'Oppenheimer' wins 7 Oscars, including Best Picture; Christopher Nolan, Cillian Murphy get statues

Christopher Nolan, Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey, Jr. all win first Oscars

ByJonny Harvey and Sara Tenenbaum OTRC logo
Monday, March 11, 2024
"Oppenheimer" closed out the night with an Academy Award win in the Best Picture category during the 2024 Oscars.

LOS ANGELES -- All eyes were on "Oppenheimer" directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt at the Oscars on Sunday. The film dominated throughout awards season.

Now it's been named Best Picture at the 2024 Academy Awards.

"Oppenheimer" won seven Oscars Sunday night, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. It also won for Best Film Editing and Best Cinematography. Ludwig Göransson also took home the Oscar for Best Original Score.

It was the first Oscar win for Murphy, Downey and Nolan.

The film earned a leading 13 nominations and has earned nearly $1 billion worldwide.

Christopher Nolan wins Oscar for Best Director

Christopher Nolan fulfilled his award show frontrunner status, winning his first Oscar on Sunday night for directing "Oppenheimer."

The 53-year-old British visionary has garnered critical acclaim throughout his career, but had never won an Oscar until now. He was nominated for directing "Dunkirk" in 2017 and for original screenplay in 2010 for "Inception" and in 2001 for "Memento."

At the podium, Nolan noted that movies are just a little bit over 100 years old and thanked the Academy for the honor. "We don't know where this incredible journey is going from here," Nolan said. "But to know that you think I am a meaningful part of it means the world to me."

Nolan beat out Jonathan Glazer of "The Zone of Interest," Yorgos Lanthimos of "Poor Things," Martin Scorsese of "Killers of the Flower Moon," and Justine Triet of "Anatomy of a Fall."At 81, Scorsese was the oldest directing nominee.

Nolan was cheered on by his wife, Emma Thomas, who twice shared best picture nominations with her husband for producing "Dunkirk" and "Inception." The college sweethearts have been producing partners on all of his films since 1997.

Christopher Nolan takes home the Oscar for Best Directing: 'Oppenheimer'

Cillian Murphy wins Best Actor for playing J. Robert Oppenheimer

Irish actor Cillian Murphy, who has collaborated with Christopher Nolan six times going back almost two decades, has won his very first Oscar.

READ MORE: Who was the real Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy?

His nomination for Best Actor for playing J. Robert Oppenheimer in the eponymous biopic was also his first ever Oscar nomination.

Cillian Murphy won his first-ever Oscar, taking home the trophy for Best Actor for his performance in "Oppenheimer."

He seemed delighted and slightly overwhelmed by the win as he thanked his co-stars, his family and dedicated his award to "all the peacemakers."

Murphy bested Colman Domingo for "Rustin," Bradley Cooper for "Maestro," Paul Giamatti for "The Holdovers," and Jeffrey Wright for "American Fiction."

Robert Downey Jr. wins first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor

Robert Downey, Jr. took home the prize for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, for his portrayal of Lewis Strauss.

READ MORE: Robert Downey Jr. wins his first-ever Academy Award for best supporting actor

Robert Downey Jr. won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Oppenheimer."

Speaking with ABC Audio ahead of the film's premiere, Murphy said "Oppenheimer" is "not your conventional biopic."

"It does make you think," he said. "And people can choose to think about the nuclear age that we live in, or they could choose not to. And I think this film might affect that choice."

Recently, "Oppenheimer" won best picture at the 35th Producers Guild of America Awards, another award for the blockbuster film this award season.

Both Cillian Murphy (male actor in a leading role) and Robert Downey Jr. (male actor in a supporting role) won at the SAG Awards, where "Oppenheimer" also won best ensemble, part of an awards season sweep that also included wins at the Golden Globes and Directors Guild Awards.

Murphy also won a Golden Globe for best performance by a male actor in a motion picture (drama) and the best actor in a leading role trophy the 2024 BAFTAs.

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Cillian Murphy in a scene from Oppenheimer.
This image released by Universal Pictures shows Cillian Murphy in a scene from "Oppenheimer."
Universal Pictures via AP

Here is every Oscar nomination for "Oppenheimer."

  • Performance by an actor in a leading role -- Cillian Murphye
  • Performance by an actor in a supporting role -- Robert Downey Jr.
  • Performance by an actress in a supporting role -- Emily Blunt
  • Achievement in cinematography -- Hoyte van Hoytema
  • Achievement in costume design -- Ellen Mirojnick
  • Achievement in directing -- Christopher Nolan
  • Achievement in film editing -- Jennifer Lame
  • Achievement in makeup and hairstyling -- Luisa Abel
  • Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score) -- Ludwig Göransson
  • Achievement in sound -- Willie Burton, Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo and Kevin O'Connell
  • Achievement in production design -- Ruth De Jong; Set Decoration: Claire Kaufman
  • Best motion picture of the year -- Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan, Producers
  • This image released by Universal Pictures shows Cillian Murphy in a scene from "Oppenheimer."
    Universal Pictures via AP

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Now that all the Academy Awards have been handed out, it's time to party!

    Watch "Live With Kelly and Mark: After the Oscars," live from the Oscars stage at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood on Monday at 9 a.m.