The Academy Awards, known as the Oscars, is regarded by many as “the most prestigious and significant award” you can receive. The Oscars, according to Google, are “awards for artistic and technical merit in the film industry.” This means actors, actresses, directors, producers and groups of other celebrities are all invited to come together and celebrate their yearly success. The 2022 Academy Awards was nothing like viewers have ever seen before. Besides the infamous slap between Chris Rock and Will Smith, historical moments were made that night. Here are some of the real historic achievements from that evening: 

For the first time, the show had three female hosts…After three years without an Oscar host, Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes grabbed the stage. The comedians collaborated to discuss issues such as the gender wage gap and nomination snubs.

Troy Kotsur is the first deaf actor to receive an Academy Award…In addition to winning Best Picture, Kotsur earned Best Supporting Actor for his role as Frank Rossi in CODA. His CODA co-star Marlee Matlin won Best Supporting Actress for Children of a Lesser God in 1986, making him the second deaf person to win an acting Oscar. Overall, CODA pushed the envelope by casting deaf actors in deaf roles rather than hearing actors in those roles.

Yvett Merino is the first Latina producer to receive an Academy Award…Merino earned an award for the Latino community as the producer of “Encanto”, which won the award for Best Animated Feature. Merino was also the category’s first Latina nominee, and when she won, she commented, “I am extremely thrilled to be a part of a film that puts beautiful diverse characters front and center.”

For the second year in a row, a woman is named Best Director…With her award for “The Power of the Dog”, Jane Campion joins only two other female best director winners: Kathryn Bigelow for “The Hurt Locker” in 2008 and Chloe Zhao for “Nomadland” last year. Campion already made history as the first woman to receive two Academy Award nominations for directing.

“CODA” takes up the award for Best Picture…The film, which premiered at Sundance in 2021 and is now available on Apple TV+, follows a deaf family in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and the aspirations of Ruby, the only hearing member—a kid of deaf adults (CODA). Not only is this the first time a streaming service has won Best Picture, but it was also recognized with “silent applause,” also known as deaf applause or visual applause, by the whole crowd.

Beyoncé is nominated for her first Academy Award…Not only was Queen Bey nominated for the song “Be Alive,” which she penned for Best Picture candidate “King Richard”, but she also surprised the audience by performing it live at the Academy Awards. Beyonce performed at the Compton tennis court where the two athletes grew up, paying honor to the film’s subjects, Serena and Venus Williams. It was also Beyoncé’s first public appearance in two years, and she was joined by Blue Ivy this time.

Even though the dispute between Chris Rock and Will Smith is what’s been mostly talked about, shedding light on the success of the winners is to me what’s most important. In conclusion, this year’s 94th Oscar was like no other, and will most likely go down in history.