“Parasite” made Oscars history on Sunday, and nobody was more thrilled to relish the joy of its landmark victory than Canadian treasure Sandra Oh.
The Nepean, Ont.-born Golden Globe winner and 10-time Emmy nominee leapt to her feet and clapped emphatically when filmmaker Bong Joon Ho and his co-screenwriter Jin Won Han won the Best Original Screenplay award for their film. (“Parasite” later won Best Picture, Best International Feature Film, and a Best Director win for Bong Joon Ho.)
The moment instantly became the reaction gif of the night, due to Oh’s expressive glee about the film’s recognition.
But to be honest, the moment of sheer joy needs to be watched in full for even more context. Check it out below, around the five-second mark:
And then replay it over and over. It’s pretty special. And it’s special for a reason.
According to the Los Angeles Times, “Parasite” is the first Korean — and first Asian— film to win a screenwriting Oscar in the Academy’s 92-year history. Whether Oh — — knew about this specific milestone or not remains to be seen, but wow, was her happiness contagious.
She later congratulated the “Parasite” team on Twitter, in the same vein as her joyous moment:
To make the night more significant, this also marks Oh’s first appearance at the Oscars in 15 years. Having last attended as a member of the cast of the Oscar-nominated film “Sideways” in 2005, this time around, Oh not only won our hearts in the crowd but on-stage too.
The “Killing Eve” star had official presenter duties (she had us in stitches when she presented the award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling by saying, “Case in point: I’m 87 years old”) and glided down the red carpet in a champagne-hued Elie Saab gown.
Oh’s exaggerated ruffle sleeves, embellished belt, and full-length shimmering details with a larger-than-life fluttering train and French bustle looked airy and light.
Actually, the look is the very embodiment of confidence. And now it’s an even bigger symbol: one of celebration, for a watershed cultural moment.
Look: All the stunners and surprises on the Oscars red carpet:
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