralph Ellison: A Biography, by Arnold Rampersad

Ralph Ellison’s landmark novel, Invisible Man , is about a Black man who faced systemic racism in the Deep South during his youth, then migrated to New York, only to find oppression of a slightly different kind. What makes Arnold Rampersand’s honest and insightful biography of Ellison so compelling is how he connects the dots between Invisible Man and Ellison’s own journey from small-town Oklahoma to New York’s literary scene during the Harlem Renaissance.

Oscar Wilde: A Life, by Matthew Sturgis

Now remembered for his 1891 novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde was one of the most fascinating men of the fin-de-siècle thanks to his poems, plays, and some of the earliest reported “celebrity trials.” Sturgis’s scintillating biography is the most encyclopedic chronicle of Wilde’s life to date, thanks to new research into his personal notebooks and a full transcript of his libel trial.

Beacon Press A Surprised Queenhood in the New Black Sun: The Life & Legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks, by Angela Jackson

The poet Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1950, but because she spent most of her life in Chicago instead of New York, she hasn’t been studied or celebrated as often as her peers in the Harlem Renaissance. Luckily, Angela Jackson’s biography is full of new details about Brooks’s personal life, and how it influenced her poetry across five decades.

Atria Books Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century, by Dana Stevens

Was Buster Keaton the most influential filmmaker of the first half of the twentieth century? Dana Stevens makes a compelling case in this dazzling mix of biography, essays, and cultural history. Much like Keaton’s filmography, Stevens playfully jumps from genre to genre in an endlessly entertaining way, while illuminating how Keaton’s influence on film and television continues to this day.

Algonquin Books Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation, by Dean Jobb

Dean Jobb is a master of narrative nonfiction on par with Erik Larsen, author of The Devil in the White City . Jobb’s biography of Leo Koretz, the Bernie Madoff of the Jazz Age, is among the few great biographies that read like a thriller. Set in Chicago during the 1880s through the 1920s, it’s also filled with sumptuous period details, from lakeside mansions to streets choked with Model Ts.

Vintage Penelope Fitzgerald: A Life, by Hermione Lee

Hermione Lee’s biographies of Virginia Woolf and Edith Wharton could easily have made this list. But her book about a less famous person—Penelope Fitzgerald, the English novelist who wrote The Bookshop, The Blue Flower , and The Beginning of Spring —might be her best yet. At just over 500 pages, it’s considerably shorter than those other biographies, partially because Fitzgerald’s life wasn’t nearly as well documented. But Lee’s conciseness is exactly what makes this book a more enjoyable read, along with the thrilling feeling that she’s uncovering a new story literary historians haven’t already explored.

Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath, by Heather Clark

Many biographers have written about Sylvia Plath, often drawing parallels between her poetry and her death by suicide at the age of thirty. But in this startling book, Plath isn’t wholly defined by her tragedy, and Heather Clark’s craftsmanship as a writer makes it a joy to read. It’s also the most comprehensive account of Plath’s final year yet put to paper, with new information that will change the way you think of her life, poetry, and death.

Pontius Pilate, by Ann Wroe

Compared to most biography subjects, there isn’t much surviving documentation about the life of Pontius Pilate, the Judaean governor who ordered the execution of the historical Jesus in the first century AD. But Ann Wroe leans into all that uncertainty in her groundbreaking book, making for a fascinating mix of research and informed speculation that often feels like reading a really good historical novel.

Brand: History Book Club Bolívar: American Liberator, by Marie Arana

In the early nineteenth century, Simón Bolívar led six modern countries—Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela—to independence from the Spanish Empire. In this rousing work of biography and geopolitical history, Marie Arana deftly chronicles his epic life with propulsive prose, including a killer first sentence: “They heard him before they saw him: the sound of hooves striking the earth, steady as a heartbeat, urgent as a revolution.”

Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History, by Yunte Huang

Ever read a biography of a fictional character? In the 1930s and 1940s, Charlie Chan came to popularity as a Chinese American police detective in Earl Derr Biggers’s mystery novels and their big-screen adaptations. In writing this book, Yunte Huang became something of a detective himself to track down the real-life inspiration for the character, a Hawaiian cop named Chang Apana born shortly after the Civil War. The result is an astute blend between biography and cultural criticism as Huang analyzes how Chan served as a crucial counterpoint to stereotypical Chinese villains in early Hollywood.

Random House Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay, by Nancy Milford

Edna St. Vincent Millay was one of the most fascinating women of the twentieth century—an openly bisexual poet, playwright, and feminist icon who helped make Greenwich Village a cultural bohemia in the 1920s. With a knack for torrid details and creative insights, Nancy Milford successfully captures what made Millay so irresistible—right down to her voice, “an instrument of seduction” that captivated men and women alike.

Simon & Schuster Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson

Few people have the luxury of choosing their own biographers, but that’s exactly what the late co-founder of Apple did when he tapped Walter Isaacson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin. Adapted for the big screen by Aaron Sorkin in 2015, Steve Jobs is full of plot twists and suspense thanks to a mind-blowing amount of research on the part of Isaacson, who interviewed Jobs more than forty times and spoke with just about everyone who’d ever come into contact with him.

Brand: Random House Véra (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov), by Stacy Schiff

The Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov once said, “Without my wife, I wouldn’t have written a single novel.” And while Stacy Schiff’s biography of Cleopatra could also easily make this list, her telling of Véra Nabokova’s life in Russia, Europe, and the United States is revolutionary for finally bringing Véra out of her husband’s shadow. It’s also one of the most romantic biographies you’ll ever read, with some truly unforgettable images, like Vera’s habit of carrying a handgun to protect Vladimir on butterfly-hunting excursions.

Greenblatt, Stephen Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare, by Stephen Greenblatt

We know what you’re thinking. Who needs another book about Shakespeare?! But Greenblatt’s masterful biography is like traveling back in time to see firsthand how a small-town Englishman became the greatest writer of all time. Like Wroe’s biography of Pontius Pilate, there’s plenty of speculation here, as there are very few surviving records of Shakespeare’s daily life, but Greenblatt’s best trick is the way he pulls details from Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets to construct a compelling narrative.

Crown Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own, by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

When Kiese Laymon calls a book a “literary miracle,” you pay attention. James Baldwin’s legacy has enjoyed something of a revival over the last few years thanks to films like I Am Not Your Negro and If Beale Street Could Talk , as well as books like Glaude’s new biography. It’s genuinely a bit of a miracle how he manages to combine the story of Baldwin’s life with interpretations of Baldwin’s work—as well as Glaude’s own story of discovering, resisting, and rediscovering Baldwin’s books throughout his life.

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The 30 best biographies to add to your reading list

Some stories involve incredible, larger-than-life characters. these are the best biographies ever written..

Writing a great biography is no easy task. The author is charged with capturing some of the most iconic and influential people on the planet, folks that often have larger than life personas. To capture that in words is a genuine challenge that the best biographers relish.

The very best biographies don't just hold a mirror up to these remarkable characters. Instead, they show us a different side of them, or just how a certain approach of philosophy fueled their game-changing ways. Biographies inform, for certain, but they entertain and inspire to no end as well.

Below, we gathered a comprehensive list of the best biographies ever written. Some of these biographies were selected because of the subject matter and others were chosen because of the biographer. It’s often said that reading biographies is the best way to gain new knowledge, so we suggest you start with these great selections. If you love history, you’ll certainly want to include these best history books to your home library.

The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert Caro

The former parks commissioner of New York, Robert Moses was a man who got power, loved power, and was transformed by power. This 1,000-plus page biography could be the definitive study of power and legacy. It’s a great learning tool of mostly what not to be and who not to become.

Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi

Totto-Chan is a special figure in modern Japanese culture and is on the same celebrity status level as Oprah is to us here in the United States. The book describes the childhood in pre-World War II Japan of a misunderstood girl who suffered from attention disorders and excessive energy and who later was mentored by a very special school principal who truly understood her. The book has sold more than 5 million copies in Japan.

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Eisenhower in War and Peace by Jean Edward Smith

The man who was responsible for winning World War II, twice prevented the use of nuclear weapons, and attempted to keep our soldiers out of Vietnam, all while making it look easy, is none other than Dwight D. Eisenhower. This biography is a history lesson as well as an opportunity to get inside the mind of a brilliant man.

Edison: A Biography by Matthew Josephson

This particular biography dates back more than 50 years, which means it was written without the worry of being politically correct or controversial, but instead focused on providing a conclusive picture of the man. Modern enough to be historically accurate, this biography details a lot of the little-known facts about Mr. Edison in addition to his accomplishments, as well as his failures.

Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office by Zach O’Malley Greenburg

Empire State of Mind is both an unofficial biography of the rap mogul Jay-Z as well as a business book. It shows how the rapper hustled his way to the top of the music industry to become one of the most powerful and influential people in music.

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer

The story of the professional football player who gave up a $3 million NFL contract to join the Army Rangers after 9/11, only to die under suspicious circumstances in the hills of Afghanistan, is a book about everything that is right and wrong with the U.S. military. Pat Tillman wasn’t perfect, but he was a man we could all learn something from. His incredible story is one of bravery and selflessness -- and will forever be tied to the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Titan: The Life of John. D. Rockefeller Sr. by Ron Chernow

Ron Chernow has written some of the best biographies of our time. In this 832-page biography of John. D. Rockefeller, he shares the main lessons you would take away from someone like Rockefeller, a strangely stoic, incredibly resilient, and -- despite his reputation as a robber baron -- humble and compassionate man. Most successful people get worse as they age, but Rockefeller instead became more open-minded and more generous. The biography also details his wrongdoings and permits you the opportunity to make your own judgment on Rockefeller’s character.

Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow

Another example of Chernow’s brilliance in biographical writing is given in his biography of George Washington. Today, we study Washington not only for his against-the-odds military victory over a superior British Army but also for his strategic vision, which is partially responsible for many of the most enduring American institutions and practices. It’s another long read of the type Chernow is famous for, but it's also a page-turner. Although it’s intimidating to look at, the reading time goes by quickly.

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Walter Isaacson has written some of the greatest biographies in contemporary literature. Our modern-day genius, Steve Jobs, will forever be remembered as the mastermind who brought us Apple. This biography shows Jobs at his best, which includes illustrations of his determination and creativity but also details the worst of him, including his tyrannical and vicious ways of running a business (and his family). From this book, you will learn to appreciate the man for the genius that he was, but it will most likely not inspire you to follow in his path.

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford

Most depictions show the Mongols as bloodthirsty pillagers, but in this biography, we are also shown how they introduced many progressive advances to their conquered nations. You will learn how Genghis Khan abolished torture, permitted universal religious freedom, and destroyed existing feudal systems.

Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time by Joseph Frank

his five-volume retelling of the life and times of Russian literary giant Fyodor Dostoevsky is considered the best biography available on the subject. The mammoth exploration sheds light on Dostoevsky's works, ideology, and historical context. For those who are not specifically interested in the famous author, the also book paints a picture of 19th-century Russia.

Leonardo da Vinci: The Marvelous Works of Nature and Man by Martin Kemp

Kemp’s account of da Vinci’s life and work is considered the go-to biography of the famous Renaissance figure. This incredible book sheds light on one of the most creative figures who ever lived, guiding readers through a fully integrated account of his scientific, artistic, and technological works, as well as the life events that helped form the man that made them.

Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury by Leslie-Ann Jones

After the massive success of the movie recently released about rock legend Freddie Mercury and his band, Queen, you might be interested in learning more about the frontman. This biography draws from hundreds of interviews with key figures in his life to create a revealing glimpse into Mercury’s life.

Empire: The Life, Legend, and Madness of Howard Hughes by Donald Barlett

This is an epic biography of an epic man. It shows the heights of his incredible success as well as the depths of his inner struggles. Readers learn about the tough but eccentric figure in a story that details his incredible success as an aviator, film producer, and more.

Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges

The brilliant mathematician, cytologist, and computer pioneer Alan Turing is beautifully depicted in this biography. It covers his heroic code-breaking efforts during World War II , his computer designs and contributions to mathematical biology in the years following, and the vicious persecution that befell him in the 1950s when homosexual acts were still a crime and punishable by law.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Of course, we couldn’t highlight Ron Chernow’s best works without including his biography on Alexander Hamilton , which is not only the inspiration for a hit Broadway musical but also a work of creative genius itself. Another more than 800-page book (an ongoing theme for Chernow biographies), this book details every knowable moment of the youngest Founding Father’s life, from his role in the Revolutionary War and early American government to his sordid affair with Maria Reynolds. If you’ve seen the musical, this book will help answer a lot of those burning questions that you may have.

Frida: The Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera

The focal point of this biography is not the suffering that was endured by Frida Kahlo, but instead, her artistic brilliance and her immense resolve to leave her mark on the world. Herrera’s 1983 biography of one of the most recognizable names in modern art has since become the definitive account of her life.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Recommended reading for any adventurer or explorer -- the story of Christopher McCandless, aka Alexander Supertramp, who hitchhiked to Alaska and disappeared into the Denali wilderness in April 1992 only to have his remains discovered in his shelter five months later -- Into the Wild retraces his steps along the trek, attempting to discover what the young man was looking for on his journey. Krakauer delivers one of the best biography books in recent memory.

Prince: A Private View by Afshin Shahidi

Compiled after the superstar’s untimely death in 2016, this intimate snapshot into the life of Prince is largely visual. The author served as the musician’s private photographer from the early 2000s until his passing. You already know the expression, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and in this case, they are worth a lot more.

Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

The “Kennedy Curse” didn’t bring forth an assassination or a mysterious plane crash for Rosemary Kennedy, although her fate might have been the worst of them all. As if her botched lobotomy that left her almost completely incapacitated weren’t enough, her parents then hid her away from society, almost never to be seen again. Penned by Kennedy scholar Kate Larson, the full truth of her post-lobotomy life is finally revealed.

Trump Revealed: The Definitive Biography of the 45th President by Michael Kranish and Marc Fisher

Love him or hate him, Donald Trump is likely the most divisive U.S. president of modern times. The comprehensive biography of Trump is reported by a team of award-winning Washington Post journalists and co-authored by investigative political reporter Michael Kranish and senior editor Marc Fisher. The book gives the reader an insight into Trump, from his upbringing in Queens to his turbulent careers in real estate and entertainment to his astonishing rise as the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination.

Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang

Most are familiar with the revolutionary Mao Zedong. This carefully curated biography by Jung Chang digs deeper into the life of the "Red Emperor." You won't find these interviews and stories about the world leader in history books alone. This extensive account of the man known simply as Mao begins with a horrific statistic: He was responsible for the deaths of more than 70 million people during his regime.

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell 

Biographies often give us the stories of people we know and love, but they can also reveal new stories about people that may have been lost to history. In her bestseller, Sonia Purnell tells the story of Virginia Hall, a prolific and heroic spy from World War II who took down the Axis Powers on one leg. 

Black Boy by Richard Wright

A standard biography is usually given by a historian after years and years of research and writing, but sometimes it’s better to go straight to the source. In his memoir, Richard Wright details his life as he recalls it as a black American in the 20th century. Black Boy is a harsh, painful, beautiful, and revealing read about race in the United States -- and about a towering figure of literature. 

Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson

Isaacson represents the gold standard for contemporary biographers, and his tome on Leonardo da Vinci was a bestseller for a reason. Isaacson is able to show a detailed, intimate portrait of the most famous painter of all time from centuries away.

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Want to know how the biggest sports company of all time came to be? Hear it from the man himself. Phil Knight’s book takes you through how his little sneaker company in Oregon became the worldwide leader in sportswear. 

The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley

One of the most famous biographies ever, The Autobiography of Malcolm X remains a classic and an important read. Malcolm X’s politics, though controversial at the time and today, is a valuable and provocative perspective that will make you reconsider how you think about America and the American Dream. 

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Long before becoming Jon Stewart’s successor on The Daily Show, Trevor Noah lived many, many lifetimes. Born to apartheid South Africa, Noah’s story is one of perseverance and triumph, and one that he manages to make funny by some sort of magic trick. 

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae

Of course, today, you know Issa Rae as the writer, actor, and star of HBO’s Insecure, but before her hit show came her webseries and book of the same name, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. Rae’s memoir wrestles with the idea of being an introvert in a world that considers Black people inherently cool.

Robin by Davie Itzkoff

One of the most beloved comedians and actors of all time, Robin Williams' passing in 2014 shook fans across generations. In his book, New York Times culture reporter Dave Itzkoff covers the life, work, and emotions of one of the most complicated and misunderstood comedians ever. Oh captain, my captain...

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We're living in crazy times, especially since this whole pandemic mess started a few long years ago. With so much instability out there, it's easy to feel, well, a little uneasy. That's why it's not a bad idea to consider a few self-defense weapons to have at your disposal, just in case. You never know really know what lies ahead but you can be prepared if things do go very, very wrong.

There are many options out there, but the best of the bunch are packable, discreet, effective, and non-lethal (because you don't necessarily have to put somebody six feet under to "take them out"). Now, it's one thing to have one of these on your person and quite another to use it safely and properly. So make sure you know what you're dealing with beforehand and maybe even set up some training time with your new tool. Whether you're planing to get (intentionally) lost in the backcountry or just milling about in the city, it's not a bad idea to consider getting one of these. Here are the best self-defense weapons for protecting yourself in 2023.

We live among walking legends, from LeBron James and Steven Spielberg to Paul McCartney and Meryl Streep. In the category of writing, Stephen King is among the very best. The 76-year-old from Maine has written countless classics, with a signature ability to both instill fear and keep readers helplessly attached to the plot.

Dubbed the "king of horror," King is a living icon, still turning out quality material. Some of the scariest concepts that continue to creep you out — the clowns, the twins in the hallway, the buried pets — are the handy work of King. It's no wonder many consider him to be one of the greatest writers of all time.

Anytime you're wondering what's on TV, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of new shows and movies at your disposal. Every weekend brings new debuts across a wide array of streaming services, and it can be hard to keep track of what's worth checking out and what you can skip. Thankfully, we've got you covered with recommendations for movies and TV shows across a wide array of different streaming services. This is what to watch this weekend.

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The best biographies to read in 2023.

• Nik Rawlinson

Discover what inspired some of history’s most familiar names with these comprehensive biographies

The best biographies can be inspirational, can provide important life lessons – and can warn us off a dangerous path. They’re also a great way to learn more about important figures in history, politics, business and entertainment. That’s because the best biographies not only reveal what a person did with their life, but what effect it had and, perhaps most importantly, what inspired them to act as they did.

Where both a biography and an autobiography exist, you might be tempted to plump for the latter, assuming you’d get a more accurate and in-depth telling of the subject’s life story. While that may be true, it isn’t always the case. It’s human nature to be vain, and who could blame a celebrity or politician if they covered up their embarrassments and failures when committing their lives to paper? A biographer, so long as they have the proof to back up their claims, may have less incentive to spare their subject’s blushes, and thus produce a more honest account – warts and all.

That said, we’ve steered clear of the sensational in selecting the best biographies for you. Rather, we’ve focused on authoritative accounts of notable names, in each case written some time after their death, when a measured, sober assessment of their actions and impact can be given.

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Best biographies: At a glance

• Best literary biography: Agatha Christie: A Very Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley | £20
• Best showbiz biography: Let’s Do It: The Authorised Biography of Victoria Wood | £6.78
• Best political biography: Hitler by Ian Kershaw | £14

How to choose the best biography for you

There are so many biographies to choose from that it can be difficult knowing which to choose. This is especially true when there are several competing titles focused on the same subject. Try asking yourself these questions.

Is the author qualified?

Wikipedia contains potted biographies of every notable figure you could ever want to read about. So, if you’re going to spend several hours with a novel-sized profile it must go beyond the basics – and you want to be sure that the author knows what they’re talking about.

That doesn’t mean they need to have been personally acquainted with the subject, as Jasper Rees was with Victoria Wood. Ian Kershaw never met Adolf Hitler (he was, after all, just two years old when Hitler killed himself), but he published his first works on the subject in the late 1980s, has advised on BBC documentaries about the Second World War, and is an acknowledged expert on the Nazi era. It’s no surprise, then, that his biography of the dictator is extensive, comprehensive and acclaimed.

Is there anything new to say?

What inspires someone to write a biography – particularly of someone whose life has already been documented? Sometimes it can be the discovery of new facts, perhaps through the uncovering of previously lost material or the release of papers that had been suppressed on the grounds of national security. But equally, it may be because times have changed so much that the context of previous biographies is no longer relevant. Attitudes, in particular, evolve with time, and what might have been considered appropriate behaviour in the 1950s would today seem discriminatory or shocking. So, an up-to-date biography that places the subject’s actions and motivations within a modern context can make it a worthwhile read, even if you’ve read an earlier work already.

Does it look beyond the subject?

The most comprehensive biographies place their subject in context – and show how that context affected their outlook and actions or is reflected in their work. Lucy Worsley’s new biography of Agatha Christie is a case in point, referencing Christie’s works to show how real life influenced her fiction. Mathew Parker’s Goldeneye does the same for Bond author Ian Fleming – and in doing so, both books enlarge considerably on the biography’s core subject.

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1. Let’s Do It: The Authorised Biography of Victoria Wood by Jasper Rees: Best showbiz biography

Price: £6.78 | Buy now from Amazon

It’s hardly surprising Victoria Wood never got around to writing her own autobiography. Originator of countless sketches, songs, comedy series, films, plays, documentaries and a sitcom, she kept pushing back the mammoth job of chronicling her life until it was too late. Wood’s death in 2016 came as a surprise to many, with the entertainer taking her final bow in private at the end of a battle with cancer she had fought away from the public eye.

In the wake of her death, her estate approached journalist Jasper Rees, who had interviewed her on many occasions, with the idea of writing the story that Wood had not got around to writing herself. With their backing, Rees’ own encounters with Wood, and the comic’s tape-recorded notes to go on, the result is a chunky, in-depth, authoritative account of her life. It seems unlikely that Wood could have written it more accurately – nor more fully – herself.

Looking back, it’s easy to forget that Wood wasn’t a constant feature on British TV screens, that whole years went by when her focus would be on writing or performing on stage, or even that her career had a surprisingly slow start after a lonely childhood in which television was a constant companion. This book reminds us of those facts – and that Wood wasn’t just a talented performer, but a hard worker, too, who put in the hours required to deliver the results.

Let’s Do It, which takes its title from a lyric in one of Wood’s best-known songs, The Ballad of Barry & Freda, is a timely reminder that there are two sides to every famous character: one public and one private. It introduces us to the person behind the personality, and shows how the character behind the characters for which she is best remembered came to be.

Key specs – Length: 592 pages; Publisher: Trapeze; ISBN: 978-1409184119

Let's Do It: The Authorised Biography of Victoria Wood

2. the chief: the life of lord northcliffe, britain’s greatest press baron by andrew roberts: best business biography.

Lord Northcliffe wasn’t afraid of taking risks – many of which paid off handsomely. He founded a small paper called Answers to Correspondents, branched out into comics, and bought a handful of newspapers. Then he founded the Daily Mail, and applied what he’d learned in running his smaller papers on a far grander scale. The world of publishing – in Britain and beyond – was never the same again. The Daily Mail was a huge success, which led to the founding of the Daily Mirror, primarily for women, and his acquisition of the Observer, Times and Sunday Times.

By then, Northcliffe controlled almost half of Britain’s daily newspaper circulation. Nobody before him had ever enjoyed such reach – or such influence over the British public – as he did through his titles. This gave him sufficient political clout to sway the direction of government in such fundamental areas as the establishment of the Irish Free State and conscription in the run-up to the First World War. He was appointed to head up Britain’s propaganda operation during the conflict, and in this position he became a target for assassination, with a German warship shelling his home in Broadstairs. Beyond publishing, he was ahead of many contemporaries in understanding the potential of aviation as a force for good, as a result of which he funded several highly valuable prizes for pioneers in the field.

He achieved much in his 57 years, as evidenced by this biography, but suffered both physical and mental ill health towards the end. The empire that he built may have fragmented since his passing, with the Daily Mirror, Observer, Times and Sunday Times having left the group that he founded, but his influence can still be felt. For anyone who wants to understand how and why titles like the Daily Mail became so successful, The Chief is an essential read.

Key specs – Length: 556 pages; Publisher: Simon & Schuster; ISBN: 978-1398508712

The Chief: The Life of Lord Northcliffe Britain's Greatest Press Baron

3. goldeneye by matthew parker: best biography for cinema fans.

The name Goldeneye is synonymous with James Bond. It was the title of both a film and a video game, a fictional super weapon, a real-life Second World War plan devised by author Ian Fleming, and the name of the Jamaican estate where he wrote one Bond book every year between 1952 and his death in 1964. The Bond film makers acknowledged this in 2021’s No Time To Die, making that estate the home to which James Bond retired, just as his creator had done at the end of the war, 75 years earlier.

Fleming had often talked of his plan to write the spy novel to end all spy novels once the conflict was over, and it’s at Goldeneye that he fulfilled that ambition. Unsurprisingly, many of his experiences there found their way into his prose and the subsequent films, making this biography as much a history of Bond itself as it is a focused retelling of Fleming’s life in Jamaica. It’s here, we learn, that Fleming first drinks a Vesper at a neighbour’s house. Vesper later became a character in Casino Royale and, in the story, Bond devises a drink to fit the name. Fleming frequently ate Ackee fish while in residence; the phonetically identical Aki was an important character in You Only Live Twice.

Parker finds more subtle references, too, observing that anyone who kills a bird or owl in any of the Bond stories suffers the spy’s wrath. This could easily be overlooked, but it’s notable, and logical: Fleming had a love of birds, and Bond himself was named after the ornithologist James Bond, whose book was on Fleming’s shelves at Goldeneye.

So this is as much the biography of a famous fictional character as it is of an author, and of the house that he occupied for several weeks every year. So much of Fleming’s life at Goldeneye influenced his work that this is an essential read for any Bond fan – even if you’ve already read widely on the subject and consider yourself an aficionado. Parker’s approach is unusual, but hugely successful, and the result is an authoritative, wide-ranging biography about one of this country’s best-known authors, his central character, an iconic location and a country in the run-up to – and immediately following – its independence from Britain.

Key specs – Length: 416 pages; Publisher: Windmill Books; ISBN: 978-0099591740

Goldeneye: Where Bond was Born: Ian Fleming's Jamaica

4. hitler by ian kershaw: best political biography.

The latter portion of Adolf Hitler’s life, from his coming to power in 1933 to his suicide in 1945, is minutely documented, and known to a greater or lesser degree by anyone who has passed through secondary education. But what of his earlier years? How did this overlooked art student become one of the most powerful and destructive humans ever to have existed? What were his influences? What was he like?

Kershaw has the answers. This door stopper, which runs to more than 1,000 pages, is an abridged compilation of two earlier works: Hitler 1889 – 1936: Hubris, and Hitler 1936 – 1946: Nemesis. Yet, abridged though it may be, it remains extraordinarily detailed, and the research shines through. Kershaw spends no time warming his engines: Hitler is born by page three, to a social-climbing father who had changed the family name to something less rustic than it had been. As Kershaw points out, “Adolf can be believed when he said that nothing his father had done pleased him so much as to drop the coarsely rustic name of Schicklgruber. ‘Heil Schicklgruber’ would have sounded an unlikely salutation to a national hero.”

There’s no skimping on context, either, with each chapter given space to explore the political, economic and social influences on Hitler’s development and eventual emergence as leader. Kershaw pinpoints 1924 as the year that “can be seen as the time when, like a phoenix arising from the ashes, Hitler could begin his emergence from the ruins of the broken and fragmented volkisch movement to become eventually the absolute leader with total mastery over a reformed, organisationally far stronger, and internally more cohesive Nazi Party”. For much of 1924, Hitler was in jail, working on Mein Kampf and, by the point of his release, the movement to which he had attached himself had been marginalised. Few could have believed that it – and he – would rise again and take over first Germany, then much of Europe. Here, you’ll find out how it happened.

If you’re looking for an authoritative, in-depth biography of one of the most significant figures in modern world history, this is it. Don’t be put off by its length: it’s highly readable, and also available as an audiobook which, although it runs to 44 hours, can be sped up to trim the overall running time.

Key specs – Length: 1,072 pages; Publisher: Penguin; ISBN: 978-0141035888

5. Stalin’s Architect: Power and Survival in Moscow by Deyan Sudjic: Best historical biography

Boris Iofan died in 1976, but his influence can still be felt today – in particular, through the architectural influences evident in many mid-century buildings across Eastern Europe. Born in Odessa in 1891, he trained in architecture and, upon returning to Russia after time spent in Western Europe, gained notoriety for designing the House on the Embankment, a monumental block-wide building containing more than 500 flats, plus the shops and other facilities required to service them.

“Iofan’s early success was based on a sought-after combination of characteristics: he was a member of the Communist Party who was also an accomplished architect capable of winning international attention,” writes biographer Deyan Sudjic. “He occupied a unique position as a bridge between the pre-revolutionary academicians… and the constructivist radicals whom the party saw as bringing much-needed international attention and prestige but never entirely trusted. His biggest role was to give the party leadership a sense of what Soviet architecture could be – not in a theoretical sense or as a drawing, which they would be unlikely to understand, but as a range of built options that they could actually see.”

Having established himself, much of the rest of his life was spent working on his designs for the Palace of the Soviets, which became grander and less practical with every iteration. This wasn’t entirely Iofan’s fault. He had become a favourite of the party elite, and of Stalin himself, who added to the size and ambition of the intended building over the years. Eventually, the statue of Lenin that was destined to stand atop its central tower would have been over 300ft tall, and would have had an outstretched index finger 14ft long. There was a risk that this would freeze in the winter, and the icicles that dropped from it would have been a significant danger to those going into and out of the building below it.

Although construction work began, the Palace of the Soviets was never completed. Many of Iofan’s other buildings remain, though, and his pavilions for the World Expos in Paris and New York are well documented – in this book as well as elsewhere. Lavishly illustrated, it recounts Iofan’s life and examines his work in various stages, from rough outline, through technical drawing, to photographs of completed buildings – where they exist.

Key specs – Length: 320 pages; Publisher: Thames and Hudson; ISBN: 978-0500343555

Stalin's Architect: Power and Survival in Moscow

6. agatha christie: a very elusive woman by lucy worsley: best literary biography.

Agatha Christie died in 1976 but, with more than 70 novels and 150 short stories to her name, she remains one of the best-selling authors of all time. A new biography from historian Lucy Worsley is therefore undoubtedly of interest. It’s comprehensive and highly readable – and opinionated – with short chapters that make it easy to dip into and out of on a break.

Worsley resists the temptation to skip straight to the books. Poirot doesn’t appear until chapter 11 with publication of The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which Christie wrote while working in a Torquay hospital. Today, Poirot is so well known, not only from the books but from depictions in film and television, that it’s easy to overlook how groundbreaking the character was upon his arrival.

As Worsley explains, “by choosing to make Hercule Poirot a foreigner, and a refugee as well, Agatha created the perfect detective for an age when everyone was growing surfeited with soldiers and action heroes. He’s so physically unimpressive that no-one expects Poirot to steal the show. Rather like a stereotypical woman, Poirot cannot rely upon brawn to solve problems, for he has none. He has to use brains instead… There’s even a joke in his name. Hercules, of course, is a muscular classical hero, but Hercule Poirot has a name like himself: diminutive, fussy, camp, and Agatha would show Poirot working in a different way to [Sherlock] Holmes.” Indeed, where Holmes rolls around on the floor picking up cigar ash in his first published case, Poirot, explains Worsley, does not stoop to gather clues: he needs only his little grey cells. Worsley’s approach is thorough and opinionated, and has resulted not only in a biography of Christie herself, but also her greatest creations, which will appeal all the more to the author’s fans.

As with Matthew Parker’s Goldeneye, there’s great insight here into what influenced Christie’s work, and Worsley frequently draws parallels between real life events and episodes, characters or locations in her novels. As a result of her experiences as a medical volunteer during the First World War, for example, during which a rigid hierarchy persisted and the medics behaved shockingly, doctors became the most common culprit in her books; the names of real people found their way into her fiction; and on one occasion Christie assembled what today might be called a focus group to underpin a particular plot point.

Worsley is refreshingly opinionated and, where events in the author’s life take centre stage, doesn’t merely re-state the facts, but investigates Christie’s motivations to draw her own conclusions. This is particularly the case in the chapters examining Christie’s disappearance in 1926, which many previous biographers have portrayed as an attempt to frame her husband for murder. Worsley’s own investigation leads to alternative conclusions, which seem all the more plausible today, when society has a better understanding of – and is more sympathetic towards – the effects of psychological distress.

Key specs – Length: 432 pages; Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton; ISBN: 978-1529303889

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Best memoirs and biographies to read in 2024

Dive into some of the most compelling life stories – from Britney Spears to Keir Starmer

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Byron: A Life in Ten Letters by Andrew Stauffer

Keir starmer: the biography by tom baldwin, hardy women by paula byrne, the woman in me by britney spears, marcia williams by linda mcdougall, lou reed: the king of new york by will hermes, dinner with joseph johnson by daisy hay, original sins by matt rowland hill.

"Mad, bad and dangerous to know" was how Lady Caroline Lamb famously characterised Lord Byron. It's a fair description, in many ways, said John Banville in The Guardian . But George Gordon, the 6th Baron Byron, "must also have been, at the simplest level, wonderful company". He didn't take himself too seriously, and his lust for life was immense: "I shall not live long," he wrote to his publisher John Murray in 1819, "& for that reason I must live while I can." In Byron: A Life in Ten Letters, Andrew Stauffer uses Bryon's "vivid and hugely entertaining letters" as a series of entry points into his tempestuous life. Each chapter begins with an extract from a letter; Stauffer then discusses the context that inspired it. It is an impressively "rounded portrait, venereal scars and all, of one of the prime movers of the Romantic movement".

Stauffer concedes that his approach is not particularly original, said D.J. Taylor in The Wall Street Journal : fragmented biographies are in vogue. "But there is something about Byron's headlong scamper about the world of his day that lends itself to this miniaturist treatment". We first see him as a Cambridge undergraduate, "planning endless bachelor parties"; then en route to Greece in 1810, where he swims the Hellespont with his friend Lt William Ekenhead; and later writing ghost stories on Lake Geneva with Percy and Mary Shelley. "The letters are practically Messianic in their intensity, aflame with relish for the incidental scenery or the women Byron is pursuing." It's a wonder, given the pace at which he lived his 36 years, that Byron had any time for serious writing.

The poet depicted in these pages often emerges as a "cold-hearted shit", said John Walsh in The Sunday Times . During his short-lived marriage to Annabella Milbanke – a "brilliant mathematician with a strong moral centre" – he installed his half-sister Augusta Leigh at their Piccadilly home, and "made the women compete with each other in caressing him". The night his wife gave birth, he "sat in the empty drawing room below, throwing empty bottles at the ceiling". In time, polite opinion turned against him, and he left England, never to return. Stauffer sometimes brings an incongruously "21st century perspective to 19th century behaviour": he describes Byron as a "sex tourist in Italy", and talks of Shelley's bisexual experiences as "polyamory". But no matter. This is a "devilishly readable book", which brings Regency England to "howling life", and its "disgraceful but irresistible subject into dazzling focus".

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CUP 300pp; £25 (£19.99)  

Although Keir Starmer is almost certain to be our next prime minister, he remains an "oddly elusive" figure, said Gaby Hinsliff in The Guardian . People often complain that they don't really know what he stands for, and he talks about personal matters somewhat stiffly, as if holding something back. All this makes a book such as Keir Starmer: The Biography feel long overdue. Tom Baldwin is a former journalist who worked for five years as a Labour spin doctor; he was originally recruited to ghostwrite Starmer's own memoir, but Starmer backed out of the project last year, agreeing instead to cooperate on this biography. The result, while not exactly revelatory – Baldwin warns that his pages won't be "spattered with blood" – does a job that "very precisely mirrors its subject": it is careful, nuanced and eminently capable. "It is, in short, as intimate an insight into Britain's likely next prime minister as readers are probably going to get." 

The most interesting chapters concern Starmer's "difficult early life", said Robert Shrimsley in the FT . Starmer grew up in a cramped semi in Surrey with a "seriously ill mother", Jo (she had Still's disease); a "cold, difficult" father, Rodney (a toolmaker); and three siblings (one of whom, Nick, has learning difficulties). Television was banned in the Starmer household, the "radio played only Beethoven or Shostakovich", and Rodney "barracked and bullied" visiting schoolfriends, said Patrick Maguire in The Times . Although Starmer was the only one of the siblings to go to grammar school and university, and then became a leading barrister, his dad never once told him he made him proud. Only after his death in 2018 did Starmer find out this wasn't "the full story": hidden in his father's wardrobe was a "scrapbook of every newspaper story about his son".

Many politicians pose as regular people, but Starmer emerges from this as someone who really is quite ordinary, said Matthew d'Ancona in the Evening Standard . He is happiest spending time with his family, or organising weekend eight-a-side football games. As his deputy, Angela Rayner, puts it: he is "the least political person I know in politics". The "one nagging question" is how much Baldwin's political sympathies have coloured his portrait, said Ben Riley-Smith in The Daily Telegraph . Had he discovered "less laudable aspects of Sir Keir's story", would he have "forensically interrogated" them? This may not, then, quite be a definitive biography – but it is engaging and "skilfully done".

The fame of the novelist and poet Thomas Hardy rested largely on the heroines he created, said Norma Clarke in Literary Review. With the likes of Tess Durbeyfield (Tess of the d'Urbervilles) and Sue Bridehead (Jude the Obscure), he displayed, as one young reader wrote to him, a "complete understanding of a woman's soul". But as Paula Byrne shows in this fascinating book, the women Hardy knew in real life were less fortunate. Byrne doggedly details them all, from Hardy's "strong-minded" mother, Jemima, to the "pretty girls" who "turned his head" in his youth, to his wives, Emma Gifford and Florence Dugdale (pictured, with Hardy). Hardy's women, she concludes, "paid a large price" for the "magnificent fictional women he invented". "In a sign of trouble to come, young Hardy fell in love violently and often," said Susie Goldsbrough in The Times . His first serious entanglement, says Byrne, "was with a Dorset maidservant called Eliza Nicholls, whom he dumped for her young sister". 

In his mid-30s, Hardy married Emma, a solicitor's daughter. Although initially happy, the marriage soured as "Emma gained weight" and became increasingly eccentric. By the time of her death, aged 72, in 1912, she was living in the attic of their Dorset home – and the much younger Florence was living with them, having been employed as Hardy's typist. After Hardy married Florence in 1914, she had to put up with him "enthusiastically mourning the wife he had spent years complaining about" – and who now became the subject of an "astonishing" series of love poems. Although Byrne is sometimes hampered by a lack of evidence (Hardy destroyed most of Emma's letters, together with the journal she wrote about him), this is still an "absorbing" portrait of the women who suffered for Hardy's art.

William Collins 656pp; £25 ( £19.99 )

In January 2008 – 11 months after the notorious occasion when she shaved off her own hair in a Los Angeles salon – Britney Spears was asked by her parents to meet them at their beach house, said Anna Leszkiewicz in The New Statesman . "There she was ambushed by police and taken to hospital against her will." A month later, the state of California placed the pop star under a "conservatorship" – a legal arrangement giving her father, Jamie, full control of her finances and personal life. For the next 13 years, Spears was "told what to eat, what medication to take, when she could see her children", even when she could and couldn't use the lavatory. Meanwhile, her father "paid himself a $6m salary" from the proceeds of her endless concerts and recordings. It's no surprise, in the circumstances, that Spears's memoir reads "like a dark fairy tale". Powerful and compellingly candid, it tells of how a "young girl, both adored and vilified for her beauty, talent and fame", was effectively "imprisoned" by her jealous and avaricious family.

The truth, of course, is that Spears had always been controlled and infantilised, said Neil McCormick in The Daily Telegraph . She became a "people-pleasing child performer" at a young age, supporting her family by appearing in theatrical musicals. Aged 16, male music executives moulded her into "America's teen pop princess" – and soon she was being taken advantage of by "narcissistic self-serving boyfriends", and "hounded by paparazzi". When she rebelled against her "powerlessness", her sanity was called into question – a process she "specifically likens to a witch trial". Her memoir, written without self-pity, is gripping and "forensically convincing". Finally, we know what it feels like to be the "madwoman in the attic of pop".

Gallery 288pp £25, ( £19.99 )

"Imagine a story of sex, drugs and secrets inside Downing Street. A story of a political wife accused of meddling, and a resignation honours list mired in scandal," said Gaby Hinsliff in The Guardian . But no, it's not the one you're imagining: this biography by Linda McDougall tells the "irresistible tale" of Marcia Williams, political secretary and "office wife" to Labour PM Harold Wilson. Baroness Falkender, as she became in 1974, was one of the most controversial and vilified political figures of the 1960s and 1970s. According to many, she was a "hysterical tyrant" with a "dark hold" over Wilson. McDougall offers a more nuanced portrait. Without ignoring Williams's flaws, she outlines the strains she must have been under, as a high-achieving woman with a troubled personal life living in rampantly sexist times. Her Williams, while "no heroine", is "fascinating". 

Williams, the daughter of a Northamptonshire builder, first met Wilson in the mid-1950s, when she became a secretary at Labour HQ, said Frances Wilson in The Daily Telegraph . She began sending the then-shadow chancellor anonymous letters, alerting him to machinations within the party. She soon became Wilson's private secretary – at which point, McDougall admits, they probably had a brief affair. (She later allegedly told Wilson's wife, Mary: "I went to bed with your husband six times in 1956 and it wasn't satisfactory.") In 1964, when Wilson became PM, he appointed Williams his political secretary, a newly created role that made her one of Britain's first unelected political advisers. She stayed in it when Wilson lost power in 1970, and went with him back to Downing Street when he regained it in 1974.

It was then that Private Eye revealed that "Lady Forkbender" had a shocking secret, said Anne de Courcy in The Spectator . In 1968 and 1969, Williams had given birth to two children – the result of an affair with political journalist Walter Terry. The births had been hushed up; Williams concealed her pregnancies by wearing a baggy coat at work. Amid a public outcry, McDougall suggests, Williams resorted to taking amphetamine pills and Valium, "prescribed by Wilson's doctor", which contributed to the "hysterical outbursts" for which she became known. Further scandal followed in 1976, when it was revealed that Williams had hand-written Wilson's controversial resignation honours list (dubbed the "Lavender List") on a sheet of lilac paper. McDougall's sympathetic book is a "gripping" portrait both of an "extraordinary woman", and of the "emotional dynamics of Downing Street".

Biteback 304pp; £25 ( £19.99 )

Lou Reed, the lead vocalist of the Velvet Underground, who died in 2013, already has a longish shelf of biographies. This one is the first to make use of his personal archive, "and it shows", said David Keenan in Literary Review . "It feels more like a coolly researched biography than one written by a passionate fan." What's more, Will Hermes tries to repackage the "violently aggressive, drug-huffing", gender-bending, "sexually unhinged" rock star to make him acceptable to the modern world: Reed and his circle were "nonbinary", Hermes informs us; he suggests that Reed was a troubled person who tried to become "someone good" (as he wrote in one of his best-loved songs, Perfect Day), not the sociopath that his behaviour suggested. The result is an "awkward love letter to the 20th century", but "the perfect biography of Lou Reed for 2023": a defensive depiction of a man whose stock in trade was "all that was difficult and dark and destructive in what it is to be human".

It's "the only Lou Reed bio you need to read", said Stephen Metcalf in The Washington Post . It's really two biographies: one of Lewis Allan Reed, the sensitive, middle-class, midcentury music fan; and one of the louche, sardonic, drug-addled persona he invented and inhabited. From Reed's early days with Andy Warhol to his  breakthrough as a solo star, with a little help from David Bowie, it's all there, written up with a judicious blend of "love and scepticism". Hermes doesn't conceal the evidence that Reed became a pampered celeb who could be as obnoxious to waiters as he was to journalists. But he's good on Reed's "musically confrontational" yet "unabashedly romantic" songwriting. The book gets the balance between the person and the poseur "exactly right".

Viking 560pp £25; (£19.99)

The radical publisher Joseph Johnson was a "key figure" in late 18th century London, said the FT . Many of the great minds of the age – Mary Wollstonecraft, Thomas Paine, William Blake – attended his weekly salons. A biography of Johnson has long been overdue – and this one is "meticulous". It’s altogether a "delightful book", said The Times – one that gives its readers the "feeling of being at a rather elevated party".

Vintage £10.99; (£8.99)

This "devastatingly good" memoir recounts how its author "swapped a love of Jesus for a love of Class-A drugs", said The Daily Telegraph . Following his strict evangelical upbringing in Swansea, Hill won a scholarship to Harrow and then went to Oxford – where he became addicted to heroin. The themes of this book are not exactly original, said The Guardian . But it proves "propulsive" and "brilliant" – thanks to Hill's black humour and his "lacerating candour".

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Best Biographies

Discover the lives of remarkable individuals through the best biographies, chosen from a wide array of reputable literary sources and biography enthusiasts. these compelling reads offer intimate portraits and have earned accolades across numerous literary discussions..

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The Best Reviewed Memoirs and Biographies of 2022

Featuring buster keaton, jean rhys, bernardine evaristo, kate beaton, and more.

We’ve come to the end of another bountiful literary year, and for all of us review rabbits here at Book Marks, that can mean only one thing: basic math, and lots of it.

Yes, using reviews drawn from more than 150 publications, over the next two weeks we’ll be calculating and revealing the most critically-acclaimed books of 2022, in the categories of (deep breath): Fiction ; Nonfiction ; Memoir and Biography; Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror; Short Story Collections; Essay Collections; Poetry; Mystery and Crime; Graphic Literature ; and Literature in Translation .

Today’s installment: Memoir and Biography .

Brought to you by Book Marks , Lit Hub’s “Rotten Tomatoes for books.”

1. We Don’t Know Ourselves by Fintan O’Toole (Liveright) 17 Rave • 4 Positive • 1 Mixed • 1 Pan

“One of the many triumphs of Fintan O’Toole’s We Don’t Know Ourselves is that he manages to find a form that accommodates the spectacular changes that have occurred in Ireland over the past six decades, which happens to be his life span … it is not a memoir, nor is it an absolute history, nor is it entirely a personal reflection or a crepuscular credo. It is, in fact, all of these things helixed together: his life, his country, his thoughts, his misgivings, his anger, his pride, his doubt, all of them belonging, eventually, to us … O’Toole, an agile cultural commentator, considers himself to be a representative of the blank slate on which the experiment of change was undertaken, but it’s a tribute to him that he maintains his humility, his sharpness and his enlightened distrust …

O’Toole writes brilliantly and compellingly of the dark times, but he is graceful enough to know that there is humor and light in the cracks. There is a touch of Eduardo Galeano in the way he can settle on a telling phrase … But the real accomplishment of this book is that it achieves a conscious form of history-telling, a personal hybrid that feels distinctly honest and humble at the same time. O’Toole has not invented the form, but he comes close to perfecting it. He embraces the contradictions and the confusion. In the process, he weaves the flag rather than waving it.”

–Colum McCann ( The New York Times Book Review )

2. Thin Places: A Natural History of Healing and Home by Kerri Ní Dochartaigh (Milkweed)

12 Rave • 7 Positive • 2 Mixed

“Assured and affecting … A powerful and bracing memoir … This is a book that will make you see the world differently: it asks you to reconsider the animals and insects we often view as pests – the rat, for example, and the moth. It asks you to look at the sea and the sky and the trees anew; to wonder, when you are somewhere beautiful, whether you might be in a thin place, and what your responsibilities are to your location.It asks you to show compassion for people you think are difficult, to cultivate empathy, to try to understand the trauma that made them the way they are.”

–Lynn Enright ( The Irish Times )

3. Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton (Drawn & Quarterly)

14 Rave • 4 Positive

“It could hardly be more different in tone from [Beaton’s] popular larky strip Hark! A Vagrant … Yes, it’s funny at moments; Beaton’s low-key wryness is present and correct, and her drawings of people are as charming and as expressive as ever. But its mood overall is deeply melancholic. Her story, which runs to more than 400 pages, encompasses not only such thorny matters as social class and environmental destruction; it may be the best book I have ever read about sexual harassment …

There are some gorgeous drawings in Ducks of the snow and the starry sky at night. But the human terrain, in her hands, is never only black and white … And it’s this that gives her story not only its richness and depth, but also its astonishing grace. Life is complex, she tell us, quietly, and we are all in it together; each one of us is only trying to survive. What a difficult, gorgeous and abidingly humane book. It really does deserve to win all the prizes.”

–Rachel Cooke ( The Guardian )

4. Stay True by Hua Hsu (Doubleday)

14 Rave • 3 Positive

“… quietly wrenching … To say that this book is about grief or coming-of-age doesn’t quite do it justice; nor is it mainly about being Asian American, even though there are glimmers of that too. Hsu captures the past by conveying both its mood and specificity … This is a memoir that gathers power through accretion—all those moments and gestures that constitute experience, the bits and pieces that coalesce into a life … Hsu is a subtle writer, not a showy one; the joy of Stay True sneaks up on you, and the wry jokes are threaded seamlessly throughout.”

–Jennifer Szalai ( The New York Times )

5.  Manifesto: On Never Giving Up by Bernardine Evaristo (Grove)

13 Rave • 4 Positive

“Part coming-of-age story and part how-to manual, the book is, above all, one of the most down-to-earth and least self-aggrandizing works of self-reflection you could hope to read. Evaristo’s guilelessness is refreshing, even unsettling … With ribald humour and admirable candour, Evaristo takes us on a tour of her sexual history … Characterized by the resilience of its author, it is replete with stories about the communities and connections Evaristo has cultivated over forty years … Invigoratingly disruptive as an artist, Evaristo is a bridge-builder as a human being.”

–Emily Bernard ( The Times Literary Supplement )

1. Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne by Katherine Rundell (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

14 Rave • 4 Positive • 1 Mixed

“Rundell is right that Donne…must never be forgotten, and she is the ideal person to evangelise him for our age. She shares his linguistic dexterity, his pleasure in what TS Eliot called ‘felt thought’, his ability to bestow physicality on the abstract … It’s a biography filled with gaps and Rundell brings a zest for imaginative speculation to these. We know so little about Donne’s wife, but Rundell brings her alive as never before … Rundell confronts the difficult issue of Donne’s misogyny head-on … This is a determinedly deft book, and I would have liked it to billow a little more, making room for more extensive readings of the poems and larger arguments about the Renaissance. But if there is an overarching argument, then it’s about Donne as an ‘infinity merchant’ … To read Donne is to grapple with a vision of the eternal that is startlingly reinvented in the here and now, and Rundell captures this vision alive in all its power, eloquence and strangeness”

–Laura Feigel ( The Guardian )

2. The Escape Artist: The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Warn the World by Jonathan Freedland (Harper)

12 Rave • 3 Positive

“Compelling … We know about Auschwitz. We know what happened there. But Freedland, with his strong, clear prose and vivid details, makes us feel it, and the first half of this book is not an easy read. The chillingly efficient mass murder of thousands of people is harrowing enough, but Freedland tells us stories of individual evils as well that are almost harder to take … His matter-of-fact tone makes it bearable for us to continue to read … The Escape Artist is riveting history, eloquently written and scrupulously researched. Rosenberg’s brilliance, courage and fortitude are nothing short of amazing.”

–Laurie Hertzel ( The Star Tribune )

3. I Used to Live Here Once: The Haunted Life of Jean Rhys by Miranda Seymour (W. W. Norton & Company)

11 Rave • 4 Positive • 1 Pan

“…illuminating and meticulously researched … paints a deft portrait of a flawed, complex, yet endlessly fascinating woman who, though repeatedly bowed, refused to be broken … Following dismal reviews of her fourth novel, Rhys drifted into obscurity. Ms. Seymour’s book could have lost momentum here. Instead, it compellingly charts turbulent, drink-fueled years of wild moods and reckless acts before building to a cathartic climax with Rhys’s rescue, renewed lease on life and late-career triumph … is at its most powerful when Ms. Seymour, clear-eyed but also with empathy, elaborates on Rhys’s woes …

Ms. Seymour is less convincing with her bold claim that Rhys was ‘perhaps the finest English woman novelist of the twentieth century.’ However, she does expertly demonstrate that Rhys led a challenging yet remarkable life and that her slim but substantial novels about beleaguered women were ahead of their time … This insightful biography brilliantly shows how her many battles were lost and won.”

–Malcolm Forbes ( The Wall Street Journal )

4. The Facemaker: A Visionary Surgeon’s Battle to Mend the Disfigured Soldiers of World War I by Lindsey Fitzharris (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

9 Rave • 5 Positive • 1 Mixed

“Grisly yet inspiring … Fitzharris depicts her hero as irrepressibly dedicated and unfailingly likable. The suspense of her narrative comes not from any interpersonal drama but from the formidable challenges posed by the physical world … The Facemaker is mostly a story of medical progress and extraordinary achievement, but as Gillies himself well knew—grappling daily with the unbearable suffering that people willingly inflicted on one another—failure was never far behind.”

5. Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life by James Curtis (Knopf)

8 Rave • 6 Positive • 1 Mixed

“Keaton fans have often complained that nearly all biographies of him suffer from a questionable slant or a cursory treatment of key events. With Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life —at more than 800 pages dense with research and facts—Mr. Curtis rectifies that situation, and how. He digs deep into Keaton’s process and shows how something like the brilliant two-reeler Cops went from a storyline conceived from necessity—construction on the movie lot encouraged shooting outdoors—to a masterpiece … This will doubtless be the primary reference on Keaton’s life for a long time to come … the worse Keaton’s life gets, the more engrossing Mr. Curtis’s book becomes.”

–Farran Smith Nehme ( The Wall Street Journal )

Our System:

RAVE = 5 points • POSITIVE = 3 points • MIXED = 1 point • PAN = -5 points

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Best Biographies of All Time: Top 20 Most Interesting Reads

Kathy Edens

Have you ever read a biography that was gripping enough to keep you turning pages long after you should’ve been asleep? If not, then maybe you’re not reading the right books.

We culled the best of the best from over a half dozen sources, and still can’t capture all the great biographies worth reading.

Here, in no particular order, are the best biographies that read as good as, if not better than, fiction.

Final Thoughts

1. unbroken: a world war ii story of survival, resilience and redemption by laura hillenbrand.

At once devastating and uplifting, Unbroken is the story of Louis Zamperini, from his incorrigible boyhood actions to the sport that turned him around and led him to the Olympics.

But then WWII came calling, changing Louis and testing his endurance and ingenuity. The story comes full circle when, decades later, Zamperini returns to Japan, not as a POW, but as an honored guest at the Olympics.

2. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Henrietta herself didn’t lead a glamorous life, but her cells, taken without her knowledge, have led to such ground-breaking accomplishments as the polio vaccine.

These cells, known as HeLa, are one of the most important tools in medicine and have been bought and sold by the billions. They are still alive today, over sixty years after Henrietta’s death.

3. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

Fiction couldn’t be as suspenseful and seductive as this real story about a death in one of Savannah’s grandest mansions in 1981. Was it murder or self-defense?

Peeling the curtain back on well-bred society ladies, gigolos, and a Southern belle who epitomizes "the soul of pampered self-absorption," this book has everything from drag queens to a voodoo priestess. You can’t make this stuff up.

4. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Imagine a young, well-to-do man who gave away all his money, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, then hitchhiked to Alaska and disappeared into the wilderness.

Four months later, hunters found his decomposed remains. This book tells the story of Christopher Johnson McCandless and his death in the wild.

5. Martin Heidegger: Between Good and Evil by Rüdiger Safranski

Heidegger, a great philosopher without whom there would be no Sartre or Foucault, also had many failures and flaws.

He made a pact with the devil, Adolf Hitler, and teetered between good and evil, brilliance and blindness. This book chronicles his ideas and his personal commitments and betrayals.

6. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Based on over forty interviews with Jobs and hundreds with family, friends, colleagues, competitors, and adversaries, Walter Isaacson’s biography reads like a roller coaster ride.

This is the unvarnished truth: Jobs cooperated, but had no control over what Isaacson wrote or even the right to read it before publication. Nothing was off-limits.

7. John Adams by David McCullough

John Adams was not just one of the founding fathers; he was a brilliant, fiercely independent, and always honest patriot totally committed to the American Revolution. McCullough intertwines politics, war, and social issues with love, religious faith, virtue, ambition, and betrayal to create one book you can’t put down.

8. Savage Beauty by Nancy Milford

Edna St. Vincent Millay was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize. She lived a flamboyant life in the Jazz Age alongside other literary heroes like F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Milford goes underneath the dazzling performance Edna puts on for the crowds and uncovers a rich and deep family connection between the three Millay sisters and their mother. One reviewer described it as a little bit Little Women with a touch of Mommy Dearest .

9. The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

The creation of the Oxford English Dictionary was a thoroughly ambitious project that collected definitions from around the world.

There was one man, Dr. W. C. Minor, who contributed over 10,000, but the overseeing committee was stunned when they tracked him down to honor him. Dr. Minor, an American Civil War veteran, was an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane.

10. A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar

Another vivid story about a brilliant man teetering between genius and madness, this book reads like a suspense novel but is the true story of John Nash, a mathematical genius who slipped into madness.

Thanks to the support and loyalty of Nash’s admirers, he eventually won a Nobel Prize for triggering the game theory revolution.

11. Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt

An interesting insight into how a young man from a small provincial town moves to London in the 1500s and becomes the greatest playwright of all time.

Showing Shakespeare as an acutely sensitive and talented boy, Greenblatt helps you see, hear, and feel how he became the world-renowned playwright against the rich backdrop of Elizabethan life.

12. Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston

Author of Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston tells the gripping and horrifying story of one of the last-known survivors of the Atlantic slave trade.

This is the story of Cudjo Lewis, abducted from Africa and put on the last "Black Cargo" ship to arrive in the United States. Lewis was captured and put in bondage fifty years after the Atlantic slave trade was outlawed in the United States.

13. The Man Who Knew Infinity by Robert Kanigel

In 1913, a young unschooled Indian clerk wrote a letter to G. H. Hardy, a pre-eminent English mathematician, with several ideas about numbers.

Hardy realized the boy’s genius and arranged for Srinivasa Ramanujan to come to England. From the temples and slums of Madras to the courts and chapels of Cambridge University, the story of their journey together is inspiring and magical.

14. Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera

Mexican painter Frida Kahlo was a woman of extreme magnetism and originality thanks to her childhood experiences near Mexico City during the Mexican Revolution.

From a devastating accident that left her crippled and unable to bear children to her tempestuous marriage and intermittent love affairs, this is an extraordinary story of a 20th century woman who has become a legend.

15. Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

During the Civil Rights Movement, no one knew the story of NASA’s African-American female mathematicians and their role in the space program.

Before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, this group, called the "Human Computers," calculated the flight paths that would lead to historic achievements.

16. John Brown by W.E.B. Du Bois

A groundbreaking political biography, John Brown moved Du Bois from his comfortable life as an academic to a lifelong career in social activism.

John Brown was the first Caucasian man willing to die for the rights of black people. The narrative Du Bois presents is compelling and one that is rarely presented in our history books.

17. Enrique’s Journey: The Story of a Boy’s Dangerous Odyssey to Reunite With His Mother by Sonia Nazario

Award-winning journalist Nazario tells the vivid and engaging story of a Honduran boy’s unforgettable odyssey to reach his mother in the United States.

He has no money and only a slip of paper with his mother’s US telephone number. Enrique makes the hard and dangerous journey from Mexico the only way he knows how—clinging to the sides and tops of freight trains.

18. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford

In an interesting twist to the usual depiction of bloodthirsty pillagers, Weatherford shows how Genghis Khan introduced many progressive advancements to the societies he conquered.

Khan abolished torture, brought universal religious freedom, and destroyed feudal systems wherever he went. This is an engaging story of how he helped form the Mongol empire.

19. Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram

Boyd was a world-class fighter pilot whose machinations changed warfare and strategy not only in the air but on the ground and at sea.

He is the founder of our modern concept of maneuver warfare, and his way of analyzing and solving problems is used today in corporate boardrooms.

20. Eleanor Roosevelt by Blanche Wiesen Cook

Most first ladies didn’t do much beyond party planning, but Eleanor Roosevelt wanted to get things done.

Cook brings Roosevelt to life and shines a light on her political and social acumen in turning a meaningless position into one of power to influence and make change.

We didn’t want to stop here; there are so many more you should read. Let’s get a comprehensive list going in the comments below. What other unforgettable biographies did we miss?

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Kathy Edens is a blogger, a ghost writer, and content master who loves writing about anything and everything. Check out her books The Novel-Writing Training Plan: 17 Steps to Get Your Ideas in Shape for the Marathon of Writing and Creating Legends: How to Craft Characters Readers Adore... or Despise.

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Best Biographies » New Biography

The best biographies of 2023: the national book critics circle shortlist, recommended by elizabeth taylor.

Winner of the 2023 NBCC biography prize

G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century by Beverly Gage

Talented biographers examine the interplay between individual qualities and greater social forces, explains Elizabeth Taylor —chair of the judges for the 2023 National Book Critics Circle award for biography. Here, she offers us an overview of their five-book shortlist, including a garlanded account of the life of J. Edgar Hoover and a group biography of post-war female philosophers.

Interview by Cal Flyn , Deputy Editor

The Grimkés: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family by Kerri K. Greenidge

Mr. B: George Balanchine’s Twentieth Century by Jennifer Homans

Metaphysical Animals: How Four Women Brought Philosophy Back to Life by Clare Mac Cumhaill & Rachael Wiseman

Up from the Depths: Herman Melville, Lewis Mumford, and Rediscovery in Dark Times by Aaron Sachs

1 G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century by Beverly Gage

2 the grimkés: the legacy of slavery in an american family by kerri k. greenidge, 3 mr. b: george balanchine’s twentieth century by jennifer homans, 4 metaphysical animals: how four women brought philosophy back to life by clare mac cumhaill & rachael wiseman, 5 up from the depths: herman melville, lewis mumford, and rediscovery in dark times by aaron sachs.

It’s a pleasure to have you back , Elizabeth—this time to discuss the National Book Critics Circle’s 2023 biography shortlist. You’ve been chair of the judging panel for a while, so you’re in a great position to tell us whether it has been a good year for biography.

I’m also optimistic about the future.  As the world opens and libraries, archives and places where history happened are becoming more accessible. Figures—or groups—once regarded marginal are now being discovered or reappraised with new evidence and interpretation. Biographies are ambitious in structure and form, and focus beyond the pale, stale, and male.

That comes through in the shortlist, I think. There’s a real range here. I think any reader is bound to find something to appeal to their tastes.

Shaping a shortlist seems quite like arranging a bouquet. A clutch of peony, begonia, or orchid stems…each may be lovely, an exemplar in its own way. We aspire to assemble a glorious arrangement—a quintet of blooms that reflect the wildly varied human experiences represented in the verdant garden of biography.

While our committee resisted the impulse to conform to a particular aesthetic or worldview, it did seem that many biographies were deeply rooted in American soil that required years of research to till. End notes are my guilty pleasure, this year’s finalists provided rich feasts, as one might anticipate from the longest—832 pages!—biography, Beverly Gage’s G-Man .

Let’s talk about G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century first, then, shall we? It is your 2023 winner of the NBCC’s prize for best biography; it also won a Pulitzer Prize . It’s also, and correct me if I’m wrong, the most traditional of the biographies that made the list.

G-Man is traditional in as much as Beverly Gage captures the full sweep of Hoover’s life, cradle to grave: 1895 to 1972. In that way, structurally G-Man sits aside the epics of David McCullough ( Truman , John Adams ) and Ron Chernow ( Grant , Alexander Hamilton ).

Unlike those valorized national leaders, Hoover answered to no voters. The quintessential ‘Government Man,’ a counselor and advisor to eight U.S. presidents , of both political parties, he was one of the most powerful, unelected government officials in history. He reigned over the Federal Bureau of Investigations from 1924 to 1972. Hoover began as a young reformer and—as he accrued power—was simultaneously loathed and admired. Through Hoover, Gage skilfully guides readers through the full arc of 20th-century America, and contends: “We cannot know our own story without understanding his.”

In G-Man , Yale University professor Gage untangles the contradictions in Hoover’s aspirations and cruelty, and locates the paradoxical American story of tensions and anxieties over security, masculinity, and race.

“This year, many biographies were deeply rooted in American soil that required years of research to till”

Hoover lived his entire life in Washington D.C., and Gage entwines his story in the city’s evolution into a global power center and delves deeply into the dark childhood that led him to remain there for college. Critical to understanding Hoover, Gage demonstrates, was his embrace of the Kappa Alpha fraternity; its worldview was informed by Robert E. Lee and the ‘Lost Cause’ of the South , in which racial equality was unacceptable. He shaped the F.B.I. in his image and recruited Kappa Alpha men to the Bureau.

For Hoover, Gage writes, Kappa Alpha was a way to measure character, political sympathies, and, of course, loyalty. One of those men was Clyde Tolson, and Gage documents their trips to nightclubs, the racetrack, vacations, and White House receptions. Hoover did not acknowledge that he and Tolson were a couple, but in the end their separate burial plots were a few yards from one another.

While Hoover feels very much alive on the page, Gage captures the full sweep of American history, chronicling events from the hyper-nationalism of the early part of the century, moving into the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., making use of newly unclassified documents. When Hoover’s F.B.I. targeted Nazis and gangsters, there was clarity about good guys and bad guys. But by the mid-century, as the nation began to fracture, he regarded calls for peace and justice as threats to national security. Among the abuses of power committed by Hoover’s F.B.I., for instance, was the wiretapping and harassment of King.

Beyond Hoover’s malfeasance, Gage emphasizes that Hoover was no maverick. He tapped into a dark part of the national psyche and had public opinion on his side. Through Hoover, Americans could see themselves, and, as Gage argues, “what we valued and refused to see.”

A biography like this does make you realize how deeply world events might be impacted or even partially predicted by the family background or the personalities of a small number of key individuals.

You’ve hit on a fascinating question at the heart of biography: the quest to understand the interplay between individual and social forces. A late history professor of mine, a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, once told me that biography was ‘peopled history.’

We should step through the rest of the books on your 2023 biography shortlist. Let’s start with Kerri K. Greenidge’s The Grimkés: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family , which is the story not only of the Grimké Sisters Sarah and Angelina, two well-known abolitionists, but Black members of their family as well.

I was eager to read The Grimkés as I had admired Greenidge’s earlier biography, Black Radical , about Boston civil rights leader and abolitionist newspaper editor William Monroe Trotter. Greenidge, a professor at Tufts University, brings her unique, perceptive eye to African American civil rights in the North.

Now Greenidge’s The Grimkés sits on my bookshelf next to The Hemingses of Monticello , the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Annette Gordon-Reed who exposed the contradictions of one of the most venerated figures in American history, Thomas Jefferson. In the Grimke family, Greenidge has found a gnarled family tree, deeply rooted in generations of trauma.

Sisters Sarah and Angelina Grimke have been exalted as brave heroines who defied antebellum Southern piety and headed northward to embrace abolition. Greenridge makes the powerful case that, in clinging to this mythology, a more troubling story is obscured. In the North, as the Grimké sisters lived comfortably and agitated for change, they enjoyed the financial benefits of their slaveholding family in South Carolina.

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After the Civil War, they learned that their brute of a brother had fathered at least two sons with a woman whom he had enslaved. The sisters provided some financial assistance in the education of these two young men, one attended Harvard Law School and the other Princeton Divinity School—and did not let their nephews forget it.

Not only does Greenidge provide a revisionist history of the Grimke sisters, but she also takes account of the full Grimké family and extends their story beyond the 19th century. She delves into the dynamics of racial subordination and how free white men who conceive children — whether from rape or a relationship spanning decades with enslaved women—destroy families. Generations of children are haunted by this history.  Poignantly, Greenidge evokes the life and work of the sisters’ grandniece Angelina (‘Nana’) Weld Grimké , a talented—and troubled—queer playwright and poet, who carried the heavy weight of the generational trauma she inherited.

This sounds like a family saga of the kind you might be more likely to find in fiction.

Yes. While Sarah and Angelina Grimké have been the subject of fiction, their nephews Archibald and Francis and their families deserve a novel of their own!

Let’s turn to Mr B . : George Balanchine’s 20th Century by Jennifer Homans, the story of the noted choreographer. Why did this make your shortlist of the best biographies of 2023?

The perfect match of biographer and subject! A dancer who trained with Balanchine’s School of American Ballet in New York and is now dance critic for The New Yorker, Homans has written a biography of the man known as ‘the Shakespeare of Dance.’ In felicitous prose, Homans channels the dancer’s experience onto the page, from the body movements that can produce such beauty to the aching tendons and ligaments. Training is transformation, Homan writes, and working with Balanchine was a kind of metamorphosis tangled with pain. She evokes the dances so vividly that one can almost hear the music.

“At the heart of biography is the quest to understand the interplay between individual and social forces”

Homans captures Balanchine in a constant state of reinvention, tracing his life from Czarist Russia to Weimar Berlin , finally making his way to post-war New York where he revitalized the world of ballet by embracing modernish, founding New York City Ballet in 1948. Balanchine was genius whose personal history shape-shifted over the years. Homans grounds Mr. B in more than a hundred interviews, and draws from archives around the world.

Homans captures Balanchine’s charisma and cultural importance, but Mr. B. is no hagiography. Homans grasps the knot of sex and power over women used in his work. He married four times, always to dancers. They were all the same kind of swan-necked, long-waisted, long-limbed women, and although Homans does not write this, his company often sounds more like a cult than art.

And, of course, there is the matter of weight, which Homans dealt with directly, as did Balanchine. He posted a sign: ‘BEFORE YOU GET YOUR PAY—YOU MUST WEIGH.’

I don’t think I’ve ever considered reading a ballet biography before, but it sounds fascinating.

The next book on the NBCC’s 2023 biography shortlist brings us to Oxford, England. This is Metaphysical Animals: How Four Women Brought Philosophy Back to Life by Clare Mac Cumhaill and Rachael Wiseman.

At the outset of World War II , a quartet of young women, Oxford students—Elizabeth Anscombe, Iris Murdoch, Philippa Foot, and Mary Midgley—were “bored of listening to men talk about books by men about men,” as Mac Cumhaill, a Durham University professor, and Wiseman, a lecturer at the University of Liverpool, write. In their marvelous group biography, MacCumhaill and Wiseman vivify how the friendships of these women congealed to bring “philosophy back to life.”

As their male counterparts departed for the front lines, this brilliant group of women came together in their dining halls and shared lodging quarters to challenge the thinking of their male colleagues. In the shadows of the Holocaust and Hiroshima, these friends rejected the logical positivists who favoured empirical scientific questions. They didn’t really create a distinct philosophical approach as much as they shared an interest in the metaphysics of morals.

While today we may recognize the prolific Iris Murdoch more for her fiction—like her Booker-winning novel The Sea, the Sea — others made an enduring mark. For example, I learned that after their Oxford years, Murdoch’s good friend Phillipa Foot was responsible for the classic conundrum of the ‘trolley problem,’ which posed the question of whether one would—or should—willingly kill one person to save five. And beyond philosophy, Mac Cumhaill and Wiseman’s deft sketches of these women sparkle with details of their world, from hot tea and cold shared flats to the lovers and ex-lovers who sometimes shared those flats.

Brilliant. A book that is ostensibly ‘improving’ but which turns out to be absolutely chock-full of gossip sounds perfect to me. Let’s move on to the fourth book on the NBCC’s 2023 biography shortlist, which is Up from the Depths: Herman Melville, Lewis Mumford, and Rediscovery in Dark Times by Aaron Sachs.

A biography about writing biography ! Very meta, and very much in the interdisciplinary tradition of American Studies. In his gorgeous braid of cultural history, Cornell University professor Sachs   entwines the lives and work of poet and fiction writer Herman Melville (1819-1891) and the philosopher and literary critic Lewis Mumford (1895-1990), illuminating their coextending concerns about their worlds in crisis.

While Melville is now firmly ensconced in the American canon, most appreciation and respect for him was posthumous. The 20th-century Melville revival was largely sparked by a now overlooked Mumford, once so prominent that he appeared on a 1936 Time  magazine cover.

Sachs brilliantly provides the connective tissue between Melville and his biographer Mumford so that these writers seem to be in conversation with one another, both deeply affected by their dark times.

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As Mumford grappled with tragedies wrought by World War I, the 1918 flu pandemic and urban decay, Melville had dealt with the bloody Civil War , slavery , and industrialization. In a certain way, this book is about the art of biography itself, two writers wrestling with modernity in a bleak world. In delving into Melville’s angst, Mumford was thrust into great turmoil. Sachs evokes so clearly and painfully this bond that almost did Mumford in, and writes that “Melville, it turns out, was Mumford’s white whale.”

There’s a real sense of range in this shortlist. But do you get a sense of there being certain trends in biography as a genre in 2023?

In many ways, this is a golden era for biography. There are fewer dull but worthy books, more capacious and improvisational ones. More series of short biographies that pack a big punch. We see more group biographies and illustrated biographies. But just as figures and groups once considered marginal are being centered, records that document those lives are vanishing.

The crisis in local news and the homogenization of national and international news will soon be a crisis for biographers and historians. Where would historians be without the ‘slave narratives’ from the Federal Writers Project , or the Federal Theatre Project ? Reconstruction of public events—federal elections, national tragedies, and so on—may be possible, but we lose that wide spectrum of human experience. We need to preserve these artifacts and responses to events as they happen. Biographies are time-consuming labors of love and passion, and are often expensive to produce. We need to ensure that we are generating and saving the emails, the records, the to-do lists of ordinary life.

The affluent among us will always be able to commission histories of their companies or families, but are those the only ones that will endure?

June 30, 2023

Five Books aims to keep its book recommendations and interviews up to date. If you are the interviewee and would like to update your choice of books (or even just what you say about them) please email us at [email protected]

Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor is a co-author of American Pharaoh: Mayor Richard J. Daley; His Battle for Chicago and the Nation with Adam Cohen, with whom she also cofounded The National Book Review. She has chaired four Pulitzer Prize juries, served as president of the National Book Critics Circle, and presided over the Harold Washington Literary Award selection committee three times. Former Time magazine correspondent in New York and Chicago and long-time literary editor of the Chicago Tribune, she is working on a biography of women in the Civil War and Reconstruction eras for Liveright/W.W. Norton.

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The Top Trending Biographies and Memoirs to Read Right Now

Need help figuring out which biographies and memoirs are worth a read and which ones are skippable it’s easy: just tune into the buzz today’s top books uses data (an algorithm scours social platforms and websites including amazon, google, goodreads, and more) to serve up a daily list of the five trending books. we reviewed the today’s top books archive to find the memoirs and biographies that readers have been talking about in recent weeks. check out the top trending biographies and memoirs below and go see what titles are currently trending over on today’s top books .

How to Be a (Young) Antiracist

By ibram x. kendi and nic stone, hardcover $19.99, buy from other retailers:.

The Diaries of Franz Kafka

By franz kafka, hardcover $45.00.

Hardcover $34.00

Hardcover $26.00

God, Human, Animal, Machine

By meghan o'gieblyn, paperback $18.00.

How Not to Kill Yourself

By clancy martin, hardcover $30.00.

Tiny Beautiful Things (10th Anniversary Edition)

By cheryl strayed, paperback $17.00.

by Katie Porter

Hardcover $28.00.

In Our Shoes

By brianna holt.

The Light We Carry

By michelle obama, hardcover $32.50.

The Best Minds

By jonathan rosen, hardcover $32.00.

More Than I Imagined

By john blake, hardcover $27.00.

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Readers reply: is there such a thing as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ art?

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts

Is there such a thing as “good” or “bad” art? Ultimately, isn’t it in the eye of the beholder? Karen Halliday, Dublin

Send new questions to [email protected] .

Readers reply

What keeps bugging me is why the value of a painting, or an artwork in general, is decided by the signature at the bottom, rather than by what it expresses. eveline2

Paul Klee said: “Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible.” To me, this means that good art is a gateway to seeing something new in the world. In your case, does a painting or drawing make you see, understand and indeed – and perhaps particularly – feel, in a new and different way?

Of course, some people will place a lot of emphasis upon technique, good drawing skills, attention to light, structure and the capturing of character. Then again, others will say that good art does not have to rely on any of these things and point to a lot of conceptual work.

At the National Portrait Gallery in London recently, I was struck in the “modern” section – with images of pop stars and others famous folks – by how little the photographs seemed to convey when placed alongside paintings. There are many iconic photographs I love, but it was only in the NPG that I felt that good art needs to offer something novel to the imagination.

To take another example, it is hard to find artists capable of getting to the heart of what it means to be an animal. Most paintings are twee, or strongly photographic, or stereotypical. In my view, Franz Marc , working more than 100 years ago, was one of the few artists able to get at the soul of a wild thing. SheerContent

There’s an old definition that I find helpful: great art transcends its material. It works for me because it’s not particularly culture- or medium-specific. TheFrugalGourmet

I don’t think effort or aesthetics determine whether an artwork is good or bad; more than anything, it has to have something interesting to say, or a particular phenomenological charge, an emotional and sensory experience it is trying to evoke.

If there is bad art, then it is art that is superficially beautiful, but ultimately says nothing about the world, or art that is ugly, but has pretensions of saying something deeper than it really does. rollerska8er

Ask any artist what they are trying to do by altering, editing, rewriting and so on and they will say, in one way or another, that they are trying to make it better. If there is no such thing as good art, they are just making a ridiculous fuss. Anyway, like lots of questions, it’s more interesting to ask why it arises than to answer it. I think it stems from confusion about something very basic – the difference between the pleasure taken in art, which is a subjective reaction, and the worth of the art as art, which is closer to objective (although not purely so).

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Simply put, you can like bad art. The tension in doing so is social and has nothing to do with aesthetics. You can also dislike good art. Again, that’s fine. But you can’t say a work of art is bad because you dislike it – that would be hubris. And you can’t say someone has to like good art – that would be snobbery. The trouble is that a lot of people do both of these things a great deal. It’s an instinctive reaction.

The best state to be in is to be curious about art, which includes being curious about why some is called good and some isn’t. There is a lot of room for negotiation, although not the infinite relativism of: “I liked it!” “Really? I hated it!” Be patient, open-minded and prepared for a bit of a slog. What you don’t immediately like you might eventually adore. If you develop even a little tolerance for difficulty, the rewards are tremendous. sherpa _10

I think it’s inarguable that there is better and worse art. For instance, The Night Watch and Guernica are better paintings than, say, that watercolour you did in school. 2001: A Space Odyssey is a better film than Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace . Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is a better album than Please Please Me .

Anyone who doesn’t agree with that simply doesn’t understand the features of that genre of art that make something good or bad. And if art pieces can be better or worse, then it suggests that there is a point where something becomes good and something else becomes bad. A bad piece of art may be enjoyable despite that. Conversely, you may not enjoy or appreciate a good piece of art. But they are still bad and good art nonetheless. superspartan

First, we must define art. In the real world, that is whatever an artist can sell as art. As for good and bad, it’s all subjective. Bad art does not equate to unskilled or poorly executed; I would not hang Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son on my wall, but I recognise the skill in his work. D4v304K35

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A 101-year-old former CEO shared his longevity advice: Early retirement is 'stultifying,' and the Mediterranean diet is best

• I. Roy Cohen celebrated his 101st birthday in October.
• The former CEO said his ambition and projects in retirement had led to a longer life.
• His health tips include eating fresh fish and vegetables, and he walks circuits around his home daily.

When I. Roy Cohen was born in 1922, his parents' farmhouse had no running water or electricity. A wood stove in the kitchen heated the entire property, and there was an outhouse for a toilet.

"It was tough from day to day," Cohen, a second-generation immigrant to New York, told Business Insider.

But his upbringing motivated him to aim high.

"I remember carrying buckets of water to the chicken coops, one in each hand," he said. "It was cold. 'I'm not going to live this way all my life,' I said to myself."

Cohen, who attended a one-room schoolhouse, received a scholarship to an agricultural college — "The only thing it didn't cover was board and lodging," he said — where he earned a bachelor's in microbiology and a master's in biochemistry and nutrition.

A pharmaceutical company hired him at a salary of $3,900 a year. He got married, had three children, and became the CEO of another pharmaceutical firm.

Now 101 years old and still in his home, he's in good health. He manages his finances, oversees renovations, and is interested in philosophy .

"I keep in shape, mentally and physically," he said.

He said he'd learned a series of longevity lessons over the decades and shared some with BI.

Be ambitious

Cohen said he "came from zero" to become a CEO.

The centenarian took risks in his career, such as pivoting from research to a role in advertising at his first drug company, despite having no experience in the latter.

Cohen spent his 55-year career at three companies, culminating in his role as CEO.

He traveled the world — for business and pleasure — before retiring at 81.

"The idea of early retirement is horrible to me," he said of working almost six decades. "It's stultifying."

He said the secret to a fulfilling career — and longevity in general — included stepping out of your comfort zone.

"If you want something badly enough, if you feel something's not right and you need a change, you'll find a way," he added.

Work at relationships

Cohen, who had seven brothers and sisters, said he learned to "get along with other people," often out of necessity.

His childhood revolved around relationships with his siblings.

"You have no choice but to figure out how to stay stable," he said. "If you live with a whole bunch of other people, you can't carry on wildly and selfishly as if you're the only person in the family."

Related stories

His first marriage was annulled after less than a year. It was sad, he said, but the experience helped him reconsider the idea of a life partner.

"I was cautious about making that commitment again," he said, adding that he found "the right woman" in his second wife, Joan, a teacher, who died six years ago at 83.

"It took a while to adjust to each other, but, like all things, you have to work at it," Cohen said. "It's no good if you head down a negative pathway without communicating properly ."

He urged younger people to do the same. "You should keep an open mind and listen to the other person's point of view."

Follow the Mediterranean Diet and walk daily

Cohen thinks his longevity has a genetic element. His father and mother died at 86 and 90, respectively.

Still, he said there were some simple rules he'd followed throughout his life.

The 101-year-old, who said his only health issues were prostate-related, is a devotee of the Mediterranean diet , popular among wealthy executives like Jeff Bezos, who famously ate " breakfast octopus. " Biohacking tech millionaire Bryan Johnson also follows aspects of the diet, and sells his own "longevity" olive oil.

While the diet is beloved by wealthy longevity-seekers, it features relatively accessible ingredients that are easy to prepare. Cohen avoids processed foods and meat in favor of fresh fish, vegetables, and olive oil.

"If I want a snack, I'll munch on a piece of cauliflower, a carrot, or a red pepper," Cohen said. "I eat a lot of cabbage and salad."

He said he'd long incorporated fitness into his life, starting with his work on the farm.

"I used a pitchfork to throw bundles of hay onto the wagon and into the barn," he recalled. "You're lifting a chunk of hay over your head, and it's very difficult."

These days, his exercise regimen involves 20 minutes of leg exercises while sitting on the bed every morning. He also walks "circuits" around his open-plan kitchen and living room. "I do at least 60 every day."

Keep your brain agile

The centenarian said he was sorting paperwork to prepare his tax return for the accountant to submit in April.

"I keep track of all my finances," he said. "I tackle all the details before they before they even come up.

"It keeps my mind in shape."

He said he "constantly has a project on the go." Most recently, he had the driveway and roof of his house redone and installed lighting in the trees.

"Being busy keeps me happy," Cohen said.

He said it was important to nurture a positive attitude with age .

"People allow things that are not that important to drag them down," he said. "But you can't allow yourself to be angry or jealous all the time."

He also said spirituality had helped steer him through life.

"It doesn't have to be organized religion, but it's important to try at least to figure out what makes the world tick."

Do you have a powerful story to share with Business Insider? Please send details to [email protected] .

Watch: Watch how Joe Biden has aged from 1974 to 2022

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Garrett M. Graff

The 4 Big Questions the Pentagon’s New UFO Report Fails to Answer

After a year of eyebrow-raising headlines about government whistleblowers alleging that the military was running secret programs focused on alien spaceships and a months-long study and dogged investigative work through the shadows of classified Pentagon programs, the United States Defense Department announced Friday that it found no evidence that the government is covering up contact with extraterrestrials.

The first sentence of the 63-page report on the government’s involvement with unidentified anomalous phenomenon—a report mandated and driven by Congress—seemingly left no wiggle room: The study “found no evidence that any USG [US government] investigation, academic-sponsored research, or official review panel has confirmed that any sighting of a UAP represented extraterrestrial technology. All investigative efforts, at all levels of classification, concluded that most sightings were ordinary objects and phenomena and the result of misidentification.”

The report was issued by the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the unit created and tasked in recent years with studying UAP sightings and untangling the truth of the government’s knowledge and understanding of generations of UFO reports. It follows media interviews and a blockbuster congressional hearing last summer where whistleblower David Grusch testified that the government was engaged in a decades-long cover-up of crashed alien spacecraft and in possession even of “ non-human biologics ,” e.g., alien bodies. Grusch and other witnesses and whistleblowers came forward to congressional committees and Pentagon investigators and hinted at astounding possibilities, including that the government was running secret UFO crash-retrieval programs, and defense contractors were running covert programs, hidden even from budget appropriators, to reverse-engineer captured alien technology.

There were many reasons to doubt the full expanse of the testimony by Grusch and others. Much of it was second-hand, and after spending two years writing a book on the government, UFOs, and the search for extraterrestrial life, I said last summer that many of the claims seemed more like an “intergalactic game of telephone,” where people with limited visibility into secret Pentagon and intelligence programs were misidentifying or misinterpreting more mundane program. But that’s not to say that the new AARO report is the end of the story nor that its conclusion should be the end of public interest in UFOs, UAPs, and the secret frontiers of government science.

In fact, while the report’s conclusion surprised almost no one except the most ardent of believers—people who might not be all that inclined to believe the Pentagon’s disavowal anyway—the report in its own way raises as many new questions as it answers, questions that could, with time, prove revolutionary to technology and science.

AARO investigators, for instance, dug through the claims of witnesses and whistleblowers and successfully traced back the underlying research projects, Special Access Programs (SAPs), and classified compartments. As the report says, “AARO investigated numerous named, and described, but unnamed programs alleged to involve UAP exploitation conveyed to AARO through official interviews,” and ultimately, “conclude[d] many of these programs represent authentic, current and former sensitive, national security programs, but none of these programs have been involved with capturing, recovering, or reverse-engineering off-world technology or material.”

Ben Brubaker

Ryan Waniata

Brenda Stolyar

But what, then, were those programs? Herein lies the most intriguing—and potentially ground-breaking—question that the Pentagon study leaves us wondering: What exactly are the secret compartmentalized programs that the whistleblowers and government witnesses misidentified as being related to UAP technology? What, exactly, are the Pentagon, intelligence community, or defense contractors working on that, from a concentric circle or two away inside the shadowy world of SAPs, looks and sounds like reverse-engineering out-of-this-world technology or even studying so-called “non-human biologics”?

There are at least four clear possibilities.

First, what exotic technological possibilities have been recovered from unknown terrestrial sources? For example, if the government is working on reverse-engineering technologies, those technologies are likely from advanced adversary nation-states like China, Russia, and Iran, and perhaps even quasi-allies like Israel that may be more limited in their technology-sharing with the US. What have other countries mastered that we haven’t?

Second, what technologies has the US mastered that the public doesn’t know about? One of the common threads of UFO sightings across decades have been secret military aircraft and spacecraft in development or not yet publicly acknowledged. For example, the CIA estimated that the U-2 spy plane in the 1950s accounted for as much as half of reported UFO sightings. And the AARO report spends a half-dozen pages documenting how confusion over subsequent generations of secret US government aircraft appear to have also contributed to the great intergalactic game of telephone of UFO programs inside the government, including modern Predator, Reaper, and Global Hawk drones. AARO investigated one claim where a witness reported hearing a former US military service member had touched an extraterrestrial spacecraft, but when they tracked down the service member, he said that the conversation was likely a garbled version of the time he touched an F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter at a secret facility.

There are surely other secret craft still in testing and development now, including the B-21 stealth bomber, which had its first test flight in November and is now in testing at Edwards Air Force Base in California, as well as others we don’t know about. The government can still surprise us with unknown craft—like the until-then-unknown modified stealthy helicopter left behind on the Pakistan raid to kill Osama bin Laden. And some of these still-classified efforts are likely causing UFO confusion too: AARO untangled one witness’s claim of spotting a UAP with “peculiar characteristics” at a specific time and place and were able to determine, “at the time the interviewee said he observed the event, the DOD was conducting tests of a platform protected by a SAP. The seemingly strange characteristics reported by the interviewee match closely with the platform’s characteristics, which was being tested at a military facility in the time frame the interviewee was there.” So what was that craft—and what were its “peculiar characteristics?”

Relatedly, the US military has a classified spaceship, the X-37B, that has regularly orbited around the Earth since its first mission in 2010—it just blasted off on its seventh and most recent mission in December—and its previous, sixth, mission lasted a record-breaking 908 days in orbit . The Pentagon has said remarkably little about what it does up there for years at a time. What secret space-related or aviation-related programs is the government running that outsiders confuse as alien spacecraft?

The third likely area of tech development that might appear to outsiders to be UFO-related is more speculative basic research and development: What propulsion systems or material-science breakthroughs are defense contractors at work on right now that could transform our collective future? Again, AARO found such confusion taking place: After one witness reported hearing that “aliens” had observed one secret government test, AARO traced the allegation back to find “the conversation likely referenced a test and evaluation unit that had a nickname with ‘alien’ connotations at the specific installation mentioned. The nature of the test described by the interviewee closely matched the description of a specific materials test conveyed to AARO investigators.” So what materials were being tested there?

There are some puzzling materials-science breadcrumbs wrapped throughout the AARO report. It found one instance where “a private sector organization claimed to have in its possession material from an extraterrestrial craft recovered from a crash at an unknown location from the 1940s or 1950s. The organization claimed that the material had the potential to act as a THz frequency waveguide, and therefore, could exhibit ‘anti-gravity’ and ‘mass reduction’ properties under the appropriate conditions.” Ultimately, though, the new report concluded, “AARO and a leading science laboratory concluded that the material is a metallic alloy, terrestrial in nature, and possibly of USAF [US Air Force] origin, based on its materials characterization.”

Fourth and lastly is the category of the truly weird: Scientists at the forefront of physics point out that we should be humble about how little of the universe we truly understand; as Harvard astronomy chair Avi Loeb explains, effectively all that we’ve learned about relativity and quantum physics has unfolded in the span of a single human lifespan, and astounding new discoveries continue to amaze scientists. Just last summer, scientists announced they’d detected for the first time gravitational waves criss-crossing the universe that rippled through space-time, and astrophysicists continue to suspect that the universe is far weirder than we think. (Italian astrophysicist Carlo Rovelli last year posited the existence of “ white holes ” that would be related to black holes, which, he pointed out, were still a mystery just 25 years ago when he was starting his career.)

Answers here could be almost unfathomably weird—think parallel dimensions or the ability to travel at a fraction of the speed of light. And one of the most intriguing questions left by the UAP “game of telephone” is whether there are truly astounding advances in physics that government scientists, defense contractors, or research laboratories or centers could be feeling around that could also appear from the outside to be UFO-related.

Indeed, the AARO report references that at least some chunk of the “alien confusion” inside government may have grown out of a now well-known but then-secret effort in the late 2000s and early 2010s by Nevada entrepreneur Robert Bigelow’s aerospace company to study UAPs and paranormal activity by the Defense Intelligence Agency, through $22 million in funding secured by then-Senate majority leader Harry Reid. That effort, known as the Advanced Aerospace Weapons System Application Program (AAWSAP), included digging—without official authorization—into paranormal activity at a ranch out west, among other activities. Not much came out of that effort—and the AARO report dismissively notes that AAWSAP’s “scientific papers were never thoroughly peer-reviewed.” But people in and around the world of “ufology” have long noted that one of those papers intriguingly studied “Warp Drive, Dark Energy, and the Manipulation of Extra Dimensions.” Did the Pentagon know more about the outer boundaries of physics than it let on?

While other physicists who have reviewed that speculative 34-page AAWSAP report have said it had little real-world utility, it hints at how our modern understanding of the world around us may still be transformed by the unknown and future discoveries.

After reading thousands of pages of government studies, extraterrestrial research, and scientific papers related to the possibility of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, I’ve come to believe that in some ways aliens might be the least interesting answer to the questions around UAPs and UFOs. Similarly, the AARO report may one day be seen as closing the door on alien spacecraft while opening the door to something even more fantastical.

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The Great Read

What deathbed visions teach us about living.

Researchers are documenting a phenomenon that seems to help the dying, as well as those they leave behind.

Credit... Photo illustration by Amy Friend

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By Phoebe Zerwick

• March 12, 2024

Chris Kerr was 12 when he first observed a deathbed vision. His memory of that summer in 1974 is blurred, but not the sense of mystery he felt at the bedside of his dying father. Throughout Kerr’s childhood in Toronto, his father, a surgeon, was too busy to spend much time with his son, except for an annual fishing trip they took, just the two of them, to the Canadian wilderness. Gaunt and weakened by cancer at 42, his father reached for the buttons on Kerr’s shirt, fiddled with them and said something about getting ready to catch the plane to their cabin in the woods. “I knew intuitively, I knew wherever he was, must be a good place because we were going fishing,” Kerr told me.

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As he moved to touch his father, Kerr felt a hand on his shoulder. A priest had followed him into the hospital room and was now leading him away, telling him his father was delusional. Kerr’s father died early the next morning. Kerr now calls what he witnessed an end-of-life vision. His father wasn’t delusional, he believes. His mind was taking him to a time and place where he and his son could be together, in the wilds of northern Canada. And the priest, he feels, made a mistake, one that many other caregivers make, of dismissing the moment as a break with reality, as something from which the boy required protection.

It would be more than 40 years before Kerr felt compelled to speak about that evening in the hospital room. He had followed his father, and three generations before him, into medicine and was working at Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo, where he was the chief medical officer and conducted research on end-of-life visions. It wasn’t until he gave a TEDx Talk in 2015 that he shared the story of his father’s death. Pacing the stage in the sport coat he always wears, he told the audience: “My point here is, I didn’t choose this topic of dying. I feel it has chosen or followed me.” He went on: “When I was present at the bedside of the dying, I was confronted by what I had seen and tried so hard to forget from my childhood. I saw dying patients reaching and calling out to mothers, and to fathers, and to children, many of whom hadn’t been seen for many years. But what was remarkable was so many of them looked at peace.”

The talk received millions of views and thousands of comments, many from nurses grateful that someone in the medical field validated what they have long understood. Others, too, posted personal stories of having witnessed loved ones’ visions in their final days. For them, Kerr’s message was a kind of confirmation of something they instinctively knew — that deathbed visions are real, can provide comfort, even heal past trauma. That they can, in some cases, feel transcendent. That our minds are capable of conjuring images that help us, at the end, make sense of our lives.

Nothing in Kerr’s medical training prepared him for his first shift at Hospice Buffalo one Saturday morning in the spring of 1999. He had earned a degree from the Medical College of Ohio while working on a Ph.D. in neurobiology. After a residency in internal medicine, Kerr started a fellowship in cardiology in Buffalo. To earn extra money to support his wife and two young daughters, he took a part-time job with Hospice Buffalo. Until then, Kerr had worked in the conventional medical system, focused on patients who were often tethered to machines or heavily medicated. If they recounted visions, he had no time to listen. But in the quiet of Hospice, Kerr found himself in the presence of something he hadn’t seen since his father’s death: patients who spoke of people and places visible only to them. “So just like with my father, there’s just this feeling of reverence, of something that wasn’t understood but certainly felt,” he says.

During one of his shifts, Kerr was checking on a 70-year-old woman named Mary, whose grown children had gathered in her room, drinking wine to lighten the mood. Without warning, Kerr remembers, Mary sat up in her bed and crossed her arms at her chest. “Danny,” she cooed, kissing and cuddling a baby only she could see. At first, her children were confused. There was no Danny in the family, no baby in their mother’s arms. But they could sense that whatever their mother was experiencing brought her a sense of calm. Kerr later learned that long before her four children were born, Mary lost a baby in childbirth. She never spoke of it with her children, but now she was, through a vision, seemingly addressing that loss.

In observing Mary’s final days at Hospice, Kerr found his calling. “I was disillusioned by the assembly-line nature of medicine,” Kerr told me. “This felt like a more humane and dignified model of care.” He quit cardiology to work full time at the bedsides of dying patients. Many of them described visions that drew from their lives and seemed to hold meaning, unlike hallucinations resulting from medication, or delusional, incoherent thinking, which can also occur at the end of life. But Kerr couldn’t persuade other doctors, even young residents making the rounds with him at Hospice, of their value. They wanted scientific proof.

At the time, only a handful of published medical studies had documented deathbed visions, and they largely relied on secondhand reports from doctors and other caregivers rather than accounts from patients themselves. On a flight home from a conference, Kerr outlined a study of his own, and in 2010, a research fellow, Anne Banas, signed on to conduct it with him. Like Kerr, Banas had a family member who, before his death, experienced visions — a grandfather who imagined himself in a train station with his brothers.

The study wasn’t designed to answer how these visions differ neurologically from hallucinations or delusions. Rather, Kerr saw his role as chronicler of his patients’ experiences. Borrowing from social-science research methods, Kerr, Banas and their colleagues based their study on daily interviews with patients in the 22-bed inpatient unit at the Hospice campus in the hope of capturing the frequency and varied subject matter of their visions. Patients were screened to ensure that they were lucid and not in a confused or delirious state. The research, published in 2014 in The Journal of Palliative Medicine, found that visions are far more common and frequent than other researchers had found, with an astonishing 88 percent of patients reporting at least one vision. (Later studies in Japan, India, Sweden and Australia confirm that visions are common. The percentages range from about 20 to 80 percent, though a majority of these studies rely on interviews with caregivers and not patients.)

In the last 10 years, Kerr has hired a permanent research team who expanded the studies to include interviews with patients receiving hospice care at home and with their families, deepening the researchers’ understanding of the variety and profundity of these visions. They can occur while patients are asleep or fully conscious. Dead family members figure most prominently, and by contrast, visions involving religious themes are exceedingly rare. Patients often relive seminal moments from their lives, including joyful experiences of falling in love and painful ones of rejection. Some dream of the unresolved tasks of daily life, like paying bills or raising children. Visions also entail past or imagined journeys — whether long car trips or short walks to school. Regardless of the subject matter, the visions, patients say, feel real and entirely unique compared with anything else they’ve ever experienced. They can begin days, even weeks, before death. Most significant, as people near the end of their lives, the frequency of visions increases, further centering on deceased people or pets. It is these final visions that provide patients, and their loved ones, with profound meaning and solace.

Kerr’s latest research is focused on the emotional transformation he has often observed in patients who experience such visions. The first in this series of studies, published in 2019, measured psychological and spiritual growth among two groups of hospice patients: those who had visions and a control group of those who did not. Patients rated their agreement with statements including, “I changed my priorities about what is important in life,” or “I have a better understanding of spiritual matters.” Those who experienced end-of-life visions agreed more strongly with those statements, suggesting that the visions sparked inner change even at the end of life. “It’s the most remarkable of our studies,” Kerr told me. “It highlights the paradox of dying, that while there is physical deterioration, they are growing and finding meaning. It highlights what patients are telling us, that they are being put back together.”

In the many conversations Kerr and I have had over the past year, the contradiction between medicine’s demand for evidence and the ineffable quality of his patients’ experiences came up repeatedly. He was first struck by this tension about a year before the publication of his first study, during a visit with a World War II veteran named John who was tormented throughout his life by nightmares that took him back to the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. John had been part of a rescue mission to bring wounded soldiers to England by ship and leave those too far gone to die. The nightmares continued through his dying days, until he dreamed of being discharged from the Army. In a second dream, a fallen soldier appeared to John to tell him that his comrades would soon come to “get” him. The nightmares ended after that.

Kerr has been nagged ever since by the inadequacy of science, and of language, to fully capture the mysteries of the mind. “We were so caught up in trying to quantify and give structure to something so deeply spiritual, and really, we were just bystanders, witnesses to this,” he says. “It feels a little small to be filling in forms when you’re looking at a 90-something-year-old veteran who is back in time 70 years having an experience you can’t even understand.” When Kerr talks about his research at conferences, nurses tend to nod their heads in approval; doctors roll their eyes in disbelief. He finds that skeptics often understand the research best when they watch taped interviews with patients.

What’s striking about this footage, which dates back to Kerr’s early work in 2008, is not so much the content of the visions but rather the patients’ demeanor. “There’s an absence of fear,” Kerr says. A teenage girl’s face lights up as she describes a dream in which she and her deceased aunt were in a castle playing with Barbie dolls. A man dying of cancer talks about his wife, who died several years earlier and who comes to him in his dreams, always in blue. She waves. She smiles. That’s it. But in the moment, he seems to be transported to another time or place.

Kerr has often observed that in the very end, dying people lose interest in the activities that preoccupied them in life and turn toward those they love. As to why, Kerr can only speculate. In his 2020 book, “Death Is but a Dream,” he concludes that the love his patients find in dying often brings them to a place that some call enlightenment and others call God. “Time seems to vanish,” he told me. “The people who loved you well, secured you and contributed to who you are are still accessible at a spiritual and psychological level.”

That was the case with Connor O’Neil, who died at the age of 10 in 2022 and whose parents Kerr and I visited in their home. They told us that just two days before his death, their son called out the name of a family friend who, without the boy’s knowledge, had just died. “Do you know where you are?” Connor’s mother asked. “Heaven,” the boy replied. Connor had barely spoken in days or moved without help, but in that moment, he sat up under his own strength and threw his arms around her neck. “Mommy, I love you,” he said.

Kerr’s research finds that such moments, which transcend the often-painful physical decline in the last days of life, help parents like the O’Neils and other relatives grieve even unfathomable loss. “I don’t know where I would be without that closure, or that gift that was given to us,” Connor’s father told us. “It’s hard enough with it.” As Kerr explains, “It’s the difference between being wounded and soothed.”

In June, I visited the adult daughter of a patient who died at home just days earlier. We sat in her mother’s living room, looking out on the patio and bird feeders that had given the mother so much joy. Three days before her mother’s death, the daughter was straightening up the room when her mother began to speak more lucidly than she had in days. The daughter crawled into her mother’s bed, held her hand and listened. Her mother first spoke to the daughter’s father, whom she could see in the far corner of the room, handsome as ever. She then started speaking with her second husband, visible only to her, yet real enough for the daughter to ask whether he was smoking his pipe. “Can’t you smell it?” her mother replied. Even in the retelling, the moment felt sacred. “I will never, ever forget it,” the daughter told me. “It was so beautiful.”

I also met one of Banas’s patients, Peggy Haloski, who had enrolled in hospice for home care services just days earlier, after doctors at the cancer hospital in Buffalo found blood clots throughout her body, a sign that the yearlong treatment had stopped working. It was time for her husband, Stephen, to keep her comfortable at home, with their two greyhounds.

Stephen led Banas and me to the family room, where Peggy lay on the couch. Banas knelt on the floor, checked her patient’s catheter, reduced her prescriptions so there were fewer pills for her to swallow every day and ordered a numbing cream for pain in her tailbone. She also asked about her visions.

The nurse on call that weekend witnessed Peggy speaking with her dead mother.

“She was standing over here,” Peggy told Banas, gesturing toward the corner of the room.

“Was that the only time you saw her?” Banas asked.

“Do you think you’ll be seeing her more?”

“I will. I will, considering what’s going on.”

Peggy sank deeper into the couch and closed her eyes, recounting another visit from the dead, this time by the first greyhound she and Stephen adopted. “I’m at peace with everybody. I’m happy,” she said. “It’s not time yet. I know it’s not time, but it’s coming.”

When my mother, Chloe Zerwick, was dying in 2018, I had never heard of end-of-life visions. I was acting on intuition when her caregivers started telling me about what we were then calling hallucinations. Mom was 95 and living in her Hudson Valley home under hospice care, with lung disease and congestive heart failure, barely able to leave her bed. The hospice doctor prescribed an opioid for pain and put her on antipsychotic and anti-anxiety medicines to tame the so-called hallucinations he worried were preventing her from sleeping. It is possible that some of these medications caused Mom’s visions, but as Kerr has explained, drug-induced hallucinations do not rule out naturally occurring visions. They can coexist.

In my mother’s case, I inherently understood that her imaginary life was something to honor. I knew what medicine-induced hallucinations looked and felt like. About 10 years before her death, Mom fell and injured her spine. Doctors in the local hospital put her on an opioid to control the pain, which left her acting like a different person. There were spiders crawling on the hospital wall, she said. She mistook her roommate’s bed for a train platform. Worse, she denied that I loved her or ever did. Once we took her off the medicine, the hallucinations vanished.

The visions she was having at the end of her life were entirely different; they were connected to the long life she had led and brought a deep sense of comfort and delight. “You know, for the first time in my life I have no worries,” she told me. I remember feeling a weight lift. After more than a decade of failing health, she seemed to have found a sense of peace.

The day before her death, as her breathing became more labored, Mom made an announcement: “I have a new leader,” she said.

“Who is that?” I asked.

“Mark. He’s going to take me to the other side.”

She was speaking of my husband, alive and well back home in North Carolina.

“That’s great, Mom, except that I need him here with me,” I replied. “Do you think he can do both?”

“Oh, yes. He’s very capable.”

That evening, Mom was struggling again to breathe. “I’m thinking of the next world,” she said, and of my husband, who would lead her there. The caregiver on duty for the night and I sat at her bedside as Mom’s oxygen level fell from 68 to 63 to 52 and kept dropping until she died the next morning. My mother was not a brave person in the traditional sense of the word. She was afraid of snakes, the subway platform and any hint of pain. But she faced her death, confident that a man who loves her daughter would guide her to whatever lay ahead.

“Do you think it will happen to you?” she asked me at one point about her dreaming life.

“Maybe it’s genetic,” I replied, not knowing, as I do now, that these experiences are part of what may await us all.

Phoebe Zerwick, the author of “Beyond Innocence: The Life Sentence of Darryl Hunt,” is a North Carolina-based journalist. She teaches journalism and writing at Wake Forest University, where she directs the journalism program. Amy Friend is an artist in Canada whose work focuses on history, time, land-memory, dust, oceans and our connection to the universe.

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Deathbed Visions: Researchers are documenting deathbed visions , a phenomenon that seems to help the dying, as well as those they leave behind.

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Everything to Know About Best Actor Oscar Winner Cillian Murphy

A nticipation was high for the 2024 Oscars, which took place Sunday, March 10—especially for the prospects of the most nominated film, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer , and its lead, Cillian Murphy.

After sweeping up a number of awards this season, Murphy won Best Actor for his performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer in the biopic about the creator of the atomic bomb. The role has vaulted 47-year-old Murphy, a fixture in Nolan films and a household name in the U.K. and his native Ireland, into Hollywood stardom.

Here’s how Murphy got there and everything you need to know about the Oscar winner.

What is Cillian Murphy’s background?

Murphy was born in Douglas , a suburb of the city of Cork, Ireland, as the eldest of four. His father was a civil servant and his mother was a French teacher. 

Murphy attended an all-boys private school then enrolled at University College Cork to study law, but failed his first year exams, because, as he said, “I had no ambitions to do it,” Irish national broadcaster RTE reported. 

Does Cillian Murphy have a wife and family?

Murphy has been married since 2004 to Irish visual artist Yvonne McGuinness. They met at one of his former band ’s shows in 1996. Murphy played guitar in a Frank Zappa-inspired acid jazz band, “ The Sons of Mr Green Genes .” The couple has two teenage sons, and moved the family after 14 years in London back to Ireland in 2015.

“We wanted the kids to be Irish, and they were sort of at that age where they were preteens and they had very posh English accents and I wasn’t appreciating that too much,” Murphy teased during an appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast . 

Elsewhere, Murphy told GQ that a work-life balance “is hard. I have an amazing wife and I couldn't do this without her and her understanding. But it is a struggle. I think it is for any dad whose work takes him away, which it generally does, and which consumes him, which my work does.”

Cillian Murphy has an impressive TV and movies roster

After music didn’t work out for him, Murphy pursued acting. In 1996, when 19, the then-unknown actor was cast as the co-lead in a play by Irish playwright Enda Walsh called Disco Pigs . The show was a touring success and led to a movie adaptation in 2001, with the story becoming a local coming-of-age classic. 

Murphy got his big screen break in Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, a 2002 British zombie thriller that was a surprise success. The role is what led to Nolan noticing Murphy, GQ reported.

Nolan told Deadline that he first spotted Murphy in a newspaper photo for his role in 28 Days Later —and was struck by Murphy’s arresting bright blue eyes and presence. Nolan said he then watched the film and invited Murphy to audition for Batman in 2005's Batman Begins. The role ultimately went to Christian Bale, but Murphy instead scored the part of the villain Dr. Jonathan Crane, the “Scarecrow.”

Murphy went on to join Nolan for two more Batman films, along with Inception, Dunkirk and finally Oppenheimer. 

Murphy’s most famous role in the U.K. and Ireland was as gangster Tommy Shelby on the TV series Peaky Blinders , which was originated by the BBC and then acquired by Netflix. The show ran from 2013 to 2022. Murphy won multiple awards in the U.K. and Ireland for his performance.

How much was Cillian Murphy paid for Oppenheimer?

Multiple reports say Murphy made $10 million from the film, although that amount is unconfirmed. Murphy told GQ in 2019 that he is uncomfortable with the scale of his pay as an actor.

“I'm really lucky. I feel embarrassed by it sometimes,” he said. “I struggle with that. I mean, actors are overpaid, you know? It's nice when you get paid, when you're young, and you've gone from having no money, but the Catholic guilt kicks in immediately, and I’m like—it's all going to go wrong. You don't deserve this. And I don’t.”

He is known to shun the limelight

Murphy has spoken about how he doesn’t relish the attention that comes with stardom.  

“Fame is like commuting,” he told Rolling Stone . “You have to commute to get to your destination.”  

“I don’t go out. I’m just at home mostly, or with my friends, unless I have a film to promote. I don’t like being photographed by people. I find that offensive,” he said. 

Cillian Murphy has pursued Irish passion projects and has a love of the stage

Murphy has acted in smaller films along the way, including starring in and producing 2024’s Small Things Like These , an adaption of an Irish novella that sheds light on the Magdalene Laundries —workhouses for unwed mothers and other vulnerable women run by four Catholic orders in Ireland until 1996. The film reunited Murphy with his Disco Pigs co-star, Irish actor Eileen Walsh.

Ever since his stage debut as a teenager, Murphy has continued to act in theater. In 2019, he starred in Grief Is the Thing With Feathers , the adaptation of a novel by the same playwright who wrote the show where he got his start. 

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What is chamomile tea good for? Benefits for the skin and body, explained.

A quality night's sleep can be elusive. For some, relying on melatonin is key while others opt for a more natural approach.

A warm, calming cup of tea is a classic bedtime ritual and can help maintain good sleep hygiene . Most brands have some version of the widely recognizable Celestial Seasoning “Sleepytime” tea . Call it “Nighty Night,” “Well-Rested” or “Sweet Dreams” – it’s typically the same caffeine-free blend of chamomile, spearmint and lemongrass.

But what else can a cup of chamomile do for you?

Is chamomile tea good for you?

All types of tea are healthy sources of hydration and antioxidants , says registered dietitian Danielle Crumble Smith . Tea contains polyphenol compounds, which have antioxidant properties. Studies show the antioxidants found in teas may be able to prevent and treat human diseases like cardiovascular disease (CVD) and may also have anti-aging and anti-diabetic properties .

Hot tea can also be helpful during cold season: “Sometimes just the act of drinking something warm when you’re sick can help loosen mucus,” Crumble Smith says.

But different types of tea also have unique health benefits – like black tea for a caffeine boost, green tea for plentiful antioxidants or peppermint tea for nausea. Here’s what a cup of chamomile could offer. 

Chamomile tea benefits

Chamomile tea is most well-known for its relaxing effects. Some studies indicate it can modestly improve sleep quality, though evidence for clinical sleep treatment is still limited. Other scientists think it comes from the notion that if you believe something will help you fall asleep, it will, even if only by reducing your stress levels. 

Regardless of its proven sleepy-time benefits, because it doesn’t have caffeine, chamomile makes for a good drink during your unwinding time before bed. Crumble Smith also recommends the tea for those with anxiety if they’re finding it difficult to relax or stay calm.

Its soothing effects may also extend to digestive issues . Chamomile has been used to treat inflammatory bowel disease, indigestion, diarrhea, gas and colic, though research remains limited. It helps relax muscle contractions, according to Mount Sinai Hospitals. 

Chamomile is used in many skin care products because of its anti-inflammatory properties , according to Crumble Smith. It can be used to reduce inflammation, acne, infections and rashes and repair sensitive skin. Preliminary studies show it could moderately treat eczema . Using chamomile in a cream or a homemade paste (made by mixing powdered herbs and water) may help with skin conditions. 

Is chamomile tea safe during pregnancy?

There’s limited research about the effects of chamomile tea during pregnancy. One study found chamomile capsules can stimulate contractions in post-term pregnancy. Other reviews advise against it altogether . 

But chamomile is generally safe and even helpful during pregnancy, says Dr. Jennifer Wu , an OBGYN at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

She advises against chamomile supplements, however, which are more concentrated than what you’d find in a brewed cup. But as a tea, and in moderation, chamomile can help with sleep, relaxation and nausea. She’s even seen patients safely give a tablespoon of the tea to their newborns as a home remedy for gas or an upset stomach.

Healthiest tea? You'll find the most antioxidants in this cup

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USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "Is black tea good for you?" to "What is the healthiest Starbucks drink?" to "Which exercise burns the most calories?" – we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer for you. 

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2024 Oscars | Highlights, winners, red carpet looks

A look at the highlights from the 96th Academy Awards. The bio-pic “Oppenheimer,” which became an unlikely billion-dollar box-office sensation, was crowned best picture and Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. also took home acting honors for the film. (March 11)

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The 2024 Oscars may be over, but there’s lots to catch up on. See what you missed below and follow the AP’s latest coverage.

“Oppenheimer,” the biopic that became an unlikely box-office sensation, was crowned best picture at the 2024 Oscars — and took home six other awards, including best actor for Cillian Murphy , best supporting actor for Robert Downey Jr. and best director for Christopher Nolan .

Here’s what else we covered:

• Winners: “Poor Things” was next behind “Oppenheimer” with four wins, including a best actress title for Emma Stone . See the AP’s full list of winners.
• Performances: Ryan Gosling delivered hilarious surprises while singing “I’m Just Ken.” A dozen drummers danced in a circle for “Wahzhazhe.” And in a memorable presenters’ bit, John Cena crossed the stage wearing only an envelope.
• Red carpet looks: A show of black , red and metallics dominated as stars arrived for Hollywood’s big night . Check out a few of the AP’s favorite candid photos.

The Academy Awards were full of sure-things, long-awaited anointments and easy predictions. The “Oppenheimer” romp . Ryan Gosling’s Ken stealing the show. That put even more focus on the category that was hardest to call: best actress.

When Emma Stone was announced as the winner , a ceremony light on surprise got a genuine shock, perfectly illustrated by Stone’s stunned expression. Stone’s win, for her sensational performance in “Poor Things,” was hard not to cast as a defeat for Lily Gladstone. The “Killers of the Flower Moon” actress had been picked by most prognosticators and — as everyone knew — history hung in the balance. Her win would have been the first for a Native American in the nearly century-long history of the Oscars.

It was a difficult to define result. It wasn’t quite an upset — Stone’s performance, equally favored, was too good to call it that. But it still stung, particularly for Native Americans watching across the country – a community that has watched Hollywood for most of its existence overlook its stories and performers.

▶ Read more on the result and ramifications of the best actress contest.

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Cillian Murphy in a scene from “Oppenheimer.” (Universal Pictures via AP)

We have you covered with where to watch and stream the movies that clinched gold at the Oscars.

Pedro Pascal arrives at the 81st Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Pedro Pascal arrives at the 29th Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Pedro Pascal accepts the award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series for “The Last of Us” during the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Pedro Pascal, left, and Lux Pascal arrive at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Pedro Pascal, left, and Bella Ramsey arrive at the AFI Awards on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024, at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Pedro Pascal, a cast member in “Freaky Tales,” poses at the premiere of the film at Eccles Theatre during the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Few could make an arm sling as sexy as “The Last of Us” star did. At the Golden Globes, Pedro Pascal’s sling came with nail art that spelled “ouchy,” the best accessory of the night. He wore the sling, actually for a shoulder injury, with black trousers and a matching turtleneck that had a white yarn knot design, all by Bottega Veneta. Swipe to see some of his best recent looks.

▶ Read more about Pascal’s style and see our other MVPs.

Essence Senior Content Director Nandi Howard shares her take on the best Oscars fashion including Colman Domingo, Gabrielle Union and Emma Stone. (March 11)

Barry Keoghan arrives at the 81st Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Barry Keoghan arrives at the Governors Awards on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, at the Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Barry Keoghan arrives at the 29th Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Barry Keoghan arrives for the Givenchy Spring/Summer 2024 womenswear fashion collection presented Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023 in Paris. (AP Photo/Vianney Le Caer)

Barry Keoghan poses for photographers upon arrival at the Burberry Winter 2024 fashion show on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024 in London. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Callum Turner, from left, Barry Keoghan, and Austin Butler pose for photographers upon arrival at the UK premiere of the television series ‘Masters of the Air’ in London, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Micheal Ward, left, and Barry Keoghan attend the Burberry Spring Summer 2024 fashion collection on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023 in London. (Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Callum Turner, left, Barry Keoghan, center, and Austin Butler, cast members in “Masters of the Air,” pose together at the world premiere of the Apple TV+ miniseries, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Adventurous is the “Saltburn” star’s middle name when it comes to fashion. Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Givenchy were among Barry Keoghan’s go-tos. He mixed patterns in a red Vuitton evening jacket and trouser set for the Golden Globes. Keoghan loves his bling, accessorizing his red-on-red moment with a golden belt chain, pearl necklace and Tiffany & Co. jewel earring. A little punk. A lot fab. Swipe for his best reecnt looks.

▶ Read more about Keoghan’s style and see our other MVPs.

Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” a harrowing first-person account of the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, won the best documentary Oscar on Sunday night.

Ayo Edebiri accepts the award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for “The Bear” during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Ayo Edebiri poses in the press room with the awards for outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series and outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series for “The Bear” during the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Ayo Edebiri poses in the press room with the award for best performance by an actress in a television series, musical or comedy for “The Bear” at the 81st Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Charles Melton, left, and Ayo Edebiri attend the 29th Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Jeremy Allen White, left, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a television series, musical or comedy for “The Bear,” and Ayo Edebiri, winner of for best performance by an actress in a television series, musical or comedy for “The Bear”, pose in the press room at the 81st Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Ayo Edebiri arrives at the BAFTA Tea Party on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, at The Maybourne Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Ayo Edebiri accepts the award for best actress in a comedy series for “The Bear” during the 29th Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The co-star of “The Bear” was on a red-hot fashion streak, earning official “It” girl status. There was her black 3D molded custom Louis Vuitton petal dress for the Emmys. And her smashing red custom Prada strapless gown with a floor-length train at the Golden Globes. The dress fell playfully, and youthfully, just above her ankles. Never underestimate young Hollywood. Swipe to see some of her best looks.

▶ Read more about Edebiri’s style and see our other MVPs.

Jessica Lange, right, adjusts Emma Stone’s dress during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

From a late start to a killer speech to gratitude for a “terrible childhood,” here are the moments that stood out at the Oscars.

Greta Lee arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Greta Lee arrives at the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Greta Lee arrives at the 29th Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Greta Lee, left, and Andrew Scott presents the award for best international film during the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Greta Lee arrives at the BAFTA Tea Party on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, at The Maybourne Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Greta Lee attends the Academy Women’s Luncheon on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Greta Lee arrives at the Governors Awards on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, at the Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

In the color of the season, red, and with lots of help from Loewe and some from Bottega Veneta, the co-star of “Past Lives” was a fashion sensation. The latter designed Greta Lee’s futuristic red sculptural mood for the Governors Awards. She paired the dress with silver metallic heels. Swipe to see some of her best recent looks.

▶ Read more about Lee’s style and see our other MVPs.

Ryan Gosling performs the song “I’m Just Ken” from the movie “Barbie” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The same woman was behind two of the most iconic concerts of our recent times: Ryan Gosling and many Kens’ performance of “I’m Just Ken” at the Oscars — and Taylor Swift’s ongoing Eras tour.

The choreographer for both is Mandy Moore , not to be confused with the “This Is Us” actor of the same name.

Moore has three Emmys and, according to her bio, became the first to choreograph the Golden Globes, Oscars, Emmys and Grammys all in the same year (2017). She’s also worked with Gosling before, having choreographed him and Emma Stone in “La La Land.”

Cillian Murphy poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere for the film ‘Oppenheimer’ on Thursday, July 13, 2023 in London. (Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Actor Cillian Murphy poses at the 76th DGA Awards, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Cillian Murphy arrives at the 81st Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Yvonne McGuinness, left, and Cillian Murphy arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Cillian Murphy poses for a portrait during the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Cillian Murphy, winner of the leading actor award for ‘Oppenheimer’, poses for photographers at the 77th British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA’s, in London, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Cillian Murphy, winner of the awards for outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role and outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture for “Oppenheimer,” poses in the press room during the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Cillian Murphy, from left, Emily Blunt, and Robert Downey Jr. arrive at the 35th Annual Producers Guild Awards on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, at The Ray Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Is the “Oppenheimer” star the anti-Ken? Look no further than Cillian Murphy’s sheer shirt and black pinstripe Saint Laurent suit at the film’s London premiere. More dark pinstripes from the same design house followed at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, this time with a loose bow at the neck. The man loves a pinstripe. In lots of neutrals, he’s been the perfect counter to all that sugary pink over at “Barbie.” Swipe for his best looks from this awards season.

▶ Read more about Murphy’s style and see our other MVPs.

Volodymyr Nikulin, Mariupol police officer who helped AP journalists during the siege of the city said “I am very happy for my friends, for the team that received an Oscar, for our country.” (AP video shot by Anton Shtuka)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph poses in the press room with the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for “The Holdovers” at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph poses with the award for the breakthrough performance for “The Holdovers” in the press room at the 35th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph arrives at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph arrives at the Governors Awards on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, at the Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph poses in the press room with the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role in any motion picture for “The Holdovers” at the 81st Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, recipient of the Supporting Actress Award - Film for her performance in “The Holdovers,” poses at the Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Cinema and Television: Honoring Black, Latino and AAPI Achievements, Monday, Dec. 4, 2023, at Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph poses for photographers upon arrival at the 77th British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA’s, in London, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph accepts the award for best supporting actress for “The Holdovers” during the 29th Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph arrives at the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Da’vine Joy Randolph poses in the press room with the award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role for “The Holdovers” during the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Da’vine Joy Randolph attends the Gotham Independent Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

It was a draped ivory mermaid gown with 3D roses at the neck at the Screen Actors Guild Awards for this longtime lover of fashion and co-star of “The Holdovers.” It was by Valdrin Sahiti. At the British Film Academy Awards, Da’Vine Joy Randolph wowed in a colorblock peach-and-black body-hugger by Robert Wun. The fashion spotlight has been soaking up Randolph and the drama she has provided. She picked up a supporting actress Oscar in a custom Louis Vuitton gown in pale blue with oversize, fringed sleeves. Swipe to see some of her best looks.

▶ Read more about Randolph’s style and see our other MVPs.

The humble In-N-Out burger.

Just won an Oscar? Want to let loose in an almost ... animal style? The Vanity Fair afterparty might be the perfect stop for you, with its overflowing trays of Southern California’s beloved In-N-Out burgers.

AP’s Andrew Dalton is a regular attendee of the fetes through the years, and makes sure to note the easily scarfable staple’s presence in his dispatches.

Stars including Christopher Nolan, Florence Pugh, Margot Robbie, Michelle Yeoh, Cardi B, Charlize Theron, Chris Evans, Camila Cabello hit up the Vanity Fair party after the Oscars. (March 11)

This year, Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas found a couch near the dance floor with their two children and their statuettes in tow. They were immediately met by a woman bearing a tray of burgers, Dalton reported.

Last year, he saw Daniel Scheinert , with none of the three Oscars he won nor his partner Daniel Kwan in sight, standing outside and eating a burger as he bopped up and down to House of Pain’s “Jump Around.”

Back in 2018, Dalton bore witness to best actress winner Frances McDormand struggling to get through her burger because of well-wishers that included a fawning Jon Hamm. Her husband, Joel Coen, had an easier time chowing down nearby.

Lily Gladstone arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Lily Gladstone, left, and Leonardo DiCaprio arrive at the 81st Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Lily Gladstone arrives at the 29th Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Actor Lily Gladstone poses at the 26th Costume Designers Guild Awards at NeueHouse Hollywood, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Lily Gladstone presents the Robert Altman award during the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Best actress honoree for “Killers of the Flower Moon” Lily Gladstone attends the New York Film Critics Circle Awards at Tao Downtown on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Lily Gladstone accepts the award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role for “Killers of the Flower Moon” during the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Best Actress nominee Lily Gladstone is photographed during a celebration of the 10-time Academy Award-nominated film “Killers of the Flower Moon” at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, Friday, Jan. 26, 2024 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Lily Gladstone arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Robert De Niro, from left, Martin Scorsese, Lily Gladstone, and Leonardo DiCaprio, winners of the vanguard award for “Killers of the Flower Moon”, pose in the press room at the 35th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Lily Gladstone arrives at the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

The Indigenous actor and recent British Vogue cover star has approached her red carpet coming-out with intention, supporting Indigenous jewelry designers while promoting “Killers of the Flower Moon.” At the Golden Globes , Lily Gladstone paired her Valentino gown and cape with beaded earrings by Lenise Omeasoo, who is Blackfeet and Cree. Swipe to see her best looks from this awards season.

▶ Read more about Gladstone’s style and see our other MVPs.

Al Pacino presents the award for best picture during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

His Oscars presentation may have seemed to some a little off this year, but Al Pacino has had plenty of time to polish up a long-awaited project.

The celebrated actor has a memoir coming out Oct. 8, Penguin Press announced Monday.

The publisher is called the book “an astonishingly revelatory account of a creative life in full,” including his account of such classics as “The Godfather,” “Serpico” and “Dog Day Afternoon.”

Pacino, 83, said in a statement, that he wanted “to express what I’ve seen and been through in my life.”

Colman Domingo arrives at the 29th Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Colman Domingo arrives at the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Colman Domingo arrives at the 81st Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Colman Domingo arrives at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Colman Domingo, winner of the spotlight actor award for “Rustin”, left, and Lenny Kravitz pose in the press room at the 35th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Colman Domingo, left, and Fantasia Barrino pose for photographers upon arrival at the 77th British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA’s, in London, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Colman Domingo arrives at the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Hannah Waddingham, left, and Colman Domingo present the Governors Award during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Colman Domingo arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Whether it’s a textured gold coat and mustard yellow suit by Valentino Haute Couture at the Critics Choice Awards or a custom black Louis Vuitton tuxedo and brooches at the Emmys, the star of “Rustin” has left no fashion crumbs. Colman Domingo has offered a new vision of how a leading man can dress. Swipe to see his best looks from this awards season.

▶ Read more about Domingo’s style and see our other MVPs.

Emma Stone was out in the lobby bar with a glass of champagne in hand when her film “Poor Things” won best production design. She yelped out and jumped up and down and attentively watched the speech.

She then turned to Florence Pugh, standing nearby and the two talked animatedly about Pugh’s “sprinkled dress.”

John Cena presents the award for best costume design during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

All of a sudden, Pugh laughed and looked up at the monitor to see an almost naked John Cena. “Oooh it’s because he looks like the Oscar!”

A few seconds later “Poor Things” also won for costume design and Stone jumped and screamed again.

“I’m missing all of them,” she cried. “It’s not OK, it’s bad, I’m going home.”

▶ Read more about what you couldn’t see on the telecast, as well as the craft that went into “Poor Things.”

So you took a spin through our film writers’ Oscars prediction interactive before the big show. Maybe you used it to fill out your own ballot. Let’s see how our predictions stacked up with the results.

Of the 23 categories, Lindsey Bahr correctly predicted 16 and Jake Coyle correctly predicted 18. While their picks mostly aligned with each other, Lindsey alone correctly called best actress, animated film and sound. Jake got the edge on the screenplay categories, production design, visual effects and documentary short. The only misses for both were in makeup and hairstyling and animated short.

Arthur Harari, left, and Justine Triet accept the award for best original screenplay for “Anatomy of a Fall” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Of the six couples up for Oscars together, two pairs came away with statuettes. Here’s how these marriage (or, in one case, partnership) stories played out:

• Original screenplay: Justine Triet and Arthur Harari, the longtime partners and co-parents behind “Anatomy of a Fall”
• Best picture: Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, the married producing partners of “Oppenheimer.” Nolan also won best director, making it a couple of trophies for the couple

OTHER NOMINEES

• Adapted screenplay: Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach for “Barbie”
• Best picture: Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerley for “Barbie”
• Original screenplay: Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik for “May December”
• Animated short: Jerusha Hess and Jared Hess for “Ninety-Five Senses”

America Ferrera, left, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph take a selfie during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

There is a whole other show that happens offscreen at the Oscars that the home audience doesn’t see on television. Here’s a selection of what The Associated Press saw :

• Martin Scorsese, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were among the last to take their seats, while Carey Mulligan missed the cutoff and spent the beginning of the show standing off to the side.
• At the first commercial break, longtime friends Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence found each other, while Greta Gerwig beelined to her stars Robbie and America Ferrera .
• About a half hour before Gosling turned the Oscars into a wildly fun concert, the Kens were out in the lobby warming up. Clad in cowboy hats, some were stretching, some running in place, and all were finding their Kenergy.
• On the way to the Governors Ball, Cord Jefferson was beaming as he walked through the lobby, jumping and clutching his Oscar. Kate McKinnon had a moment with Marlee Matlin and Steven Spielberg made his way out in a mask.

▶ Read more about what you missed inside the Oscars.

Ukraine awoke Monday to another day of war — Russian drones blasted buildings in the Kharkiv and Odesa regions — but also the news it had won its first Oscar.

The best documentary victory for Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” a harrowing first-person account by The Associated Press journalist of the early days of Russia’s invasion in 2022, was bittersweet.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “The horrors of Mariupol must never be forgotten. The entire world must see and remember what the inhumane Russian invasion brought to our people.”

Volodymyr Nikulin, a police officer featured prominently in the film: “Right now, we may be facing a similarly challenging moment. But this film has shown that we can defend our country, that we are united.”

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s human rights chief: “This awards ceremony is an opportunity to address millions of people. This is what the film director did by mentioning the occupation, prisoners of war, killing of Ukrainians by Russia, and illegal abduction of civilians.”

▶ Read more on the reaction inside Ukraine to the Oscar win.

Lily Gladstone arrives at the Oscars. (AP Photo/John Locher)

This year’s red carpet season failed to disappoint, fashion-wise. There was plenty of drama, personal style and new takes on Old Hollywood.

Among the standouts were Colman Domingo, Lily Gladstone, Ayo Edebiri and Greta Lee. Each made their fashion moments their own, with many collecting trophies along the way.

▶ See who else stood out on the red carpet

Mark Ruffalo arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

On the red carpet, Mark Ruffalo, Billie Eilish, Ramy Youssef, Ava DuVernay and others donned red pins in support for a cease-fire in Gaza.

The bold design features a single hand holding a heart and was organized by the group Artists4Ceasefire.

▶ Read more about the moments that made this year’s Oscars.

The “Oppenheimer” crowd were hardly the hardest partiers at the Vanity Fair post- Oscars party on Sunday night, but they hardly needed to be, their hardware did all the preening for them.

Christopher Nolan, fresh off his best director win for “Oppenheimer” and his wife, producer Emma Thomas, holding her own statuette for best picture , found a couch near the dance floor with their two children. They were immediately met by a woman bearing a tray of In-N-Out burgers, the signature food at the signature Oscars after-party where end-of-award-season decadence is the norm.

Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Lawrence, and Camila Alves arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

The party’s guest list always extends well beyond Hollywood into music, fashion, literature and sports.

Serena Williams and LeBron James , who both have had a hand in producing in recent years, each hung out on the party’s patio.

▶ Read more about the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party.

Messi the dog from the film “Anatomy of a Fall” appears in the audience during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Was Messi there? Was Snoop?

The Oscars on Sunday were probably the only place in the world where one would have been disappointed to see arguably the world’s most famous footballer or a beloved rapper as an answer to those questions.

In the leadup to the awards, the question was whether awards season darling Messi, who played Snoop in “Anatomy of a Fall,” would grace the Dolby Theatre with his presence. There were rumors he was unwelcome after stealing the show at the Oscars luncheon.

But there were gasps of delight, at least in this newsroom, when the cameras cut to the border collie in the audience during host Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue. And it wasn’t a trick of CGI. The canine star himself was there.

(We spent a considerable amount of time trying to divine what exactly was happening in the second photo, only to realize we were seeing the movie magic behind the paw clap. We were going to ask for your theories, but now we will welcome your amusing captions at [email protected] . They may be included later today in this very blog.)

Scroll through this live feed — or read our story wrapping up the night: ‘Oppenheimer’ crowned best picture at an Academy Awards shadowed by war

FILE - In this May 11, 2003, file photo, protesters lie on the pavement opposed to the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear storage facility and weapons testing after crossing the line into the Nevada Test Site at Mercury, Nev., and were arrested for trespassing about 70 miles north of Las Vegas. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is renewing the push to expand a federal compensation program for radiation exposure following uranium mining and nuclear testing carried out during the Cold War. Advocates have been trying for years to bring awareness to the lingering effects of nuclear fallout surrounding the Trinity Site in southern New Mexico and on the Navajo Nation, where more than 30 million tons of ore were extracted over decades to support U.S. nuclear activities. (AP Photo/Joe Cavaretta,File)

With the victories notched by “Oppenheimer” on Oscar night, expect a renewed interest in the real-life fallout of the Manhattan Project.

In July, ahead of the movie’s release, New Mexico correspondent Susan Montoya Bryan wrote a story about the impact on the community downwind from the testing site.

“They’ll never reflect on the fact that New Mexicans gave their lives. They did the dirtiest of jobs. They invaded our lives and our lands and then they left,” Tina Cordova, a cancer survivor and founder of a group of New Mexico downwinders, said of the scientists and military officials who established a secret city in Los Alamos during the 1940s and tested their work at the Trinity Site some 200 miles (322 kilometers) away.

FILE - This photo shows an aerial view after the first atomic explosion at the Trinity Test Site near Alamogordo, N.M., on July 16, 1945. The New Mexico site where the world’s first atomic bomb was detonated is expecting thousands of visitors Saturday due to the popularity of the movie, “Oppenheimer.” Trinity Site, a designated National Historic Landmark, only opens to the public twice a year. (AP Photo, File)

While film critics celebrated “Oppenheimer” and officials in Los Alamos prepared for the spotlight to be on their town, downwinders remained frustrated with the U.S. government — and the movie’s producers — for not recognizing their plight.

The Tularosa Basin Downwinders planned to protest outside the gates of the Trinity Site in October, when a record turnout was expected amid the success of “Oppenheimer.”

Just last week, though, the U.S. Senate passed legislation that would compensate Americans exposed to radiation by the government by renewing a law initially passed more than three decades ago, AP’s Mary Clare Jalonick and Jim Salter wrote.

“You know, we are ground zero,” Cordova said then. “We’re where it all started. The origins of the whole nuclear program are in New Mexico, and we were the first people exposed to radiation as a result of an atomic bomb and to be left out for 79 years is just truly unacceptable.”

“People have been waiting for justice for far too long, and it’s just simply time to do the right thing,” she added.

Emma Stone had a dress mishap (it was repaired), Al Pacino might have forgotten to list a few best picture nominees (we all knew who the winner was anyway), and John Cena took the stage wearing sandals and evidently nothing else (it was planned).

These Oscars had moments.

But no slaps — and not even a reference to The Slap, either.

Will Smith’s strike of Chris Rock toward the end of the Oscars two years ago wasn’t even mentioned Sunday night, despite being invoked five times during last year’s telecast. There was perhaps one cryptic reference — host Jimmy Kimmel referred to how a streaker at the Oscars 50 years ago “used to be the craziest moment in Oscar history.” He didn’t say what replaced the streaker as the craziest moment; everyone knew what he meant.

But he never said slap. And nobody else on stage did, either. Maybe everyone has moved on.

Michelle Yeoh describes the scene outside the Oscars, where protesters took to the streets calling for a Gaza cease-fire.

Forty acting performances were recognized at this year’s Oscars, but there were a host of other standouts you may have missed last year, thanks to a combination of the dual strikes and a plethora of great movies.

Here are some non-nominated performances worth revisiting from last summer and last fall :

• Greta Lee in “Past Lives”
• Xolo Maridueña in “Blue Beetle”
• Pom Klementieff in “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part I”
• X Mayo in “The Blackening”
• Jake Ryan in “Asteroid City”
• Molly Gordon in “Theater Camp”
• Dominic Sessa in “The Holdovers”
• Jamie Foxx in “The Burial”
• Gael García Bernal in “Cassandro”
• Eve Hewso n in “Flora and Son”
• Aaron Pierre in “Foe”
• Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich in “Fair Play”
• Marshawn Lynch in “Bottoms”

Finneas, left, and Billie Eilish perform “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

There was talk of war — past conflicts, and current ones — and pleas for peace. There was a painful reminder of the recent death of Alexei Navalny. There were protests outside the Dolby Theatre, calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. And there was a bit of election-year politics, too, from host Jimmy Kimmel.

But the Oscars telecast is always a chaotic mix of moods and tones, and so even on a night ruled by somber themes, where the academy crowned a film about the the atomic bomb, there was also a jolt of joyful silliness when Ryan Gosling took the stage (with a slew of fellow Kens) to sing “I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie.”

▶ Read more about the highlights from the 2024 Oscars

Stars and creators - incuding Cilian Murphy and Zendaya - gathered on the red carpet Sunday for Hollywood’s biggest night, the Academy Awards (March 11)

Hollywood’s big night in Los Angeles included few fashion risks, with many sticking to classic silhouettes, black and other standard colors. Others offered an under-the-sea-vibe in soft seafoam colors with mermaid crystals and shell-like designs.

▶ Read our fashion roundup here.

Raney Aronson-Rath, from left, Vasilisa Stepanenko, Mstyslav Chernov, Evgeniy Maloletka, Michelle Mizner, and Derl McCrudden accept the award for best documentary feature film for “20 Days in Mariupol” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The Associated Press and PBS’ “Frontline” each won their first Oscar with the victory of “20 Days in Mariupol” in the best documentary category.

Here, read some of the coverage from the besieged Ukrainian port city that won the Pulitzer Prize and formed the basis for the now Oscar-winning documentary.

20 days in Mariupol: The team that documented city’s agony

‘why why why’ ukraine’s mariupol descends into despair, ap evidence points to 600 dead in mariupol theater airstrike, captive medic’s bodycam shows firsthand horror of mariupol.

Cillian Murphy, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for “Oppenheimer,” from left, Robert Downey Jr., winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role for “Oppenheimer,” Da’Vine Joy Randolph, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for “The Holdovers,” and Emma Stone, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for “Poor Things,” pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Robert Downey Jr., winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role for “Oppenheimer,” from left, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for “The Holdovers,” Emma Stone, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for “Poor Things,” and Cillian Murphy, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for “Oppenheimer,” pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

This image released by Universal Pictures shows director Christopher Nolan, center, and Cillian Murphy, right, on the set of “Oppenheimer.” (Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures via AP)

It’s no secret that Christopher Nolan made “Oppenheimer” to be seen on the big screen . But not all big screens are created equal.

That’s part of the reason why Universal Pictures has made “Oppenheimer” tickets available early for over a thousand “premium large format” (or PLF) screens, with options including IMAX 70mm, 70mm, IMAX digital, 35mm, Dolby Cinema and more.

Knowing that even those words can get overwhelming and technical, Nolan went a step further: In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, he offered a guide to his favorite formats, explaining why it matters and even where he likes to sit so that audiences don’t feel like they need a film school degree (or one in theoretical physics) before settling on a theater.

▶ Read Nolan’s tips for movie-watching.

Martin Scorsese, left, and Francesca Scorsese arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” was shut out at the Oscars after receiving 10 nominations. It’s not an unfamiliar feeling for the legendary director: His 2019 Netflix film “The Irishman” and his 2002 “Gangs of New York” similarly went 0-for-10 at the Academy Awards.

Celine Song’s “Past Lives” and Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro” were similarly shut out, despite earning best picture nods.

Kylie Jenner arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Jeff Goldblum, left, and Emilie Livingston arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Lauren Sanchez, left, and Jeff Bezos arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Riko Shibata, left, and Nicolas Cage arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Kylie Minogue arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Jessica Lange arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Chloe Sevigny arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Cameron Douglas, left, and Michael Douglas arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Joan Collins arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Emily Ratajkowski arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Jessica Biel, left, and Justin Timberlake arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

John Waters arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Kerry Washington arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Sabrina Carpenter arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Monica Lewinsky arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Usher arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Jennifer Coolidge arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Emily Blunt, left, and John Krasinski arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Salma Hayek, left, and François-Henri Pinault arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Swipe to see arrivals from the likes of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez to an amorous Jeff Goldblum to a nonchalant John Waters to Chloë Sevigny to Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel to Joan Collins — and more.

Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” a harrowing first-person account of the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, won the best documentary Oscar on Sunday. A joint production of The Associated Press and PBS’ “Frontline,” statuettes were awarded to Chernov, producer and editor Michelle Mizner and producer Raney Aronson-Rath. The Oscar — and nomination — was a first for both Chernov, an AP video journalist, and the 178-year-old news organization.

President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Janet Yang, left, and CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Bill Kramer poses for a portrait during the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

For a few years, the Oscars looked to be hanging on by a thread. Viewership was plummeting . The pandemic didn’t help. And the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization behind Hollywood’s biggest night, kept finding itself on the wrong side of the conversation, whether it be #OscarsSoWhite , envelope-gate , the blip that was the popular Oscar , the untelevised awards or the slap .

Then a funny thing happened: Interest started increasing both in and outside the academy. It seemed people were excited about the movies and, they hope, the Oscars again.

“It’s been an amazing year for film in general,” film academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “Our art form has never been more relevant.”

▶ Read more about the film academy’s renaissance.

Emma Stone said she “blacked out” after winning best actress for her role in “Poor Things.” It was her second career victory in the category.

Watch as Taiwanese American filmmaker Sean Wang celebrates with his team and grandmothers as his “Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó" is nominated for an Academy Award in the documentary short category. (Jan. 23)

That would be 96-year-old Yi Yan Fuei and 86-year-old Chang Li Hua, the stars of the Oscar-nominated documentary short “Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó.”

The film, made by up-and-coming filmmaker Sean Wang, documents his maternal and paternal grandmothers living together. They’re in-laws but act more like sisters — singing songs, arm wrestling, watching “Superbad.” In an earlier interview, they said they thought their grandson was just joking around.

Sean Wang, from left, Chang Li Hua, Sam A. Davis, and Yi Yan Fuei arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

“But now that we made this movie and it’s going to the Oscars,” said Chang, “we do kind of feel like movie stars.”

▶ Read more about the documentary short.

There is a whole other show that happens offscreen at the Oscars that the home audience doesn’t see on television.

Among the moments The Associated Press saw that the cameras did not capture: the prep for the epic “I’m Just Ken” performance and how late arrivers like Carey Mulligan were left waiting in the wings to take their seats.

Although “Barbie” didn’t take home many awards (just original song), the film and its stars were a force at the Oscars. Director Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie and America Ferrera were frequently seen chatting with other guests during breaks in the show.

On her way out of the show, Gerwig offered her review of the “I’m Just Ken” performance, calling it “legendary.”

Lindsay Lohan arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

At the Vanity Fair post-Oscars party, Christopher Nola n stood casually holding his best director Oscar and accepting waves of congratulations. His wife, “Oppenheimer” producer Emma Thomas, held her best picture statue and did most of the talking for the pair.

They found a couch near the dance floor with their two children and were immediately met by a woman bearing a tray of In-N-Out burgers, the signature food at the party where end-of-award-season decadence is the norm.

The party in Beverly Hills was in full swing earlier than usual after the ceremony started an hour early and ran on time.

At the entrance, Anya Taylor-Joy greeted Matteo Bocelli, who sang during the ‘In Memoriam’ segment with his father Andrea.

“Were you nervous to sing you did such a beautiful job,” she said.

“Grazie,” he answered.

Others at the party included Usher , Jason Bateman , and John Mulaney and partner Olivia Munn , who held hands as they walked the carpet.

Billie Eilish, Ramy Youssef, Ava DuVernay and other celebrities wore red pins at the Oscars in support for a cease-fire in Gaza. The design featured a single hand holding a heart and was organized by the group Artists4Ceasefire.

Robert Downey Jr., winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role for “Oppenheimer,” attends the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Cillian Murphy, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for “Oppenheimer,” left, poses with Mstyslav Chernov, winner of the award for best documentary feature film for “20 Days in Mariupol” at the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Greta Gerwig, center, attends the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Mark Ruffalo, center, and Sunrise Coigney attend the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Holly Waddington, left, winner of the award for best costume design for “Poor Things,” and Shona Heath, winner of the award for best production design for “Poor Things,” attend the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Steven Spielberg attends the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

James Price, winner of the award for best production design for “Poor Things,” attends the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Emma Stone, left, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for “Poor Things,” and Dave McCary attend the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Ben Proudfoot, left, and Kris Bowers, winners of the award for best documentary short film for “The Last Repair Shop,” attend the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Colman Domingo attends the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Tatsuji Nojima, from left, Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, and Masaki Takahashi, winners of the award for best visual effects for “Godzilla Minus One,” attend the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Mstyslav Chernov, winner of the award for best documentary feature film for “20 Days in Mariupol,” left, and Christopher Nolan, winner of the awards for best director and best picture for “Oppenheimer” pose at the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Scroll through for photos of Greta Gerwig taking a selfie, Mstyslav Chernov with Cillian Murphy , Emma Stone getting a kiss from husband Dave McCary , and more.

Michelle Yeoh, left, and Ke Huy Quan take a selfie during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Jennifer Lawrence, left, and Emma Stone speak during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Colman Domingo, from left, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Danielle Brooks speak during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Lily Gladstone, left, and America Ferrera take a selfie during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Charlize Theron, center, and Issa Rae speak during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Robert Downey Jr. reacts as the cast and crew of “Oppenheimer” accept the award for best picture during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

▶ Read more about how AP Photographer Chris Pizzello gets the perfect shot , every Oscars.

Cillian Murphy took home his first-ever Oscar on Sunday after winning best actor for his role in “Oppenheimer.”

Emma Stone cheers for the Phoenix Suns. Turns out, the Phoenix Suns cheer for Emma Stone as well.

The NBA team sent the now two-time best actress winner a congratulatory post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday night after she won her Oscar. It was a video clip of Stone, wearing a Suns hat, sitting courtside at a game between Phoenix and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Congrats, Emma Stone, on winning Best Actress at the #Oscars ! pic.twitter.com/52LAmhaG99 — Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 11, 2024

The fandom makes sense. Stone is from Scottsdale, Arizona — and hasn’t been shy about cheering for the Suns and making it known which team she backs. She has personalized jerseys, has grabbed photos with Suns stars and even got some on the team bench to giggle when she waved goodbye to Phoenix guard Grayson Allen when she left a game earlier this season.

FILE - Elton John performs on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Sept. 23, 2022. John has achieved EGOT status. The famed British singer-pianist secured an Emmy Award on Monday night, Jan. 15, 2024, for best variety special (live) for “Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium,” a three-hour concert documentary that streamed on Disney +. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

There are no newly minted EGOT winners tonight, but there couldn’t have been any, anyway.

The feat that summarizes winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony is rarely achieved and a prized club. No one nominated tonight would have closed the gap on the grand slam.

There was an EGOT forged this year — that would be for Elton John, who won an Emmy to claim his title back in January.

FILE - In this July 12, 2021 file photo Bill Murray, from left, Owen Wilson, director Wes Anderson, Tilda Swinton, and Adrien Brody pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘The French Dispatch’ at the 74th international film festival, Cannes, southern France. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

Wes Anderson thanked the family of Roald Dahl, the team at Netflix and the cast and crew in a statement on behalf of himself and Steven Rales.

“And also I would have said: If I had not met Owen Wilson in a corridor at the University of Texas between classes when I was 18 years old, I would certainly not be receiving this award tonight — but unfortunately Steven and I are in Germany and we start shooting our new movie early tomorrow morning, so I did not actually receive the award or get a chance to say any of that.

“20 Days in Mariupol” director Mstyslav Chernov says the film shows the “reality” and “urgency” of the war in Ukraine.

Jada Pinkett Smith, from left, Willow Smith, Will Smith, Jaden Smith and Trey Smith arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

AP entertainment writer Andrew Dalton is a regular attendee of the Vanity Fair party after the Oscars. Here are some of his highlights from years past:

Often, the biggest news from the Vanity Fair party is which Oscar losers are hugging which winners. But some bring notable moments.

Partygoers in 2017 got to sympathize with best-picture presenter Faye Dunaway after the “La La Land”-“Moonlight” fiasco .

In 2018, well-wishers mobbed Frances McDormand , partly because she’d won best actress and partly because the Oscar she’d had stolen earlier that evening was back in her hands.

And in 2022, the slap was in the air, as it was everywhere. Will Smith grooved to his own songs on the dance floor, along with his family and best actor Oscar.

The scene after the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julie Pace)

Julie Pace, AP’s executive editor and senior vice president, is attending the Oscars for the first time in support of “20 Days in Mariupol.” She has been providing occasional updates from a guest’s perspective:

Following the show, nominees like Lily Gladstone and previous winners including Nicolas Cage joined the rest of the crowd to wait for their cars. Some huddled by heaters that dotted the red carpet and recapped the night.

“Ticket 1221! You win a ride to wherever you’re going. Have a blast,” an announcer called out as a lucky group headed to their waiting car.

Christopher Nolan won his first Oscar on Sunday night for directing “Oppenheimer” and then another for best picture. The 53-year-old British filmmaker has garnered critical acclaim throughout his career, but had never won at the Oscars until now.

Emma Thomas, left, and Christopher Nolan accept the award for best picture for “Oppenheimer” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

“I think any of us who make movies know you kind of dream of this moment … but it seemed so unlikely that it would ever happen,” “Oppenheimer” producer Emma Thomas said.

Thomas is Christopher Nolan’s producing partner — and also his wife.

When nominations were announced back in January, she was asked whether “Oppenheimer” felt like the culmination of the couple’s collaboration.

“It definitely feels like a film that was made with all the things we’ve learned together over the years. It all came together on this film,” she told the AP. “But I’m hoping it’s not the culmination. I’m hoping that we’ll get to make another one. (Laughs) We’re at the midway point!”

Emma Stone accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for “Poor Things” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Backstage, best actress winner Emma Stone says she was sewn back into her dress after it broke.

She explained her dress had come apart in the opening to her acceptance speech.

“I think I blacked out,” Stone said of her win. “I’m very surprised.”

▶ Read more about Stone’s best actress win.

Of the four acting winners, three were newly minted Oscar honorees.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph , Robert Downey Jr. and Cillian Murphy each claimed their first statuettes. Downey, though, had been nominated twice before.

Emma Stone was the only repeat winner, picking up her second career Oscar and second best actress trophy. Stone joins Frances McDormand and Hilary Swank as the only two-time best actress winners this century.

“American Fiction” ★★★ “Anatomy of a Fall” ★★★★ “Barbie” ★★★ “The Holdovers” ★★★.5 “Killers of the Flower Moon” ★★★★ “Maestro” ★★.5 “Oppenheimer” ★★★★ “Past Lives” ★★★.5 “Poor Things” ★★★.5 “The Zone of Interest” ★★★★

Michelle Yeoh, left, winner of the Oscar for lead actress, and Florence Pugh arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Oscar winners, and even stars who aren’t at the ceremony, flock to the Vanity Fair party after the show is over.

The AP will livestream stars arriving beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern on YouTube.

Vanity Fair throws the afterparty of afterparties after the Oscars.

The guest list at the magazine’s Beverly Hills bash is AAA-list, with athletes, authors and rock stars joining movie stars and newly minted Oscar winners, who earn an instant invite.

The dress code could be called “loosened black tie.” Many remain in ceremony finery, but you might see Jason Momoa in a tuxedo jacket over a bare chest , or Greta Gerwig kicking off high heels and pulling on checkered Vans.

The food is high-end lowbrow, or low-end highbrow. In-N-Out Burger abounds, often chased with Dom Perignon.

With the best picture win for “Oppenheimer,” it’s the highest-grossing best picture winner since “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” in 2003.

According to distributor Universal, it’s also the first best picture winner released theatrically in July since 1994’s “Forrest Gump” and the first film to win Oscars for best picture, actor and supporting actor in more than 60 years. The last film to do that was “Ben-Hur” in 1960.

The reviews are in ... and Al Pacino got some attention for how best picture was unveiled at the end of the Oscars.

“I have to go to the envelope for that. And I will. Here it comes. And my eyes see ‘Oppenheimer,’” Pacino said.

It seemed to catch the Dolby Theatre off-guard, as if the other nine nominees were to be announced as well.

One social media post that quickly went viral simply said: “Al Pacino should have given out every award tonight.”

This image released by ABC shows Quinta Brunson in a scene from “Abbott Elementary.” (Ser Baffo/ABC via AP)

It wasn’t nominated for the Oscars only by virtue of being a television show. But awards darling “Abbott Elementary” is still making its presence felt on Oscar night, with a brand-new episode following the telecast on ABC.

There was no new episode this past Wednesday, it’s usual airdate.

And the episode opened with an Oscars — and Philadelphia — tie-in: a guest spot from multiple nominee Bradley Cooper .

AP photographer Chris Pizzello has been shooting the Oscars for more than a decade. Here, he describes the background work that goes into getting the historic shots:

It’s very helpful to follow the entirety of awards season and have a feel for the likely winners at the Oscars.

Mark Ruffalo reacts in the audience after “Spotlight” won the award for best picture at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

You should take note of where the big nominees are sitting in the audience. When they are about to announce the winner of a category, you should have your lens trained on the nominee you think is going to win. If you guess right, that person’s instant reaction upon realizing they just won an Oscar usually makes for a great photo.

Several acceptance speeches — from animated short to best picture — referenced the fact that it’s Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom.

If any Americans are panicking, Mother’s Day in the U.S. isn’t until May 12.

It was slated to start an hour earlier, and despite a late start, it did have a slightly shorter runtime than last year’s telecast.

The credits rolled by 7:25 p.m. PDT. Last year’s telecast hovered around 3.5 hours.

It was the year of” Oppenheimer” at the Oscars, and the final prize was no surprise.

“Oppenheimer” won best picture, the last statuette awarded during the show and capping a seven-Oscar haul for the story of a theoretical physicist who oversaw the Manhattan Project and the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.

“I think any of us who make movies know you kind of dream of this moment … but it seemed so unlikely that it would ever happen,” producer Emma Thomas said.

Oppenheimer also won for best director (Thomas’ husband Christopher Nolan), best actor (Cillian Murphy), best supporting actor (Robert Downey Jr.), best cinematography (Hoyte van Hoytema), best film editing (Jennifer Lame) and best original score (Ludwig Göransson).

Emma Stone acknowledged each of her fellow nominees for best actress, through tears.

“The other night I was panicking as you can kind of see happens a lot, that maybe something like this could happen. And (‘Poor Things’ director) Yorgos (Lanthimos) said to me, ‘Please take yourself out of it and he was right, because it’s not about me. It’s about a team that came together to make something greater than the sum of its parts and that is the best part about making movies.”

Guys, make sure we tear up that envelope so there’s no confusion with best picture.

Infamously, an extra envelope with Stone’s best actress win was responsible for the confusion over the best picture win in 2017. That trophy belonged to “Moonlight” but “La La Land” was initially called.

Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie in “Barbie.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP, File)

Biggest box office: “Barbie” by far. Its $1.4 billion global total was more than the other nine combined, even counting co-blockbuster “Oppenheimer,” which itself made more than the bottom eight combined.

Lowest box office earner: “Maestro,” probably. The low-end figures are murky, but it got only a tiny theatrical release before dropping on Netflix

Longest: “Killers of the Flower Moon,” 3 hours, 26 minutes

Shortest: “Past Lives” and “The Zone of Interest,” 1 hour, 46 minutes apiece

Greta Lee in “Past Lives.” (Jon Pack/A24 via AP)

Earliest U.S. release: “Past Lives,” June 2

Latest U.S. release: “American Fiction” and “The Zone of Interest,” Dec. 15

Only Christmas movie: “The Holdovers,” arguably the first in the category since “It’s a Wonderful Life” in 1947

Only film with a dog in a major role: “Anatomy of a Fall”

Only film with dog-goose hybrids: “Poor Things”

Ranked choice voting, also known as preferential voting, is only employed at the Oscars to select the best picture winner.

Voters order the 10 nominees by preference: Their favorite is ranked first, their runner-up second and so on, with their least favorite at 10.

If one movie manages to capture more than 50% of the first-place votes in the first round, the contest is over. That’s the winner.

But if no movie crosses that threshold, the one with the fewest first-place votes is eliminated and the votes for that movie are reallocated to those voters’ second choices. On it goes until one movie wins a majority.

Proponents of the voting system, which is used in some other elections, argue it’s more representative.

Oscars statue cutouts rest on a table along the red carpet ahead of the 96th Academy Awards Friday, March 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

AP entertainment writer Andrew Dalton has reported from many an Oscars ceremony. He even used to occupy a perch above the fray.

The first thing you’ll notice is how many people you don’t recognize.

The 3,000-or-so people at the Dolby Theatre are mostly industry insiders and others who are plenty prominent, but not famous.

The closer you get to the stage, the higher the percentage of household names. You often end up in a restroom stall next to a Denzel , a Meryl , a Tom or a Tom .

You’ll be part of a Hollywood crowd that is outstanding at playing the role of “audience,” not needing applause signs to know when to start and stop clapping, or when an ovation is merited.

My dress is broken. I think it happened during ‘I’m Just Ken.’

Ascending the stage to claim her second best actress trophy, Stone turned around, pointing to her back as she motioned to the presenters, who looked to see if they could help.

She then opened her speech by explaining what happened.

“Don’t look at the back of my dress!” she said, closing the speech.

Christopher Nolan has won his first Oscar, and it’s the sixth of the night for “Oppenheimer.”

Nolan was his usual staid-and-subdued self when he accepted, thanking the cast and crew.

He showed a bit of emotion when he thanked his wife and producing partner “Emma Thomas,” laughing after calling her “producer of all our films and all our children.”

Lily Gladstone is named after her great-grandmother.

The elder Lily bore many similarities to Gladstone’s character in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Mollie Burkhart. Both women, born 10 years apart in the late 19th century, were traditional in nature, well-loved by their Native communities and devout Catholics.

Growing up between Seattle and the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana, Gladstone was familiar with the stories of older generations of Native women — of their encounters with a fast-modernizing America and the brutal attempts to extract resources from tribal lands.

(Photo by Victoria Will/Invision/AP)

The Osage murders of the early 20th century , a reign of terror in which the Osage were targeted for the headrights to their oil-rich land, took place many miles away, in Oklahoma. But as a tragedy about the sinister exploitation of Native people, “Killers of the Flower Moon” told a tale Gladstone knew intimately.

“I carry my family’s legacy. And I’m expected to carry my family legacy, in a way,” Gladstone said in a recent interview. She added: “Even though I’m not Osage, it did very much feel like it was in my blood.”

▶ Read more from our profile of Lily Gladstone, one of AP’s 2023 Breakthrough Entertainers.

Actor Cillian Murphy said he was a “little overwhelmed” when he took the stage after winning an Oscar for his portrayal of the title character in the movie “Oppenheimer.”

The movie is about the man who drove the creation of nuclear weapons.

“For better or for worse we’re all living in Oppenheimer’s world so I would really like to dedicate this to the peacemakers everywhere,” said Murphy.

The five past winners presenting the category:

• Sally Field
• Jennifer Lawrence
• Michelle Yeoh
• Charlize Theron

Christopher Nolan accepts the award for best director for “Oppenheimer” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

▶ Read more about Nolan’s win.

Lily Gladstone reflected on the chaotic awards circuit and the ways she’s been able to find friendships throughout it, including with “Poor Things” star Emma Stone, a competitor in the Oscars best actress category.

The best actress Oscar to be awarded shortly is seen as a tight race betwee n Lily Gladstone for “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Emma Stone for “Poor Things.”

Most experts have given the slight edge to Gladstone , who won the SAG Award, but say it could easily go to Stone, who won the BAFTA.

The two have become friends during award season. Gladstone says they call themselves “The Infinity Stones.”

It would be the first Oscar for Gladstone and the second for Stone, who won best actress for “La La Land.”

The other nominees are Annette Bening for “Nyad,” Sandra Hüller for “Anatomy of a Fall” and Carey Mulligan for “Maestro.”

Cillian Murphy accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for “Oppenheimer” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

It’s 7:01 p.m. PDT, which is just over three hours after the Oscars were slated to began (they did get off to a late start).

There are still three categories to go.

Andrea Bocelli, left, and Matteo Bocelli arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

On a stage bathed in blue Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli sang his signature song “Time to Say Goodbye” along with his son Matteo during the Oscars’ memorial segment.

The Bocellis and a string quartet paid tribute to movie luminaries who died since the last Oscars, including Harry Belafonte, Paul Reubens, Tina Turner, Ryan O’Neal, Carl Weathers and Robbie Robertson, a nominee this year for best score for “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

The montage also included several people best known for TV, including Matthew Perry and Richard Lewis.

The telecast included a QR code for a longer list of the dead.

The five past winners presenting best actor:

• Nicolas Cage
• Matthew McConaughey
• Ben Kingsley
• Forrest Whitaker
• Brendan Fraser

This grab taken from video shows flowers and a portrait of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny that Lyudmila Navalnaya, mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, put to pay tribute to her son at the at the memorial to victims of political repression, in Salekhard, 1937 km (1211 miles) northeast of Moscow, Russia, on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Russians across the vast country streamed to ad-hoc memorials with flowers and candles to pay tribute to Alexei Navalny, the most famous Russian opposition leader and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. Russian officials reported that Navalny, 47, died in prison on Friday. (AP Photo)

A clip of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny opened the in memoriam segment.

Navalny, who died last month while imprisoned, was the subject of the eponymous documentary directed by Daniel Roher that won the Oscar for documentary feature last year.

“Alexei, I am dreaming of the day you will be free and our country will be free. Stay strong, my love,” his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, said at the 2023 ceremony.

Navalny had learned of the Oscar win during a court hearing, something his spokesperson at the time called “the most remarkable announcement of an (Oscar) win in history.”

▶ Read more about Navalny’s life and death.

The best actor Oscar will be handed out soon, and most prognosticators will be very surprised if it’s not handed to Cillian Murphy for “Oppenheimer.”

The 47-year-old Irish actor got his first nomination for playing the title role in Christopher Nolan’s film, and won most of the major precursor awards.

If anyone is expected to challenge him, it’s Paul Giamatti for “The Holdovers.” It would also be his first Oscar.

The other nominees are Bradley Cooper for “Maestro,” Colman Domingo for “Rustin” and Jeffrey Wright , “American Fiction.”

It was Barbie vs. Barbie. And, well, Barbie won.

Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell won the best song Oscar for “What Was I Made For?” which was widely expected to grab the statuette.

“I had a nightmare about this last night,” Eilish said. She added, “I just didn’t think this would happen.”

The only song most thought could beat it also was from “Barbie,” that being Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt’s “I’m Just Ken.”

Ryan Gosling, reprising his role as Ken, got into his pink suit and performed Ronson and Wyatt’s song just before the winner was introduced — getting a standing ovation, just as Eilish did when she performed her song about an hour earlier.

Billie Eilish is the youngest person by far to have won two career Oscars. She took her trophy for best original song for “What Was I Made For” from “Barbie” at age 22.

That beats a very old record set by Luise Rainer, who won her second best actress Oscar at 28 in 1938.

The second youngest is now Eilish’s 26-year-old brother and co-writer Finneas. The pair won their first Oscar for “No Time to Die” in 2021.

Hilary Swank and Jodie Foster — a best supporting actor nominee this year — are the only others to win two before 30.

In this Nov. 15, 2018 photo, Swedish composer Ludwig Goransson poses for a portrait in New York (Photo by Christopher Smith/Invision/AP)

Ludwig Göransson won the Academy Award for original score for his work on “Oppenheimer.” It is his second Oscar and third nomination, having previously won in the category in 2019 for “Black Panther.”

“Oppenheimer” is director Christopher Nolan ’s own adaptation of Martin J. Sherwin and Kai Bird’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2005 book “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer,” chronicling the Manhattan Project and its fallout. The film starring Cillian Murphy “is poised between the shock and aftershock of the terrible revelation, as one character calls it, of a divine power,” AP film writer Jake Coyle assessed in his review .

Naturally, the score accomplishes something similar: Göransson composing from a first-person perspective for the first time, using his characteristic plays with rhythm and tempo to make one man’s history-altering endeavors feel larger than life.

Andrew Wyatt, left, and Mark Ronson, accept the award for best song for “I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie” during the 29th Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Up for best original song:

• Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt for “I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie”
• Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson for “It Never Went Away’’ from “American Symphony”
• Scott George for “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from “Killers of the Flower Moon″
• Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell for “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie”
• Diane Warren for “The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot”

That’s what we call white-hot competition. A few of the nominees in this category called The Associated Press the day they found out they were nominated. Here’s what they said :

Warren: “I’m thrilled. Beyond. And now the number of Oscars I’ve been nominated for has caught up to my emotional age, which is (15). I’m just kidding. Kind of.”

Ronson: “It’s a huge honor... in the film, it is this 11-minute prog rock dream ballet, shred fest that (director) Greta (Gerwig) and Ryan (Gosling) made people fall in love with all these beautiful touches.”

Composer Ludwig Goransson poses for a portrait at his music studio in 2022 (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The best original score category is a competitive one this year: vying for the trophy are 54-time Oscar nominee and now five-time winner John Williams (“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”), Ludwig Göransson (“Oppenheimer”), and three first-time nominees, Jerskin Fendrix (“Poor Things”), Laura Karpman (“American Fiction”) and the late Robbie Robertson (“Killers of the Flower Moon”).

A few of the nominees called The Associated Press the day they found out they were nominated. Here’s what they said :

Göransson: “To be recognized on this score especially, it was a very personal score. It was also obviously extremely challenging to achieve these emotions and to tell the story of this complicated man’s feelings, his ambition and what he’s going through in his journey and from his perspective because the only way to do that is, I’ve had to go to some to some uncomfortable places.”

Karpman: “What can I tell you? I’m 64 years old, and I’ve spent my life doing this, and I have never, ever, ever thought that this — first of all, I didn’t think it would ever be available to me, much less accessible. But, you know, this is a very, very special project. The movie is a gem. I knew it the moment I saw it.”

Fendrix: “It feels so surreal. I don’t think it’s entirely settled yet.”

Ryan Gosling reacts as the true winner of best picture is announced at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. It was originally announced that “La La Land” won, but the winner was actually, “Moonlight.” (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

But it is the first time he performed at the Oscars.

Neither he nor Emma Stone performed when “La La Land” was nominated for its music at the 2017 Oscars.

AP photographer Chris Pizzello is shooting the Oscars again tonight. Here’s what he looks for in between awards:

Another cool aspect of the Oscars is the mingling between celebrities both before the show and during commercial breaks. It is the world’s greatest cocktail party and you can capture some priceless combos.

But it’s very, very dark in the seats so it’s a real test of the low-light performance of your cameras. Sometimes the shots are just too dark and blurry to run but it’s important to try because you may never see those particular combos ever again.

Ryan Gosling performs “I’m Just Ken” from the movie “Barbie” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

It is the moment “Barbie” fans have been waiting for: Ryan Gosling performed “I’m Just Ken,” the huge ‘80s power ballad from the film.

Gosling began in the audience, his face obscured by a cowboy hat before heading to the stage to meet Mark Ronson, the executive producer of the “Barbie” soundtrack, and a group of dramatic dancing Kens — including fellow Kens Simu Liu and Kingsley Ben-Adir.

Later, Slash appeared, taking over lead guitar — a hilarious surprise. Then Gosling jumped into the crowd and had Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, and America Ferrera sing along.

“I’m Just Ken” turned Gosling into a Billboard Hot 100 artist. It also won the 2024 Critics’ Choice Award for best song.

Hoyte van Hoytema accepts the award for best cinematography for “Oppenheimer” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Hoyte van Hoytema thanked director Christopher Nolan and producer Emma Thomas while accepting his Oscar for cinematography for the film “Oppenheimer.”

Van Hoytema was also nominated for his work on the Nolan-directed film “Dunkirk” but didn’t win that time.

“You’re by far the best thing that could have happened to my career, obviously,” said van Hoytema glancing down at the Oscar in his hand.

Robert Downey Jr. accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role for “Oppenheimer” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Robert Downey Jr. is the first “Saturday Night Live” alum to win an Oscar with his best supporting actor victory for “Oppenheimer.”

Downey was a cast member for one season in 1985-86, regarded by many as the show’s worst year.

Other alums to have been nominated include Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, and Joan Cusack, who was in the same cast as Downey.

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Kingsley Ben-Adir, from left, Ryan Gosling and Ncuti Gatwa in a scene from “Barbie.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP).

With two of the five best original song nominations (Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt for “I’m Just Ken” as performed by Ryan Gosling and “What Was I Made For?” by sibling duo Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell), the music of “Barbie” is everywhere at the 2024 Oscars.

Last summer, Ronson told The Associated Press all about how the music of the movie came together . The soundtrack assignment began with two tracks: a pop song for a big dance number (what would become Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night”) and an ’80s power ballad for Ken. Name a genre with more “self-aware, bombastic silliness,” as Ronson says.

For the most part, Ronson works on instrumentals: When he wrote the Oscar-winning “Shallow” with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper for “A Star Is Born,” for example, he only contributed lyrics to fill in gaps — the “surface, don’t hurt us,” line, as he recalls. But for the song that would become Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken,” Ronson couldn’t shake the lyric: “I’m just Ken, anywhere else I’d be a 10.”

So he sent director Greta Gerwig a demo with a few lines — including a deliciously mouthy lyric about “blonde fragility.” She sent it to Gosling, who plays Ken in the film, and knew immediately he needed to sing it. What could have soundtracked any scene in the film became its own musical moment.

Robbie Robertson speaks during a press conference for “Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band” in 2019 (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

Robbie Roberston, known of his work in The Band and with Bob Dylan, received a posthumous original score nomination for “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Robertson died last summer at 80. Director Martin Scorsese released a statement about his collaborator the day nominations came down.

“I only wish that Robbie Robertson had lived to see his work recognized,” the famed director wrote. “Our many years of friendship and Robbie’s growing consciousness of his own Native heritage played a crucial role in my desire to get this film onscreen.”

▶ Read more from the AP’s obituary of Robbie Robertson.

AP photographer Chris Pizzello has been shooting the Oscars, from inside the room, since 2013. Here are three memorable moments from over the years:

2013: Jennifer Lawrence slipping on the steps on her way to the stage.

Jennifer Lawrence stumbles as she walks on stage to accept the award for best actress in a leading role for “Silver Linings Playbook” during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

2017: Warren Beatty announcing the wrong best picture winner.

Jordan Horowitz, producer of “La La Land,” shows the envelope revealing “Moonlight” as the true winner of best picture at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Presenter Warren Beatty and host Jimmy Kimmel look on from right. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

2022: The Slap.

Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Basically you have to be on high alert for all 3 ½ hours of the show. The Slap happened during one of the slower sections of the show, when Chris Rock was introducing the best documentary award. He made a couple of jokes, and suddenly I saw a fuzzy head approaching him onstage in my viewfinder. Before you knew what was happening, WHAP! Every single photographer in the projection booth initially feared they missed it because it happened incredibly fast.

So the lesson is that during the Oscars telecast you cannot ever lose focus, no pun intended.

Martin Scorsese reveals what helped him find the flow during the making of his latest movie “Killers Of The Flower Moon” and jokes about his dislike of emails. (Oct.17)

“I don’t use a computer because I tried a couple times and I got very distracted. I get distracted as it is,” Scorsese told the AP last year. “I’ve got films, I’ve got books, I’ve got people. I’ve only begun this year to read emails. Emails, they scare me. It says ‘CC’ and there are a thousand names. Who are these people?”

▶ Read more from AP’s feature on the Oscar nominee for “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Becky G, center, performs the song “The Fire Inside” from the movie “Flaming Hot” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Becky G performed the fiery reggaeton track “The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot,” written by Diane Warren. She was joined by a chorus of young girls.

“Flamin’ Hot” follows the story of Richard Montañez, who went from being a janitor at a Frito-Lay plant in California to a top executive when he invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, assisting in introducing a Latin market to the snack food giant. “The Fire Inside” is up for best original song and is Warren’s 15th Oscar nomination.

This is Becky G’s second time performing at the Oscars — the first time was two years ago, when she joined Megan Thee Stallion and others for “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from “Encanto.”

Director Wes Anderson poses for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘The French Dispatch’ at the 74th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, July 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Wes Anderson finally has an Oscar. Not surprisingly, it’s a quirky one.

The first Academy Award for the 54-year-old Texan with the unmistakable film style came for best live-action short for his Roald Dahl adaptation for Netflix, “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.” He shared the award with Steven Rales.

It comes after Anderson directed 11 full-length features and got seven previous Oscar nominations without a win, starting with a screenplay nod for “The Royal Tenenbaums” in 2002.

Anderson wasn’t there to accept his Oscar. Presenters Issa Rae and Ramy Youssef accepted on his behalf.

“Congratulations, Wes. We knew you could make them long, but wow,” Youssef said.

Masaki Takahashi, from left, Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, and Tatsuji Nojima accept the award for best visual effects for “Godzilla Minus One” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Kris Bowers stood up for teachers, when accepting the Oscar for best documentary short for “The Last Repair Shop.”

“‘The Last Repair Shop’ is about the heroes in our schools who often go unsung, unthanked and unseen,” Bowers said. “Tonight, you are sung, you are thanked and you are seen.”

Evgeniy Maloletka, from left, Vasilisa Stepanenko, Michelle Mizner, Mstyslav Chernov, Raney Aronson-Rath and Derl McCrudden arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

“Cinema forms memories, and memories form history.”

“This is the first Oscar in Ukrainian history, and I’m honored,” an emotional Mstyslav Chernov said. “But probably I will be the first director on this stage to say I wish I’d never made this film. I wish to be able to exchange this to Russia never attacking Ukraine.”

Speaking on the red carpet of the Academy Awards, Mstyslav Chernov - director of documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” - says its important the “world understands the seriousness of what’s going on and the urgency of what’s going on” in Ukraine. (March 10)

“20 Days in Mariupol,” Mstyslav Chernov’s harrowing chronicle of the besieged Ukrainian city and the international journalists who remained there after Russia’s invasion, won The Associated Press its first Oscar in the 178-year-old news organization’s history.

The AP and PBS’ “Frontline” team behind the documentary feature received a standing ovation from the audience.

This aerial view shows Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

It’s a busy day in L.A.: the Clippers and the Lakers vs. the Oscars.

Los Angeles’ two NBA teams are both home on Sunday, with the Clippers playing a noon Pacific game against the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Lakers playing at 6:30 p.m. against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Lakers played on Oscar Sunday last year, too — against the Knicks, which led to Denzel Washington and Spike Lee going to that arena instead of the Dolby Theatre for the Oscars.

The Lakers and Clippers don’t go head-to-head with the Grammys. That show takes over the arena where those teams play; the Dolby Theatre is about 9 miles (14.5 kilometers) away from Crypto.com Arena.

Spanish actor Javier Bardem accepts the Oscar for best supporting actor for his work in “No Country for Old Men” at the 80th Academy Awards Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

One person speaks for a group. Include a little heart, and a little humor. Relish the moment. And keep it under 45 seconds. That’s the often-disregarded annual acceptance-speech guidance Academy President Janet Yang gave Oscar nominees at their luncheon .

Not everyone ignores the advice. Yang showed a video of the platonic ideal of a speech — Javier Bardem’s 2008 acceptance of best supporting actor for “No Country for Old Men.”

Bardem thanked the writer-director Coen brothers, mocked his absurd haircut in the movie, gave his mother a heartfelt tribute in Spanish — and did it all in 37 seconds.

Awards show mainstay Jon Batiste performed “It Never Went Way” from “American Symphony,” a documentary that follows Batiste as he attempts to write a symphony while his wife battles leukemia.

Batiste has said that “It Never Went Away’’ ”began as a lullaby” for his wife “so she could have a restful aura in the hospital room.”

On the Oscar stage, he performed at a grand piano in front of a large screen depicting images of Batiste with his wife, the author Suleika Jaouad.

“Godzilla Minus One’s” victory for best visual effects is the first time in the creature’s long history he has won an Oscar. The Japanese film also pulled off the rare feat of having its director win a visual effects Oscar. It was last done by Stanley Kubrick for 1968’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

“The moment we were nominated we felt like Rocky Balboa,” the director and visual effects supervisor Takashi Yamazaki said from the stage.

“Oppenheimer” has won for best film editing. It marks the first nomination and win for Jennifer Lame, who thanked her collaborators, including director Christopher Nolan, for the award.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito gave the award out, joking about how they both tried to kill Batman — portrayed by Michael Keaton — and lost, as Mr. Freeze and the Penguin, respectively.

▶ Read more about the craft behind “Oppenheimer.”

This image provided by Kino Lorber shows Ichraq Matar, Eya Chikhaoui, Hend Sabri, Nour Karoui, Tayssir Chikhaoui in the movie Four Daughters, filmed in Tunis, Tunisia. The film about a Tunisian family and the radicalization of two teenage daughters who joined the Islamic State is up for one of the most prestigious film awards in the world. (Kino Lorber via AP)

Olfa Hamrouni doesn’t know much about her granddaughter; not her favorite toy nor food — is it the pasta the child’s mother loves, or something else?

The Tunisian grandmother doesn’t even let her mind go there. “I don’t want to know. What for but more heartache?” she said.

For now, she just fights for 8-year-old Fatma. The child has spent virtually all her life with her mother and aunt — Hamrouni’s eldest daughters — raised in detention in Libya, where the women wound up after leaving home as teenagers and joining Islamic State group extremists.

The real-life story of Hamrouni and her children is the focus of “Four Daughters,” an Academy Award nominee for best documentary feature film. On camera, there are many layers to Kaouther Ben Hania’s film: It’s about the radicalization of two teenage girls; an intimate portrait of a chaotic, and often dysfunctional, family life; and reflections on generational trauma, patriarchy, motherhood and adolescence.

▶ Read more about the documentary feature.

Director Martin Scorsese acknowledges the proper grammar of Robert De Niro’s famous line in the movie “Taxi Driver”, which he directed, during a skit as he is honored by the Hasty Pudding Theatricals as their Man of the Year at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., Thursday, Feb. 13, 2003. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Martin Scorsese, Jodie Foster and Robert De Niro were all nominees, 47 years after “Taxi Driver” was nominated for best picture, best actor (De Niro), best supporting actress (Foster) and best score.

Scorsese, 81, is nominated for directing “Killers of the Flower Moon.” De Niro, 80, was up for best supporting actor in the same film. And Foster, now 61, was nominated for her performance in “Nyad.” She was just 14 when “Taxi Driver” was nominated.

Takashi Yamazaki poses for a portrait during the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Godzilla has been to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, San Francisco, Boston, Moscow, London and Hawaii. But before now, he’d never been to the Oscars.

And now he has one.

▶ Read more about Godzilla’s newest frontier.

Composer John Williams poses on the red carpet at the 2016 AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to John Williams in Los Angeles (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

At age 92, composer John Williams may very well make Academy Award history by becoming the oldest Oscar winner of all time . The 54-time Oscar nominee and five-time winner could break a record held by James Ivory, who, in 2018, took home the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay for “Call Me by Your Name” at age 89. That is, if he wins for his “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” score.

In 2022, Williams told AP film writer Jake Coyle that he believed “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” may be his final score .

“At the moment I’m working on ‘Indiana Jones 5,’ which Harrison Ford — who’s quite a bit younger than I am — I think has announced will be his last film,” he said at the time. “So, I thought: If Harrison can do it, then perhaps I can, also.”

AP photographer Chris Pizzello has made photos at many an Oscars. Here’s how he captures the moments sure to go down in the annals of cinema:

In one sense, the Oscars is one of the easier shows to shoot because the lighting is generally classic and consistent, not constantly shifting like, say, the MTV Awards. But the fact that the Oscars is the biggest of them all plays on your mind a bit, because it’s really important that you not miss anything. You’re shooting entertainment history after all.

Harrison Ford, left, and Ke Huy Quan react onstage when “Everything Everywhere All at Once” wins the award for best picture at the Oscars on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The Oscar show photographers are up in a projection booth at the very top of the Dolby Theatre. Not only are we far away from the stage, but it is also surprisingly quiet up there. We are behind glass so the sound of the show is muted, which makes it difficult to follow the usual speaking cues of those onstage.

Elizabeth Banks, left, and an actor dressed in a costume from her movie “Cocaine Bear” present the award for best visual effects at the Oscars on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

For gear, I have two cameras set up on the same tripod, one with a 600mm lens for tight shots of the winners and another with a 100-400mm zoom for slightly wider shots and musical performances, where it’s important to show the scale of the production. A third camera around my neck is fitted with a 24-105mm lens for ultra-wide shots of the stage, which comes in handy for overall scene setters and the In Memoriam section.

“I’d like to thank my terrible childhood and the academy in that order,” he started his speech. “I needed this job more than it needed me.”

“I’m gonna thank my stylist in case no one else does,” he added.

Robert Downey Jr. says he came away from Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” thinking about how “context is so critical” to understand significant moments in history. The film tells the story of the theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who oversaw the development of the first atomic bomb during World War II. Downey plays former chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Lewis Strauss, a key figure in revoking Oppenheimer’s security clearance.

John Cena pointed out the importance of costumes — by not wearing one.

The wrestler-turned-actor was brought onstage by host Jimmy Kimmel for a bit where Cena was supposed to be nude, a nod to how the Oscars in 1974 was interrupted by a male streaker. Cena told Kimmel he decided at the last minute to not go ahead with the bit, as the audience kept laughing.

“The male body is not a joke,” Cena told Kimmel.

Responded the host: “Mine is.”

Cena — with an oversized envelope strategically placed over his midsection — eventually moved onto center stage, then realized he, uh, couldn’t open the envelope.

“Costumes, they are so important,” Cena said. “Maybe the most important thing there is.”

It’s Iron Man vs. the Hulk as Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo are up for best supporting actor.

Sterling K. Brown also played a small but important part in Marvel’s “Black Panther” as N’Jobu, Killmonger’s father.

Five past winners are presenting this category:

• Sam Rockwell
• Tim Robbins
• Ke Huy Quan
• Christoph Waltz
• Mahershala Ali

This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows on the set of “Poor Things.” (Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Pictures via AP)

Of the 23 categories awarded tonight, several are “below-the-line” or technical awards. Here’s what voters are looking for:

Production design: Awards the creator of the overall look of a film, from the sets to the locations to the props.

Sound: Awards the work of the range of people who design, record, mix and edit the sound for a film.

This image released by Apple TV+ shows a scene from “Killers of the Flower Moon.” (Apple TV+ via AP)

Cinematography: Awards the film’s photographer for its lighting and camera work.

Best original score: Awards the writer of a movie’s background music.

Hair and makeup: Awards makeup artists and hairstylists, naturally, but with an emphasis on prosthetics and character transformations.

Robert Downey Jr. could soon win his first Oscar, coming more than 30 years after his first nomination, for “Chaplin.”

Downey has had a triumphant awards season for playing Lewis Strauss in “Oppenheimer,” and he’s expected to top it off with an Oscar.

Also nominated is Ryan Gosling in his epic turn as Ken in “Barbie.”

The others in the category are Robert De Niro, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” who has won two acting Oscars and been nominated eight times, along with Sterling K. Brown for “American Fiction” Mark Ruffalo for “Poor Things.”

Jonathan Glazer accepts the award for “The Zone of Interest” from the United Kingdom, for best international feature film during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Jonathan Glazer’s hands shook as he accepted the Oscar for best international feature for “The Zone of Interest.”

“Our film shows where dehumanization leads, at its worst,” Glazer said.

“Right now we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people, whether the victims of October the 7th in Israel, or the the ongoing attack on Gaza, all the victims, this humanization, how do we resist?”

Glazer said he hopes the film will draw attention to current conflicts in the world.

“All our choices are made to reflect and confront us in the present. Not to say, Look what they did then, rather look what we do now, Glazer said. “Our film shows where dehumanization leads at its worst. It shaped all of our past and present.”

The woman behind the fabulous, fantastic costumes in “Poor Things” says the staff of Hungarians and Brits hadn’t even met each other when they teamed up in Budapest for the movie.

They were wearing masks and communicating through translators but that didn’t seem to slow down the amazing look of the film.

“Somehow we all managed to make it work,” said Holly Waddington during her acceptance speech as she won the Oscar for costume design.

Emily Blunt, left, and Ryan Gosling speak during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

“Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” have been blanked at the Oscars so far.

Five of the 13 categories “Oppenheimer” is up for have come up and so have four of the eight for “Barbie.”

Both have taken a back seat to “Poor Things,” which has already taken three awards.

Scott George, who wrote “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)” from “Killers of the Flower Moon,” performed the song alongside Osage performers. A camera panned above them, showing a group of musicians hitting the same drum, and dancers circling them in front of red and yellow lights.

George is the first Osage writer to be nominated for an Oscar — he is up for best original song.

Osage singers and dancers perform during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

J.A. Bayona’s “Society of the Snow” provides a fresh look at the 1972 Andes plane crash, a tragic tale that’s been told many times. Survivor Gustavo Zerbino praised the Netflix film.

When Gustavo Zerbino watched “La Sociedad de la Nieve,” the 1972 plane crash survivor felt as if he was being submerged “into boiling water,” reliving the roughly 70 days he and his teammates were stranded in the snow-covered Andes mountains.

Zerbino praised J.A. Bayona’s raw and unfiltered film, which was released as “Society of the Snow” on Netflix in the U.S. Bayona’s movie is based on Pablo Vierci’s book of the same title, and follows the story of the Uruguayan Air Force plane disaster.

▶ Read more from AP’s feature on “Society of the Snow,” nominated for best international feature.

J.A. Bayona’s “Society of the Snow” provides a fresh look at the 1972 Andes plane crash. Uruguayan actor Enzo Vogrinic says the desire to tell the tragic story he grew up hearing about made him ready to “endure everything” during the film’s production.

Vanessa Hudgens opened the Oscars red carpet pre-show with news of her own: She’s expecting.

The 35-year-old actor-singer turned to the side, revealing a baby bump.

FILE - In this Nov. 8, 2014, file photo, Hayao Miyazaki arrives at the 6th annual Governors Awards in Los Angeles. Miyazaki’s “The Boy and Heron,” is nominated for best animated feature. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

Toshiko Suzuki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli and close collaborator of Hayao Miyazaki, told reporters at the small animation studio in Tokyo that they both watched the award ceremony on TV.

Miyazaki, who did not attend the Los Angeles ceremony, had vowed earlier he wasn’t going to show joy too much “as a Japanese man,” but he was moved to tears, Suzuki said.

“These things are just luck. I am happy from the bottom of my heart. That’s the only way to put it,” Suzuki said.

Movies always reflect the times, Suzuki said.

“Miyazaki has not forgotten a film’s relations with the times,” he said.

When asked for plans on another film, Suzuki said they want to complete the global screenings and other work for the current film before tackling the next project.

This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone on the set of “Poor Things.” (Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Pictures via AP)

“Poor Things” became the first multiple Oscar winner of the night with back-to-back-to-back wins for hair and makeup, production design and costumes.

The three victories have made it already a big night for Yorgos Lanthimos’ film with many big nominations to come, including best director for him and best actress for Emma Stone.

Not daylight savings time!

This is the second year in a row, for the record, in which the Oscars have fallen on the same day the clocks have sprung forward.

▶ Read more about daylight saving time.

John Cena, left, presents the award for best costume design to Holly Waddington for “Poor Things"during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

What is a film without an all-star hair and beauty team? What would be “Poor Things” without Willem Dafoe’s prosthetics? Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston, the team behind “Poor Things,” won for makeup and hair.

Catherine O’Hara and Michael Keaton presented the award, joking that without those behind the scenes, the public would know what actors really look like. Shudder at the thought!

This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimo on the set of “Poor Things.” (Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Pictures via AP)

“Poor Things” is a Frankenstein-esque fantasia about a young woman (Emma Stone) reanimated by a demented surgeon (Willem Dafoe), but the behind-the-scenes work that went into crafting the movie’s wildly warped world may be the film’s greatest act of mad science.

Though Yorgos Lanthimos’ earlier films — at least leading up to “The Favourite” — were more spare productions, “Poor Things” fuses all the tools of classic Hollywood filmmaking — grand sets, miniatures, sumptuous costumes — with subtler touches of modern technology. The movie is, itself, a Frankenstein.

Only the scars (not counting the ones on Dafoe’s elongated face) don’t show in the magpie design of “Poor Things.” The film’s style is rooted in an 1890s Victorian setting, but it expands surreally from there.

▶ Read more about the work that went into the film.

James Price, left, and Shona Heath pose in the press room with the award for best production design for “Poor Things” at the Oscars. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Cord Jefferson accepts the award for best adapted screenplay for “American Fiction” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Cord Jefferson implored the movie industry to take more risks during his acceptance speech for his Oscar for adapted screenplay for “American Fiction.”

“I understand that this is a risk adverse industry, I get it, but $200 million movies are also a risk,” he said.

Appearing to be doing some very quick math in his head, Jefferson called on the industry to try “making 20 $10 million dollar movies” or “50 $4 million dollar movies.”

He said the next Martin Scorsese or Greta Gerwig is out there and called on industry leaders to take a chance on them.

In this category, countries select their film of choice. France selected “The Taste of Things” as its Oscar submission over “Anatomy of a Fall,” provoking surprise.

“The Taste of Things” ended up falling short of a nomination.

In accepting the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, “Anatomy of a Fall” director Justine Triet spoke passionately about the protests that have roiled France this year over reforms to pension plans and the retirement age. Several protests were held during Cannes this year, but demonstrations were — as they have been in many high-profile locations throughout France — banned from the area around the Palais des Festivals. Protesters were largely relegated to the outskirts of Cannes.

“The protests were denied and repressed in a shocking way,” said Triet, who linked that governmental influence to that in cinema. “The merchandizing of culture, defended by a liberal government, is breaking the French cultural exception.”

Some speculated that was the reason for the country’s snub.

Director Celine Song’s acclaimed feature film debut “Past Lives” is a modern-day love story about two childhood friends who are reunited as adults years after one moves away from South Korea. In this extended interview, Song speaks with The Associated Press about her inspirations, building chemistry between her actors, and why it was essential to portray variations of Korean family dynamics.

Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell performed their “Barbie” ballad “What Was I Made For?” on a rotating neon pink stage. They were the first of five scheduled performances — every song nominated in the best original song category will receive the same treatment, which will include another “Barbie” cut: the Ryan Gosling-performed ‘80s power balled “I’m Just Ken.”

If Eilish wins in the category, she will become the youngest person to ever win two career Oscars at age 22.

A few moments into the performance, the curtains behind the sibling duo lifted to reveal a string orchestra — taking the soft, saccharine song and blowing it up to enormous size. Break out the tissues.

Justine Triet and Arthur Harari became the first of a half-dozen nominated couples to win an Oscar with their original screenplay victory for “Anatomy of a Fall.”

The longtime partners with two kids together co-wrote the movie during the coronavirus pandemic.

Triet, who is also nominated for best director for the film, said from the stage that in order to write the movie, “we hooked them up to cartoons for peace. There was no line between work and diapers.”

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Margot Robbie in a scene from “Barbie.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

“Barbie” is the first film since “La La Land” in 2017 to have two nominees for best original song: “I’m Just Ken” and “What Was I Made For?” Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” was left out after the final cut.

Four films in the past have had three songs nominated: “Enchanted,” “Dreamgirls,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King,” but a rule installed in 2008 now allows for only two per movie.

“American Fiction” is the fifth movie to earn Black writers an Oscar for adapted screenplay. The first Black winner in the category was Geoffrey S. Fletcher, in 2009. Fletcher adapted the novel “Push” by “Sapphire” into “Precious.”

Jefferson adapted Percival Everett’s “Erasure,” a satire of urban literature. In it, the lead character is inspired to adopt a pseudonym and alter ego to release a novel that has some parallels to “Push,” an acclaimed and controversial novel about a pregnant teen from Harlem that begins in broken English, but becomes more traditional as the girl learns to read and write.

At the time, Sapphire (a pen name for Ramona Lofton) was a little-known poet who received a large advance and attracted the interest of Hollywood.

▶ Read more about urban lit authors’ reaction to the movie.

From a Pulitzer Prize-winning biography to the annals of Mattel, here are the sources of this year’s Oscar nominees for best adapted screenplay:

“American Fiction” Filmmaker Cord Jefferson worked from Percival Everett’s 2001 satire “Erasure,” about a Black literary author who unexpectedly gets rich writing a parody of “urban fiction,” a hot genre at the time Everett’s book came out. ▶ Read more about urban lit authors’ reaction to the movie.

“Barbie” The source for “Barbie,” co-written by director Greta Gerwig and husband Noah Baumbach was ... Barbie — the doll, the icon, the product and, in the eyes of the academy, a preexisting character that made the film ineligible for the original screenplay category.

“Oppenheimer” Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” distills the 700-page “American Prometheus,” a biography of atomic bomb “father” J. Robert Oppenheimer that was written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin and won the Pulitzer in 2006.

“Poor Things” “Poor Things,” written by Tony McNamara, is based on a 1992 novel by the late Alasdair Gray that sets a “Frankenstein”-like story in the author’s native Glasgow.

“The Zone of Interest” Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest” reworks Martin Amis’ Holocaust novel of the same name, which the late British author had structured around infidelity among Nazis stationed at Auschwitz.

The two Oscars given to writers for screenplays are coming up. Here’s a look at the nominees.

For best original screenplay: Justine Triet and Arthur Harari for “Anatomy of a Fall,” Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik for “May December,” David Hemingson for “The Holdovers,” Celine Song for “Past Lives” and Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer for “Maestro.”

For adapted screenplay: Cord Jefferson for “American Fiction,” Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach for “Barbie,” Christopher Nolan for “Oppenheimer,” Tony McNamara for “Poor Things” and Jonathan Glazer for “The Zone of Interest.”

This image released by GKIDS shows Mahito Maki, voiced by Luca Padovan in English and Soma Santoki in Japanese, left, and Grey Heron, voiced by Robert Pattinson in English and Masaki Suda in Japanese, in a scene from Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy And The Heron.” (Studio Ghibli/GKIDS via AP)

“The Boy and the Heron” is only the second hand-drawn animation winner in this category. The first was another Miyazaki film, “Spirited Away,” 21 years ago.

Miyazaki was not at the Oscars to receive his award. Presenters Chris Hemsworth and Anya Taylor-Joy accepted on his behalf.

“I could see maybe the boy not showing up, but the heron should be here,” Jimmy Kimmel said.

Miyazaki is also the oldest director to win in the category.

▶ Read more from our feature on the renaissance of older filmmakers.

The Oscar for best animated feature is coming up.The nominees include “The Boy and the Heron,” directed by legendary 83-year-old animator Hayao Miyazaki for his Studio Ghibli. He has said the World War II-era fantasy may be his last film.

Also up for the award is “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the trippy, web-slinging sequel to the film that won this Oscar in 2018.

Other nominees include Pixar’s fire-and-water tale “Elemental,” Netflix’s medieval-style sci-fi fantasy “Nimona,” and “Robot Dreams,” a wordless Spanish-French tale of the friendship between a dog and a robot. It hasn’t been widely distributed in the U.S. yet.

Dave Mullins, from left, Brad Booker, and Sean Ono Lennon accept the award for best animated short for “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

It’s Mother’s Day in the U.K., and Sean Ono Lennon asked the audience to shout: “Happy Mother’s Day!”

Lennon was brought up by the filmmakers behind the winning animated short, “WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko.”

Listeners of Howard Stern’s show on Sirius XM know that he and Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel have a long friendship.

And Stern had to enjoy Kimmel dropping a reference to his longtime producer Gary Dell’Abate.

“Baba Booey to you sir,” Kimmel said coming out a commercial break. Baba Booey, as Stern fans know, is Dell’Abate’s nickname.

A second is quickly on its way, though.

Spike Lee already had several big moments with the Oscars by the time he finally won a competitive statuette in 2019.

His first came almost 40 years earlier, in 1983, when he was a film student at New York University. Lee submitted his master’s thesis film “Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads,” starring Monty Ross, to the Student Academy Awards. And it won.

The Student Academy Awards may not be as glitzy or high profile as the Oscars, but in its 50 years it has proven to be a vital launching ground for emerging filmmakers. Inclusion and access may sound like recent buzzwords, but the film academy has been striving to break down barriers to entry for decades.

▶ Read more about the Student Academy Awards from November.

A woman walks past advertisements for the films “Oppenheimer,” from left, and “Barbie,” on Thursday, July 20, 2023, at the Landmark Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

After years of smaller movies like “Nomadland” and “Coda” winning best picture, a blockbuster movie looks likely to win the top award.

“Oppenheimer,” the Christopher Nolan movie about the man who guided the creation of the nuclear weapons dropped on Japan in World War II, took in close to $1 billion at the box office. The pink-themed, box-office powerhouse “Barbie” movie is also in the mix.

▶ Read more about how movies that are more popular with the general public often translate into more people watching the Oscars show.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for “The Holdovers” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph wept as she accepted the night’s first Oscar — and hers.

“God is so good,” she said through tears as she accepted best supporting actor for “The Holdovers” for her first Academy Award nomination.

“I’ve always wanted to be different,” she said, “now I realize I just have to be myself.”

In a format expected to be repeated all night in the acting categories, the Oscar was presented by five past winners: Mary Steenburgen, Regina King, Lupita Nyong’o, Jamie Lee Curtis and Rita Moreno. Each introduced one nominee they have a connection to with a long personal tribute.

The 148-day strike that shut down production in Hollywood last year was part of Jimmy Kimmel’s Oscars monologue.

“For five months, this group of writers, actors, directors, the people who actually make the films said ‘We will not accept a deal‘ ... well, not the directors, you guys folded immediately,” Kimmel said. “But the rest of us said we will not accept a deal without protections against artificial intelligence.”

He quickly pointed out that actors can now stop worrying about being replaced by AI, and instead go back to fearing being replaced by more attractive actors.

Kimmel also thanked the behind-the-scenes workers in Hollywood who now have a labor fight going on of their own, bringing dozens of truck drivers, lighting workers, gaffers, grips and more onto the stage as a thank-you.

“Thank you for standing with us,” Kimmel said. “And also, we want you to know that in your upcoming negotiations, we will stand with you too. And I’m going to make sure this show goes really long tonight so you get a ton of overtime.”

First-time nominees could easily win three of the four acting categories, but the full field of actors is an even mix of Oscar vets and newbies.

Ten of the 20 nominated actors are first timers.

Four of this year’s first-time nominees are up for best supporting actress, alongside the very veteran Jodie Foster , who got the first of her five nominations at age 14 and has won twice.

The 10 men have a staggering 33 nominations collectively, but only one of them, Robert De Niro , has an Oscar (two, actually).

Last year, 16 out of the 20 acting nominees were first-timers.

Margot Robbie walks the Oscars red carpet

Mary Steenburgen, from left, Lupita Nyong’o, Jamie Lee Curtis, Rita Moreno, and Regina King present the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Five past winners in the category:

• Mary Steenburgen
• Jamie Lee Curtis
• Lupita Nyong’o
• Rita Moreno
• Regina King
• Kimmel pointed out that Robert DeNiro and Jodie Foster were both nominated 48 years ago for “Taxi Driver” and how they’re both nominated again this year. “In 1976 Jodie Foster was young enough to be Robert DeNiro’s daughter. Now she’s 20 years too old to be his girlfriend,” Kimmel said, as Foster nodded.
• Of course, Messi made the show. The border collie has an enormous fan base for playing Snoop in the Oscar-nominated film “Anatomy of a Fall.” He had a seat in the audience for the monologue. “I haven’t seen a French actor eat vomit like that since Gerard Depardieu,” Kimmel said.
• Bradley Cooper brought his mother Gloria Campano to the Oscars. She’s his regular date for such events, and co-star from T-Mobile commercials. Kimmel, however, couldn’t resist a jab about dating one’s mother. “Are you working on a movie about Freud right now and not telling us?” Kimmel asked.

That would be Emily Blunt and America Ferrera , of course.

Blunt played a beleaguered high-fashion magazine assistant in “The Devil Wears Prada,” while Ferrera played a ... beleaguered high-fashion magazine assistant in “Ugly Betty,” a TV show.

They’re nominated for “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” respectively. Both are first-time nominees.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph has swept through the supporting actress awards in recent months and she’s expected to do the same and become one of the first big winners at the Oscars for her role as a boys’ school cook who lost her son in Vietnam in “The Holdovers.”

The category is expected to be up first.

It would be her first Oscar, as it would be for three of her competitors, Emily Blunt for “Oppenheimer,” and Danielle Brooks for “The Color Purple.”

Rounding out the category is two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster for “Nyad.”

Despite reports that Messi, the dog who plays Snoop in “Anatomy of a Fall,” was not invited to the Oscars after a scene-stealing performance at the Oscars luncheon, the star of awards season appeared to be in the Dolby Theatre.

His owner did not respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment on his attendance.

Host Jimmy Kimmel speaks during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue started late. Welcome to the Academy Awards.

“Thank you for that partial standing ovation,” Kimmel said to begin his monologue, and in a nod to how the show tends to run long, the veteran emcee pointed out two facts.

One, the show was starting an hour earlier than usual. And two, he took the stage several minutes behind schedule.

As usual, his jokes didn’t miss. He pointed to “Barbie” stars Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie, complimented them on winning the genetic lottery and then asked Gosling to go camping with him.

“Look kids, it’s Barbie and Ken, sitting near each other,” Kimmel said.

Cillian Murphy arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph: The supporting actress favorite’s first name is pronounced DAY-vine.

Cillian Murphy: It’s KILL-ian, not Silly-ian.

Sandra Hüller: It’s HUEL-er, not HULL-er

Despite starting an hour earlier, the telecast didn’t kick off until about 4:07 p.m. PDT.

Julie Pace, AP’s executive editor and senior vice president, is attending the Oscars for the first time in support of the nominated “20 Days in Mariupol.” She will be providing occasional updates from a guest’s perspective:

The snack boxes under guests’ seat include pretzels and Sno-Caps.

Michelle Yeoh had a simple answer when asked to describe what attending these Oscars was like compared what she felt last year.

“Relaxed,” last year’s best actress winner said. “Very relaxed.”

The Malaysia-born Yeoh made history last year as the first Asian woman to win best actress in the Academy Awards’ 95-year history for her role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

No pressure this year. She’s going to enjoy this show.

“None of that craziness of being terrified and happy all at the same time,” she said.

Ariana Grande arrived at the 96th Academy Awards wearing a soft pink gown.

Sterling K. Brown said he wanted to walk to the Oscars ceremony but when he found out that wasn’t possible he and his wife, actress Ryan Michelle Bathe, spent 45 minutes in traffic getting to the Dolby Theatre.

He sounded pretty determined about walking home at the end of the night. So if anyone sees Brown on the streets of Los Angeles later, he’s just “saving time.”

Brown may or may not have a gold Oscar in his hands as he takes to the street. He’s up for best supporting actor for his role in “American Fiction.”

Cillian Murphy, nominated for his role in “Oppenheimer,” arrives at the 96th Academy Awards.

FILE - Host Jimmy Kimmel speaks at the Oscars on March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Kimmel will host the 96th Oscars on Sunday. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is back for his fourth time hosting the Oscars. In an interview with the AP he joked about he usually steals an Oscar statue from the animated short winners: “I tell them I need to take it and I’ll get it back to them, and I just never do.”

He also riffed on his faux feud with Matt Damon, who’s in “Oppenheimer.” And don’t expect much in the way of pre-taped comedy bits in the show. Kimmel says viewers often blame them for the show running long.

▶ Read more from our Q&A with Kimmel.

The red carpet is wrapping up as showtime is just around the corner.

Still looking for a way to watch? The show will be available to stream via ABC.com and the ABC app with a cable subscription. You can also watch through Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV, AT&T TV and FuboTV.

People walk by an Oscars statue on the red carpet ahead of the 96th Academy Awards, Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher)

The Oscars are starting an hour early this year, at 7 p.m. Eastern, 4 p.m. PDT. That D is important — it’s the first day of daylight saving time in the United States.

ABC is available with an antenna or through cable and satellite providers. For cord cutters, the show can be streamed with a subscription to Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV, AT&T TV and Fubo TV.

The Oscars are widely broadcast beyond the U.S. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has a handy guide to the more than 200 international territories that have Oscar telecasts.

“The Zone of Interest” and “Anatomy of a Fall,” each nominated for five Oscars, are the first two films primarily in non-English languages to be nominated for best picture in the same year. Both films also star Sandra Hüller.

Diane Warren poses for a portrait at the 92nd Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at the Loews Hotel on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

After receiving a nomination for best original song for “The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot” — a reggaeton number performed by Becky G — will Diane Warren finally win her first Academy Award, after 15 career nods?

And technically, she already has one? In 2022, Warren received an honorary Oscar at the annual Governors Awards, alongside fellow recipients Euzhan Palcy , Peter Weir and Michael J. Fox, who received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Warren was the first songwriter to ever get the award.

Becky G, nominated for her song “The Fire Inside,” talks about Latino representation at the Academy Awards.

Greta Gerwig, left, and Noah Baumbach arrive at the 81st Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

“Barbie” director Greta Gerwig and her husband, “Marriage Story” director Noah Baumbach , are nominated for best screenplay.

“Barbie” star Margot Robbie is nominated for best picture as producer with husband and co-producer Tom Ackerley. Naturally, they’re opposite “Oppenheimer” co-producers and spouses Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas .

Samy Burch and husband Alex Mechanik are nominated for best original screenplay for “May December.” So are “Anatomy of a Fall” writers Justine Triet and Arthur Harari, who are longtime partners and co-parents.

“Napoleon Dynamite” director Jared Hess and wife Jerusha Hess are nominated for co-directing the animated short, “Ninety-Five Senses.”

Rita Moreno arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

In addition to starting an hour earlier than usual, here’s what else to expect from tonight’s telecast:

• A focus on jokes over big, highly produced comedy bits
• Live performances of all five Oscar-nominated songs, including Ryan Gosling singing “I’m Just Ken”
• A redesigned stage to show off the live orchestra
• An in memoriam sequence that promises to tug at heartstrings

▶ Read more about what producers have in store.

As a first-time Oscar attendee, one of the striking things is just how early everything starts. Our group, a nominee for best documentary, arrived around 1 p.m. local time — three hours before the show begins. We were funneled into a multi-floor reception, with drinks, passed canapés and snack bags to tuck into a pocket or purse for the main event.

With just under an hour to go until showtime, an announcement blared overhead encouraging guests to take their seats. Most appeared inclined to keep enjoying the reception, prompting increasingly urgent appeals from the announcer.

Actors Emily Blunt and John Krasinski both dazzled in white as they arrived at the 96th Academy Awards together.

Lily Gladstone is the anguished heart and compassionate conscience of “Killers of the Flower Moon.” She embodies not just Mollie Burkhart but generations of Native joy, grace and pain. The Associated Press named the 37-year-old actor one of its five Breakthrough Entertainers of 2023 for an indelible performance that deftly digs into one of American history’s darkest chapters. She sat down with AP to talk about carrying her family’s legacy, her heroes and collaborating with Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese.

Oscar statuettes are displayed during the Governors Ball press preview for the 96th Academy Awards, Tuesday, March 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. The Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 10. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

There are more than 10,000 members of the Academy, who each have a role in picking the winners.

Generally, people who work in a particular category decided the nominees in that category. Directors nominate directors, for example — but all voting members can nominate movies for best picture.

This year, the nominations were announced Jan. 23. Once the nominees are decided, everyone can vote for all categories in the final round of voting. Final voting started Feb. 22 and ended Feb. 27. All the voting happens online.

For most categories, the nominee with the most votes simply wins. But best picture employs ranked choice voting.

Only two people — partners of the accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers — know the winners before they’re announced Sunday.

Protesters line up holding letters and symbols reading “Eyes on Rafah,” during a demonstration in support of Palestinians calling for a ceasefire in Gaza as the 96th Academy Awards Oscars ceremony is held nearby, Sunday, March 10, 2024, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

Protesters blocked Sunset Blvd. and then Highland Ave. as Oscars attendees sat in black SUVs at a standstill for more than an hour. The LAPD cleared Highland by around 3:30 p.m. Pacific.

Protesters shouted “Shame!” as some attendees walked up Highland and through nearby streets, with some pushing and shoving as protesters tried to block them.

Police in helmets and wielding batons declared an unlawful assembly and threatened arrest.

Ryan Gosling, nominated for his role of Ken in “Barbie,” arrived in all-black on the Oscars red carpet.

Dwayne Johnson arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Forgive Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for stumbling a little bit over the pronunciation of the designer of his Oscars attire.

He eventually got it right: He’s wearing Dolce and Gabbana. It took the wrestler-turned-actor a couple of tries to get the wording out, but he got there.

And he had a good reason: “I’ve had a lot of tequila,” he said.

BEST ACTUALLY SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE: Cory Michael Smith, ‘May December’

This image released by Netflix shows Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry, left, and Cory Michael Smith as Georgie Atherton, in a scene from “May December.” (François Duhamel/Netflix via AP)

BEST FACE: Willem Dafoe, ‘Poor Things’

This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows Willem Dafoe in a scene from “Poor Things.” (Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Pictures via AP)

BEST USE OF EARTH WIND AND FIRE’S ‘SEPTEMBER’: ‘Robot Dreams’

This image released by Neon shows a scene from “Robot Dreams.” (Neon via AP)

BEST FIGHT: Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tobias Menzies, ‘You Hurt My Feelings’

This image released by A24 shows Tobias Menzies, left, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a scene from “You Hurt My Feelings.” (Jeong Park/A24 via AP)

BEST HAT: Michael Fassbender’s bucket hat, ‘The Killer’

This image released by Netflix shows Michael Fassbender as an assassin in a scene from “The Killer.” (Netflix via AP)

BEST DOG NOT NAMED SNOOP: Chaplin, ‘Fallen Leaves’

This image released by MUBI shows Alma Pöysti in a scene from “Fallen Leaves.” (MUBI via AP)

▶ See more of our awards and rationales.

Trying to submit your last-minute Oscars ballot?

▶ Read more about AP’s predictions for tonight’s winners.

AP photographer Chris Pizzello is usually on the other side of a red carpet step-and-repeat. But recently, he got to experience being in front of the camera. Here’s his take on the “surreal” experience of having the tables turned:

That was a first for me. My wife, Veronica, and I really got dressed to the nines for that event, which was the Hollywood Beauty Awards. What made it funny was that when we arrived for the red carpet, the photographers were the same people I work elbow-to-elbow with two or three nights a week. So I got razzed a bit, but it was all in good fun. I joked to my colleagues that I was going to require approvals on everyone’s pictures of us.

Actor Kurt Tocci leaps for photographers at the premiere of the AMC series “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live,” Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

One thing I noticed was that it’s hard to see with the bright lights shining right in your face and you get a little confused by the simultaneous directives of all the photographers. Everyone is yelling at once, so you do naturally gravitate to the people with the loudest voices.

I also acquired a newfound respect for celebrities who can go onstage and deliver a great impromptu acceptance speech. The award I was up for, Photographer of the Year, was one of the final categories and I felt an increasing knot in my stomach as the night went on. When my category was finally announced by the presenters, my heart leapt into my throat. I had a speech ready in my tux pocket, but other winners were going up there sans notes and just killing it. But I didn’t ultimately win, and I have to admit I felt great relief that I didn’t have to speak in front of 300 people.

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay arrived at the Oscars wearing a blue gown and a pin advocating for a cease-fire in Gaza.

Billie Eilish, Ramy Youssef, Ava DuVernay and others donned red pins in support for a cease-fire in Gaza. The bold design features a single hand holding a heart and was organized by the group Artists for Ceasefire.

About a mile from the red carpet, protesters shut down a section of Hollywood’s Sunset Boulevard calling for an end to the violence in Rafah, a dense city on Gaza’s border with Egypt. The 2024 award season has so far been a relatively quiet one for political statements.

In past years, celebrities and other marquee figures have worn pins to speak out against the war in Ukraine — and decades prior, in Iraq, and still before that, Vietnam.

This image released by Netflix shows Carey Mulligan as Felicia Montealegre, right, and Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein in a scene from “Maestro.” (Jason McDonald/Netflix via AP)

One thing you might not hear much during the show: Netflix wins. Though the streamer has been a perennial awards force and comes in with 19 nominations, there’s a chance it will come up empty for the first time since 2016.

Its best shot might be in best makeup and hairstyling for Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” or best live-action short for Wes Anderson’s “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.”

After criticism of quantity over quality, Netflix is retooling its film operations. The streaming service is still seeking its first best picture win.

Best actress nominee Emma Stone went straight for the Dolby Theatre as a voice of god implored the red carpet stragglers to please take their seats. She paused to greet Netflix exec Scott Stuber who gave her a kiss on the cheek and his wife Molly Sims who made a bowing gesture to Stone.

Emily Blunt found her way over to give her “Oppenheimer” director Christopher Nolan and producer Emma Thomas a hug on the red carpet. Blunt’s husband John Krasinski chimed in that Nolan looked dapper. They posed for a photograph and laughed together for a long chat. “Oppenheimer” is widely expected to have a near sweep of the awards.

Danielle Brooks, nominated for her role in “The Color Purple,” shares the lessons she’s learned during this awards season.

For her first Oscars, Danielle Brooks went with a classic designer. She walked the red carpet in a custom Dolce and Gabbana.

“The story is this is my first Oscars dress,” Brooks said. “That’s the story. I hope to come back again and again and again. But this will forever be special to me.”

She’s a nominee for best supporting actress for her work in “The Color Purple.”

It’s not just the men playing it safe in black this year — the classic color choice is popular among the women, including a custom Schiaparelli for Sandra Hüller with extended shoulders and the perfect fit.

Among the risk-takers? Charlotte Kemp Muhl, who walked with Sean Ono Lennon in a backless and near sideless fit.

Sandra Huller arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Sean Ono Lennon, left, and Kemp Muhl arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Monet McMichael arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Eva Longoria arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Celine Song arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Ava DuVernay arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Ted Danson, left, and Mary Steenburgen arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Danielle Brooks arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Christina Steinberg arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Debra O’Connell arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Jeffrey Wright arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Sony Pictures Chair Tom Rothman and “American Fiction” star Jeffrey Wright had other things to chat about than awards on the Oscars red carpet: Their days playing college sports.

Rothman said he’d read an interview in which the best actor nominee talked about the importance of exercise to his acting.

“I’m trying to get back there,” Wright said and gestures to his kids nearby. “Now that these guys are a little older I can focus on myself a little more.”

Gabrielle Union, left, and Dwayne Wade arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Dwyane Wade has won gold trophies before. He’s now chasing a gold statuette.

Wade is a three-time NBA champion, a Basketball Hall of Famer and now could be part of an Oscar winner. He was executive producer of “The Barber of Little Rock,” an Oscar nominee in the best documentary short film category. It tells the story of local barber Arlo Washington, who set out to try to combat the racial wealth gap and how it still seems to be widening in America.

“We’ve been systematically, financially shut out of the system,” Wade said. “What Arlo is doing trying to create the opportunities for our community to succeed. Without financial freedom, you have nothing.” Wade walked the red carpet accompanied by his wife, Gabrielle Union-Wade.

Kris Bowers grew up in Los Angeles, just a few minutes away from The World Stage performance space, and immersed in jazz. Music, he knew, was always his path.

“I told them (my parents) when I was 12, I want to go to school for jazz and tour as a jazz artist and then transition into film scoring,” the pianist-turned-composer says. “I never had a moment where I thought, ‘Oh, maybe I’ll do something else.’ I was always like, ‘Oh, that’s the path. And like, yeah, I’ll try to figure out how to make it happen.’”

Scarcely two decades after that preteen declaration, the 34-year-old is an Emmy- and Grammy-nominated composer whose resume could fill pages. He’s created moving compositions for prominent filmmakers, including Ava DuVernay and Justin Simien, and Oscar-winning films like “King Richard” and “Green Book.”

▶ Read more from our profile of Kris Bowers, who co-directed the Oscar-nominated documentary short “ The Last Repair Shop.”

Colman Domingo matched his custom Louis Vuitton suit with cowboy boots.

Describing his fashion sense, Washington said he lives somewhere between “Cary Grant and Teddy Pendergrass.”

He says tonight, he feels like the “whole party.”

Domingo plays Bayard Rustin, a gay Black socialist and pacifist activist, who was the master strategist of the 1963 civil rights March on Washington.

He’s up for an acting Oscar. He called the role one of the “gifts” of his lifetime.

But he didn’t sound too tense about winning, saying he just feels like he’s here with colleagues and friends.

Stars weren’t the only ones shining bright on the Oscars red carpet. After many days of gray skies and unusual rain, the weather this Sunday in Hollywood is perfect: 69 degrees Fahrenheit (20 Celsius) with tons of sunshine.

Apologies to the Grammys , where the rain-soaked carpet inspired more than a few memes.

The Oscars red carpet is tented, though, giving photographs more of a “night” feel.

Dominic Sessa arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

AP photographer Chris Pizzello is a veteran of awards shows — and their red carpets. Here’s how he gets the shot amid fierce competition: I am a naturally quiet person, so I’ve never been a yeller. Even when I do yell, everyone complains that they can’t hear me! So I try to concentrate on capturing what red carpet photographers call “moments.” A wave. A wink. A spontaneous burst of laughter. Or maybe a look back over the shoulder as the celebrity is walking away. It’s just a matter of always being attentive. I also occasionally like to focus on interesting details, like shoes or necklaces.

Kristen Stewart, a cast member in “Love Me,” is interviewed at the premiere of the film at Eccles Theatre during the Sundance Film Festival, Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

At one of her Sundance premieres this year, Kristen Stewart was dressed down (for her) but still was the coolest-looking person in the room, the ultimate hipster. She was wearing these dice rings on one hand, one white and one black. I shot a tight detail shot of them and put it up on my Instagram — I couldn’t believe how many likes that shot got.

Emma Stone, nominated for her role in “Poor Things,” arrived at the Oscars in a light blue gown.

Emma Stone went for a soft pastel strapless look in mint with a wide peplum at the waist. It was Louis Vuitton.

Carol Littleton, from left, Mel Brooks, Angela Bassett, and Michelle Satter pose with their honorary awards during the Governors Awards on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, at the Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Mel Brooks received his second Oscar back in January at a private dinner in the heart of Hollywood. The event, the 14th Governors Awards, was untelevised but the crowd was as starry as they come with the likes of Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Penélope Cruz, Natalie Portman, Bradley Cooper and Jon Batiste in the audience.

“I promise not to sell this one,” Brooks said.

Hollywood’s awards season can start to feel a little gratuitously self-congratulatory, but the Governors Awards is a bit of a respite from the horse race and a chance to celebrate some of the industry’s living legends, including Brooks, Angela Bassett and film editor Carol Littleton, who all collected honorary Oscars at the Ray Dolby Ballroom, just steps from where the Academy Awards will be broadcast today. Michelle Satter, a founding director of the Sundance Institute, also received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

▶ Read more about the Governors Awards.

Many men stuck to black in tuxedos and other looks, including a fashion star of the awards season, Colman Domingo in a double-breasted tuxedo look, a custom Louis Vuitton, paired with western boots. “I wanted to shine like a diamond″ he told E! “I’m having a great time.”

Colman Domingo said he wore a custom Louis Vuitton suit to the Oscars.

Among the men who opted out of black was Taylor Zakhar Perez in powder blue.

Taylor Zakhar Perez, left, takes a selfie with fans at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Simu Liu of “Barbie” brought the Kenergy. He rocked a black Fendi look with a wrap-around jacket closed with a brooch.

“It’s a fun situation, and I like brooches,” he said.

Simu Liu, left, and Allison Hsu arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Emma Stone’s third collaboration with director Yorgos Lanthimos is “Poor Things.” The 35-year-old star spoke about her trust in Lanthimos, his treatment of nudity in film, surrealism — and whether she’d ever become a director.

Kirsten Dunst, left, and Jesse Plemons arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons made a beeline to Cord Jefferson to say hello.

“Great to see you, man,” Plemons said giving a handshake and a hug. Soon others started swarming Dunst, asking for photos and all chatted about whether or not everyone was late.

The lack of the evening’s biggest stars on the carpet with only an hour until showtime has started to become the topic of the carpet.

Nearby, best actor nominee Paul Giamatti paused to pose next to an oversized Oscar statuette.

Protesters against the war in Gaza have shut down a major traffic artery in Hollywood about a mile from where the Oscars will be held.

Billie Eilish and America Ferrera hugged once they saw each other on the Oscars red carpet

America Ferrera stopped to post for a few selfies and even sign an autograph for a fan on the red carpet. She’s nominated for best supporting performance for “Barbie,” which none of the fans forgot shouting, “Hi Barbie! I love you!”

As she breezed by, the fans got even more excited as Nicolas Cage appeared.

Kingsley Ben-Adir shares his thoughts on ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ on the Oscars red carpet.

Issa Rae arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Issa Rae, a red carpet standout, stunned in plunging deep green. The top sparkled with sequins.

“I am wearing green for good luck,” she said. “I wanted to feel old Hollywood.”

From left, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Lily-Rose Depp arrive at Chanel’s 15th Annual Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Sandra Huller arrives at Chanel’s 15th Annual Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Kristen Stewart arrives at Chanel’s 15th Annual Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Olivia Munn arrives at Chanel’s 15th Annual Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Ava DuVernay arrives at Chanel’s 15th Annual Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Chloe Sevigny arrives at Chanel’s 15th Annual Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Usher arrives at Chanel’s 15th Annual Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Tessa Thompson arrives at Chanel’s 15th Annual Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

James Marsden arrives at Chanel’s 15th Annual Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Maya Rudolph arrives at Chanel’s 15th Annual Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Alexandra Shipp arrives at Chanel’s 15th Annual Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Havana Rose Liu arrives at Chanel’s 15th Annual Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

The night before the Oscars isn’t a time to rest in Hollywood. For quite a few nominees, including “Barbie” star Margot Robbie, it meant a stop at the historic Beverly Hills Hotel for the 15th annual Chanel and Charles Finch pre-Oscar dinner.

Robbie was in very good company, with other Oscar nominees including best supporting actress frontrunner Da’Vine Joy Randolph, as well as America Ferrera, Sandra Hüller, Justine Triet, Cord Jefferson, Jonathan Glazer and Celine Song, who all are expected at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday evening.

They packed into the picturesque patio of the storied Polo Lounge for cocktails before the private dinner on a clear, chilly night in Beverly Hills. Robert De Niro was among the earliest arrivals, but within no time the space was full of stars.

▶ Read more from our recap of the pre-Oscar dinner.

Colman Domingo, nominated for his role in “Rustin,” arrives on the Oscars red carpet.

Porché Brinker of “The Last Repair Shop” was in ethereal soft blue. Juliet Donenfeld of “Red, White and Blue” looked all-the-way grown up in a blinged-out strapless dress.

Juliet Donenfeld arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Katie Lowes, left, and Adam Shapiro eat pretzels on the carpet at the Oscars on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Not just any pretzels — Philadelphia-style soft pretzels, provided by actors and married couple Adam Shapiro and Katie Lowes. Shapiro is a Philly-area native and told Philadelphia’s ABC affiliate that he made 5,000 pretzels for the show.

Host Jimmy Kimmel arranged for the pretzels to be under the seats of the Dolby Theatre last year, telling the audience midway through the show that they were there.

“In the acting world, it’s all about a callback. This is a good callback,” Shapiro said.

Cord Jefferson’s first feature is up for best picture at the Academy Awards. Even surrounded by stars at the recent Oscar nominees luncheon, he still couldn’t believe it. Jefferson — who wrote, directed and produced the satire starring Jeffrey Wright — spoke with AP entertainment journalist Leslie Ambriz about the Hollywood awards circuit, insecurity and the significance of a third grade writing project.

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in a scene from “Oppenheimer.” (Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures via AP)

FanDuel Sportsbook has odds posted on many categories, and all signs point to a big “Oppenheimer” night.

“Oppenheimer” is a massive favorite to win best picture and is the pick to win at least seven other statuettes — Cillian Murphy (best actor), Robert Downey Jr. (best supporting actor), Christopher Nolan (best director), Ludwig Göransson (best original score), best cinematography, best sound, and best film editing.

Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) is a slight favorite over Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) for best actress, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell (“Barbie”) are favored for best original song and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”) is the pick for best supporting actress.

Here’s how big a favorite “Oppenheimer” is for best picture. If someone bet $100 on Sunday morning, the odds were so low at that point that they would win … $1.25.

Rita Moreno wore a huge smile and a statement black gown, and Brittany Snow popped in bright yellow on the Oscars red carpet .

Rita Moreno arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Moreno, at 92, waved to photographers as she showed off her look.

Snow offered a refreshing show of color in a bright strapless custom Monot dress paired with a statement choker.

Brittany Snow arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Martin Scorsese’s says his epic “Killers of the Flower Moon” is “an internal spectacle.” The movie about the systematic killing of Osage Nation members for their oil-rich land in the 1920s also demonstrates his continued dedication to ambitious filmmaking. The legendary 80-year-old director sat down with The Associated Press to talk about staying focused and curious, the future of cinema and pushing boundaries: “There is no limit. The limit is in yourself.”

Brendan Fraser arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Brendan Fraser made a triumphant return to the red carpet after his best actor win last year, bypassing reporters and pausing only to say hello to Marlee Matlin.

He also ran into “The Whale” cinematographer Matthew Libatique (nominated this year for “Maestro”).

“We both wore blue!” Fraser said. He’s presenting an award at the show later.

Christopher Nolan celebrated the home video release of “Oppenheimer” by looking back at the film’s surprisingly successful theatrical run — and what it may mean for Hollywood. No one in the industry expected that a long, talky, R-rated drama released at the height of the summer movie season would earn over $900 million at the box office. Nolan deflected Bond rumors, called the Hollywood strikes “a very necessary realignment” — and considered the future of artificial intelligence in filmmaking.

A protester holds a poster during a demonstration in support of Palestinians calling for a ceasefire in Gaza as the 96th Academy Awards Oscars ceremony is held nearby, Sunday, March 10, 2024, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

Protesters against the war in Gaza — wearing black-and-white keffiyehs, watermelon yarmulkes, suits and ties, some splattered with fake blood — have shut down a major traffic artery in Hollywood about a mile (1.6 km) from the Dolby Theatre.

Flanked by palm trees along Sunset Boulevard, demonstrators are holding signs reading “While you’re watching, bombs are dropping” and “Eyes on Rafah ,” a city on southern Gaza’s border with more than 1 million displaced residents.

The coalition of activist groups, including Jewish Voice for Peace and SAG-AFTRA Members for Ceasefire, drew attention to the ongoing violence at the start of Ramadan.

Many surprises await during the show including some special guests during the in memoriam.

Also lips are sealed on specifics around Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken” performance but a person close to production who requested anonymity said “it’s a lot of people to fit on that stage.” Elsewhere Simu Liu made way down the carpet as fans in the bleachers shouted “Hi, Ken!”

Director Wim Wenders of “Perfect Days” arrived with his wife, Donata Wenders, who is wearing a dress made of VHS videotape of some of his movies.

Donata Wenders arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

The view from the secondary red carpet at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julie Pace)

Behind the red carpet you see celebrities and nominees walking on television is the secondary red carpet for, well, everyone else.

It’s a lower-stakes situation. No photographers, no reporters asking what you’re wearing — and no accessing the main carpet!

Associated Press journalist Mstyslav Chernov is in Los Angeles as the movie he risked his life to produce is up for an Academy Award — but he says his heart is in Ukraine with other cities being bombed.

“20 Days in Mariupol” is being honored in the documentary category. Chernov says it’s a movie about “tough things” but it’s also “important to show the real picture” of life in Ukraine. He says it’s been inspiring to meet the other nominees in the documentary category.

Laverne Cox arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Laverne Cox, working the carpet for E!, is the epitome of Old Hollywood glam in an hourglass look of black and low-plunging gold, her hair piled high as she flutters a feather-light neck piece that trails behind. Her look is vintage Mugler.

Last year’s best picture and director winners Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” are getting quite the different Oscar experience this year and finding it’s kind of nice.

“We’re back on the circuit,” Scheinert said. “It’s really chill to be here and not have anything at stake.”

Kwan meanwhile was taking in the spectacle and appreciating the “Godzilla Minus One” team’s mini monster toys.

The “Godzilla Minus One” team brough mini monsters to the Oscars red carpet Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Los Angeles (AP Photo/Brooke Lefferts)

Jack Quaid arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

“Oppenheimer” actor Jack Quaid (and proud member of the Oppenhomie group chat) decided to bypass interviews but still have a nice shoutout to some fawning fans in the bleachers.

“Jack, we love you!” one shouted.

“Thank you, you’re the best,” Quaid, who co-presented the nominees, responded.

Eugene Lee Yang arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Janet Yang arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Liza Koshy arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, left, and Quannah Chasinghorse arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Diane Warren arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Red, an “It” color of the awards season, has some early enthusiasts as arrivals are heating up.

Bobi Wine, left, and Barbie Kyagulanyi arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The braintrust behind “Bobi Wine: The People’s President” took to the red carpet obviously unsure if they’d win the Oscar for best documentary feature film.

They were already happy, though. Simply telling the story of Wine — a popular Ugandan singer who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2021, losing to President Yoweri Museveni in an election Wine claimed was rigged against him — was reason enough to celebrate.

“Needless to say, being nominated for an Oscar is the highest accolade possible,” producer John Battsek said. “It brings this story to the world’s gaze, and that’s what we want.”

Erika Alexander arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Erika Alexander of “American Fiction” is wearing a white strapless gown with a black skirt trimmed in pastel tulle. The designer, Christian Siriano, said it was made in a miraculous four days.

David Leitch, left, and Kelly McCormick arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Filmmaker David Leitch doesn’t have a movie at the Oscars this year, but he was invited to attend for a very special reason: During the show, there is going to be a special celebration of the art of stunts.

He and many others have been long lobbying for a stunt award to be added to the Oscars. Though this isn’t quite a golden statuette, it is a gesture to one of filmmaking’s most essential crafts.

In Leitch’s upcoming film “The Fall Guy,” Ryan Gosling plays a stuntman.

Vanessa Hudgens arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Jamie Lee Curtis arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Jacqueline Stewart arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Sean Wang, left, and Chang Li Hua arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Brittany Snow arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Julianne Hough arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Osage singers and dancers arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The carpet has only been open for about an hour, but it’s already star-studded. Stay tuned for more photos of the night’s best looks.

More than 1,000 costumes went into the period drama “Oppenheimer,” which details the making of the first nuclear weapons.

The movie’s costume designer Ellen Mirojnick told the AP on the red carpet ahead of the awards ceremony that the costumes were sourced from across the U.S. and Europe. She’s nominated in the costume design category.

She made her own fashion statement with long black leather gloves that went over her elbows and had gold nails for fingers.

“Oppenheimer” costume designer Ellen Mirojnick’s gloves on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday, March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Brooke Lefferts)

The Associated Press journalists behind “20 Days in Mariupol” reacted after their chronicle about the besieged Ukrainian city received an Oscar nomination for best documentary. The film, a co-production between the AP and PBS’ “Frontline,” was shot during the first three weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.

The AP team has arrived at the Oscars.

Laura Karpman arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

American Fiction” composer Laura Karpman, head to toe in silver sequins, got the fan section especially excited, tossing Cadbury eggs to several lucky onlookers. Nominated this year for original score, Karpman last year wore a dress with Christine Blasey Ford’s congressional testimony.

Elsewhere, “Oppenheimer” cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema made a quiet entrance in some comfortable but festive silver sneakers. He’s expected to win in his category later.

Throughout the billion-dollar “Barbie,” an instrumental version of Billie Eilish’s hit “What Was I Made For?” weaves in and out, soundtracking the famous doll’s existential crisis. In the final scene — no spoilers! — Eilish’s falsetto is finally heard atop the familiar piano. Cue the waterworks. It is one of many standout musical moments in a movie stacked with them: The music of “Barbie” has become its own blockbuster, selling 126,000 copies in its first week and debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart.

“Barbie” music has also earned three Grammy Awards, one Golden Globe and two Academy Award nominations in the original song category – more than any other film. So, is “Barbie” an exception? Or are soundtracks back? It’s ... debatable. Read what experts have to say here.

Chef Wolfgang Puck goofs around with a crew from TV Azteca, who have a wig as a prop on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday, March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Brooke Lefferts)

Reece Feldman arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

TikTok star Reece Feldman is feeling good on the red carpet at his third Oscars Sunday, but things were a little dicier a few hours ago.

“They couldn’t find my suit,” he said. “I was just sitting there in a robe.”

The wardrobe disaster was soon resolved though and his black, sleeveless Saint Laurent materialized just in time.

Also known as “guywithamoviecamera,” Feldman has over 2.3 million followers on TikTok.

Mark Ruffalo’s fourth Oscar nomination in the supporting actor category comes for “Poor Things.” The 56-year-old star spoke with the AP about passion projects, breaking out of boxes as an actor, and why the Yiddish theatre informed his blending of art and political activism.

Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Cillian Murphy and a host of fellow Hollywood A-listers pose for photos at the annual Oscar nominees luncheon. (Feb. 13)

The event at the Beverly Hilton is a warm, feel-good affair where nominees in categories like best animated short get to rub shoulders and share tables with acting nominees like Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone .

Casts gather alongside dozens of the famous and less so for handshakes, hugs, a huge group picture and instructions on nailing an acceptance speech. They also do interviews with attending press.

“Poor Things” star Emma Stone and screenwriter Tony McNamara are both Oscar-nominated for Yorgos Lanthimos’ “twisted fairy tale.” It’s the first best actress nod for Stone since her 2017 “La La Land” win. The two spoke with AP entertainment journalist Krysta Fauria about meeting fellow nominees, audience expectations — and staying humble during Hollywood’s awards season.

▶ Read more from last month’s luncheon.

Take a look at some of the most talked about omissions from this year’s Oscar nominations — and the surprises:

• The bar for “Barbie": Greta Gerwig was shut out of best director, though she has a shot at the adapted screenplay Oscar. Margot Robbie was left out of best actress, though she’ll get an Oscar if her production wins best picture. Ryan Gosling, who did make the cut for supporting actor, criticized their snubs.
• Academy still disappoints with Black women: Ava DuVernay’s “Origin” was completely overlooked. Halle Berry will continue to be the only Black woman to win best actress after “The Color Purple’s” Fantasia Barrino also missed out on a nomination.
• The “May December” gap: The lone nomination for Todd Haynes’ critically lauded movie was for Samy Burch’s original screenplay. Charles Melton won many accolades for his heartbreaking performance as the victim of an older woman’s grooming, but missed out on an Oscar nod. ▶ Read more about Melton’s breakthrough year.
• Farewell foreign features: The international feature category always has some heartbreakers: This year, Aki Kaurismäki’s acclaimed deadpan romantic comedy “Fallen Leaves” looked like it could have been a shoo-in for the Oscars, but it and France’s selection “The Taste of Things,” were shut out.

▶ See more snubs and surprises.

The Oscars are kicking off an hour earlier this year. The ceremony starts at 7 p.m. Eastern — but make sure those clocks are set right. Daylight saving time starts Sunday.

One of the show’s executive producers tells the AP that the earlier start time means people won’t be forced to stay up so late to find out the best picture winner, traditionally the last award given out.

“20 Days in Mariupol” director Mstyslav Chernov, an AP journalist, is photographed ahead of the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julie Pace)

Julie Pace , AP’s executive editor and senior vice president, is attending the Oscars for the first time in support of the nominated “20 Days in Mariupol.” She will be providing occasional updates from a guest’s perspective:

Two years ago, a team of AP journalists was in Mariupol documenting Russia’s siege of the Ukrainian port city. Today, they’re at the Oscars, where their film “20 Days in Mariupol” is nominated for best documentary. The film was a collaboration between AP and PBS’ “Frontline.”

This is our first Oscar nomination in the AP’s 178-year history, and the cap to an incredible run of awards for the film. It’s always a bit surreal for the team to be at these celebrations, given the serious nature of the film and the ongoing war in Ukraine, their home country. But they hope it’s an occasion to draw attention to the people of Ukraine and the war.

Crew members prepare the red carpet area on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, for Sunday’s 96th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

With an earlier start time for the telecast, the Oscars red carpet will begin at 3:30 p.m. Eastern/12:30 p.m. Pacific.

The Associated Press will have a livestream of stars’ arrivals and interviews in a pair of livestreams available on APNews.com and YouTube.

ABC will air its “Countdown to Oscars: On the Red Carpet Live!” beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern on ABC News Live .

A small demonstration near the site of the Oscars on the morning of Sunday, March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles (AP Photo/Jake Coyle)

Just before 10 a.m. PDT, a small group of demonstrators were chanting “Free Palestine” a block north of the Dolby Theatre, on Franklin Street.

While anti-war protests have been muted during this awards season, organizers have called a rally for 1 p.m. near the site of the Oscars, too.

Members of the Osage Nation arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

The Osage singers and dancers made a grand entrance down the steps of the Dolby Theatre red carpet, posing solemnly for a photos, bedecked in colorful, traditional garb.

Onlookers could be heard saying “Wow” in awe. Their departure back up the stairs was just as musical, with bells wrapped around their knees. They’re performing the nominated song from “Killers of the Flower Moon” live on the show.

Crew members roll out the red carpet for Sunday’s 96th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre, Wednesday, March 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The long, textiled stretch upon which celebrities trod is colloquially known as a “red carpet,” but lately not all have actually been ... red.

Earlier this year, the Emmys opted for a gray — or silver, if you’d prefer — carpet. And last year, the Oscars bucked decades of tradition by unfurling a champagne carpet.

This year, though, it’s back to tradition. Red, it is.

Watch what it’s like to walk the red carpet at the 96th Academy Awards in Los Angeles.

This image released by Apple TV+ shows, from left, JaNae Collins, Lily Gladstone, Cara Jade Myers and Jillian Dion in a scene from “Killers of the Flower Moon.” (Melinda Sue Gordon/Apple TV+ via AP)

With four hours until the Oscars telecast kicks off, you have time to watch at least one Oscar nominee — yes, even “Killers of the Flower Moon.” (It’s only 3 hours and 26 minutes.) Here’s our guide on how and where to find the Oscar-nominated films.

Danielle Brooks wants to “change the game.” Her performance in Blitz Bazawule’s “The Color Purple” wowed critics and earned a best supporting actress nod from Academy Awards voters. Now the 34-year-old actor is basking in the glow of Hollywood’s awards season — and preparing for the Oscars ceremony on March 10. (Feb. 23)

Oscar statues stand outside Hollywood Boulevard in preparation for Sunday’s 92nd Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Trick question! While the Oscars announced they’d be adding an award for casting directors last month, the first statuette won’t be handed out until 2026.

▶ Read more about the casting Oscar.

Old age may be debated as a liability on the presidential campaign trail, but it’s not at this year’s Oscars. Nominees like Martin Scorsese, Hayao Miyazaki and Wim Wenders suggest we may be living in the golden age of the aged filmmaker.

Old age may be debated as a liability on the presidential campaign trail , but not at this year’s Oscars.

Hayao Miyazaki, 83, who fought through his concerns to make “The Boy and the Heron,” is the oldest director ever nominated for best animated film. If he wins, he’ll be the oldest winner by more than two decades. “Napoleon ,” nominated for visual effects and production design, is the latest from 86-year-old workaholic Ridley Scott. Wim Wenders, 78, put out one of his very best films in “Perfect Days” (nominated for best international film).

And, of course, Martin Scorsese, 81, had the Osage epic “Killers of the Flower Moon,” up for 10 Oscars. Scorsese is the oldest filmmaker ever nominated for best director. At the recent Producers Guild Awards , where he was given a lifetime achievement award, Scorsese recalled seeing Alfred Hitchcock accept the same honor in 1965.

Is “Killers of the Flower Moon” as good as “Taxi Driver” or “Goodfellas”? That’s a hard question to answer and maybe not the right one to ask. Is it essential? Unquestionably.

“Barbie” director Greta Gerwig spoke with The Associated Press about the unexpected emotional punch of the movie, her roots in theatre and her sets using using all of the pink paint. (July 10)

This image released by Disney shows, from left, Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, and Teyonah Parris as Captain Monica Rambeau in a scene from “The Marvels.” (Laura Radford/Disney-Marvel Studios via AP)

As 2023 drew to a close, no one sounded the death knell of the superhero movie. The Walt Disney Co.'s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” made $845.6 million worldwide and Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” ($691 million) was one of the most acclaimed films of the year. Marvel is still mightier than any other brand in the business.

But more than ever before, there are chinks in the armor of the superhero movie. Its dominance in popular culture is no longer quite so assured. A cycle may be turning, and a new one dawning.

For the first time in more than two decades, the top three movies at the box office didn’t include one sequel or remake: “Barbie,” “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Oppenheimer.” The last time that happened was 2001, when “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” “Shrek” and “Monsters, Inc.” topped the box office.

No, it’s not exactly a lineup of originality like, say, 1973, when “The Exorcist, “The Sting” and “American Graffiti” led all movies in ticket sales. “Barbie” and “The Super Mario Bros.,” based on some of the most familiar brands in the world, will generate spinoffs and sequels of their own.

But it’s hard not to sense a shift in moviegoing, one that might have reverberations for years to come for Hollywood.

▶ Read more about what the success of “Barbie” and the struggles of Marvel say about the state of cinema and the box office.

The casts of many Oscar-nominated films, from “Barbie” to “Oppenheimer,” gathered Monday for the annual Academy Award nominees luncheon. Oscar hopefuls came together for hugs, congratulations and a class photo. (Feb. 13)

This image released by MUBI shows Alma Pöysti, left, and Jussi Vatanen in a scene from “Fallen Leaves.” (MUBI via AP)

The Associated Press’ Film Writers Lindsey Bahr and Jake Coyle’s picked the best movies of 2023. How did they stack up against the 10 nominees for the best picture Oscar?

Lindsey’s picks:

• “Oppenheimer” ✅
• “The Zone of Interest” ✅
• “Priscilla”
• “Asteroid City”
• “May December”
• “Fallen Leaves”
• “The Holdovers” ✅
• “Poor Things” ✅
• “A Thousand and One”

Jake’s picks:

• “The Eight Mountains”
• “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
• “Perfect Days”
• “La Chimera”
• “All of Us Strangers”

▶ Read more about Jake and Lindsey’s methods for picking AP’s top films of 2023.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, SAG Award winner for Female Actor in a Supporting Film Role for “The Holdovers,” talks about her responsibility to tell authentic stories. (Feb. 25)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, explains how she connected to her character Mary in “The Holdovers.”

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, nominated for “The Holdovers,” is widely considered the frontrunner in the supporting actress category.

A poster for the Stanley Kubrick’s film “Eyes Wide Shut” (Polish Poster Gallery via AP)

The holiday season might be behind us, but it’s never too late to get the movie buffs in your life a present — or to treat yourself.

Among our recommendations:

• A 479-page book by Sofia Coppola
• Artistic interpretations of Hollywood marketing materials from Polish Film Posters
• A Criterion Channel subscription
• The Cinephile card game
• “Oppenheimer” in 4K

▶ Find more recommendations and details in our gift guide.

Need help filling out your Oscars ballot? With the 96th Academy Awards fast approaching, check out The Associated Press’ predictions on who and which films will win at this year’s ceremony.

Need help filling out your Oscars ballot? With the 96th Academy Awards nigh, check out The Associated Press’ predictions on who and which films will win at this year’s ceremony.

Steven Spielberg at the 94th Academy Awards nominees luncheon in Los Angeles on March 7, 2022 (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Steven Spielberg may be an Oscars veteran but that doesn’t mean he’s not superstitious about some things.

At rehearsals for presenters on Saturday, Spielberg went “off script” and announced a winner for a 1976 film. (While we can’t reveal what he said exactly, it was a real nominee at the 49th Academy Awards, but it did not win.)

When a stage manager told him that he needed to read the “for this rehearsal only” winners card, Spielberg shook his head: “No, because it’s bad luck.”

Oscars organizers have rolled out the red carpet in Hollywood ahead of Sunday’s ceremony. Jimmy Kimmel is hosting the 96th Academy Awards, which will air live on ABC in the U.S. (March 6)

“Barbie” stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling discuss going to the movies to watch a double bill of their movie and “Oppenheimer,” while “Oppenheimer” actor Cillian Murphy says he’ll be sure to catch a viewing of “Barbie” (July 13)

The very online showdown between Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” all started with a date: July 21.

It’s not uncommon for studios to counterprogram films in different genres on a big weekend, but the stark differences between an intense, serious-minded picture about the man who oversaw the development of the atomic bomb and a lighthearted, candy-colored anthropomorphizing of a childhood doll quickly became the stuff of viral fodder.

There’s even some disagreement over whether it’s “Barbieheimer” or “Barbenheimer” or “Boppenheimer” or yet another tortured portmanteau — a phenomenon on which the AP Stylebook has yet to offer guidance.

▶ Read more about the marketing behind the Barbenheimer phenomenon.

2023 was the year of “Barbenheimer,” the dual-Hollywood union strikes, and some unexpected hits at the box office. A look back at the year in movies with AP film writer Lindsey Bahr. (Dec. 6)

Tonight’s Oscars cap the story of 2023, at the movies. It was the year of “Barbenheimer,” the dual Hollywood strikes, and some unexpected hits at the box office.