2019 Oscars Winners Overview
The 2019 Oscars, officially the 91st Academy Awards, honored films released in 2018 and took place on February 24, 2019. The telecast was produced by Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss, with television broadcast by ABC. This is an evergreen reference to that year’s key competitive winners and notable records, useful for understanding the ceremony’s lasting impact on film history.
Major Competitive Winners
Best Picture: Green Book (Champion Film, distributed by Universal Pictures). Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma (Netflix). Best Actor: Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody. Best Actress: Olivia Colman for The Favourite. Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali for Green Book. Supporting Actress: Regina King for Beale Street. Original Screenplay: Eighth Grade (Bo Burnham). Adapted Screenplay: BlacKkKlansman (Spike Lee). International Feature: Roma (Mexico). Documentary Feature: Free Solo.
Record-Setting and Notable Achievements
Roma earned 10 nominations and won three Oscars, including Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón, marking the first time a non–English language film won the top director award since 2006. Green Book won Best Picture amid conversation about representation and cross-cultural storytelling. With Roma, Cuarón joined the very small group of directors who have won Best Director for the same film at both the Oscars and the Cannes Film Festival and the Golden Globes. Bohemian Rhapsody also won Best Actor for Rami Malek, tying with The Theory of Everything for the most wins by a biographical musical drama at the time.
Notable Nominations and Near-Wins
Roma led all films with 10 nominations, followed by The Favourite with 10 nominations as well. The Favourite won Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress but did not take Best Picture. Roma missed Best Picture, while BlacKkKlansman won only two competitive awards (including Best Adapted Screenplay). These near-wins highlight how nomination volume does not always translate into a Best Picture victory.
Roma’s Director Achievement
Cuarón’s Best Director win was historic: he is the first person to earn Best Director, Best Foreign Language Film (Roma at the Oscars representing Mexico at the 2019 ceremony for 2018 films), and he also won major non–competitive honors for Roma at Cannes and the Golden Globes for the same film. This underscores the film’s critical reach beyond traditional Oscar categories.
Comparative Snapshot: 2019 Winners vs Prior Recent Ceremonies
| Award | 2019 (91st) | 2018 (90th) | 2017 (89th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Picture | Green Book | The Shape of Water | Moonlight |
| Best Director | Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) | Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water) | Damien Chazelle (La La Land) |
| Best Actor | Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) | Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour) | Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea) |
| Best Actress | Olivia Colman (The Favourite) | Frances McDormand (Three Billboards) | Emma Stone (La La Land) |
| Best Supporting Actor | Mahershala Ali (Green Book) | Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards) | Viggo Mortensen (The Lord of the Rings) |
| Best Supporting Actress | Regina King (Beale Street) | Allison Janney (I, Tonya) | Luna Winslet (The Reader) |
Where to Watch and Availability
The 2019 Oscars telecast aired on ABC and is available on-demand through the network’s platforms. In many regions, the ceremony is carried by local broadcast partners and may also appear on subscription streaming services that host ABC content. Availability can vary by country, so checking your local guides or the official Oscars site for your region is recommended for current access.
Key Takeaways
- Green Book won Best Picture, while Alfonso Cuarón won Best Director for Roma.
- Roma achieved a rare sweep at the director and foreign-language categories, earning Cuarón multiple historic honors.
- The 2019 ceremony balanced mainstream recognition (Bohemian Rhapsody’s actor wins) with respect for international and auteur cinema (Roma’s directing win).
- Nominations did not always align with wins, as seen with The Favourite and Roma at the top of the list.
- Availability of the telecast varies by region; checking local listings is advised.
Tags
oscar winners 2019, 91st academy awards, green book, alfonso cuarón, roma