Oscars 2024 winners revealed! Robert Downey Jr. jokingly thanks his ‘terrible childhood’ while FINALLY tasting Academy Awards gold – as he shakes off Jimmy Kimmel’s VERY awkward quip about his drug use

Robert Downey Jr. finally won the illusive Oscar in the Actor in a Supporting Role category for Oppenheimer after host Jimmy Kimmel made a very awkward quip about his drug use.

The 58-year-old veteran actor – who has acted for over five decades –  took home the Academy Award over stiff competition including Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction, Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon, Ryan Gosling, Barbie, and Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things.

The talented star took to the podium to showcase his signature wit and even joked about his ‘terrible childhood’ while accepting the honor.

He said: ‘Thank you, thank you. Ah — thanks, Sam, thanks, fellas. You only flubbed one line. I’d like to thank my terrible childhood and The Academy, in that order.

‘I’d like to thank my — veterinarian — I meant wife, Susan Downey over there. She found me a snarling rescue pet and you loved me back to life. That’s why I’m here. Thank you.’

The talented actor went on talk about how much he needed his role in Oppenheimer while thanking director Christopher Nolan and castmates Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy.

He continued: ‘Here’s my little secret. I needed this job more than it needed me. Chris knew it, Emma made sure that she surrounded me with one of the great casts and crews of all time, Emily, Cillian, it was fantastic. 

‘And I stand here before you a better man because of it. What we do is meaningful, and the stuff that we decide to make is important. So, back to my publicist — my agent, Phillip Raskin is here and Andrew Dunlap, my den mother joy Feeley, thank you. 

‘I want to thank my stylist, in case no one else does. Thanks, Erika, thank you very much. And I’m just going to say this. My entertainment lawyer Tom Hanson, or 40 years, the half of which he spent trying to get me insured and bailing me out, thanks, bro. Avery in India, this one’s for you.’

One noticeable omission from his acceptance speech was Mel Gibson who he has previously credited with his comeback when he helped him land a role in 2003’s The Singing Detective.

Gibson’s, now 68, fall from grace began in 2006, when the actor was pulled over for speeding. After the police on the scene found an open bottle of alcohol in Gibson’s vehicle, the Braveheart actor launched into an angry tirade filled with anti-Semitic slurs and sexist overtones towards the arresting officer.

In a police report leaked by TMZ, Gibson allegedly shouted to the arresting officers: ‘“F*****g Jews. . . The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.’

Gibson issued apologies through his publicist and in an interview with Diane Sawyer, during which he described his behavior on the night of his arrest as ‘despicable.’

The actor/director later pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor drunken-driving charge and was sentenced to three years probation.

It may not have been a wise decision to thank Gibson who famously used those anti-Semitic  slurs as Oppenheimer follows the story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb which was used during World War II amid the Holocaust.

 In Oppenheimer Downey Jr portrays as Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss, a retired Naval officer and high-ranking member of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).

Earlier in the evening, Jimmy Kimmel roasted Robert’s manhood and past drug use in his bombshell opening monologue.

The host, 56, returning for the fourth time, left the A-listers grinning and cringing in equal measure as he took to the stage.

Downey Jr. 58, who is nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer was stony-faced as Kimmel made a crass joke at the start of the ceremony – referring to the reformed coke addict’s past addictions.

He said: ‘And Robert Downey Jr., one of the highest points of his career. But Robert has been’ – as RDJ pointed at his face, leading Kimmel to add: ‘Was that too on the nose or a drug motion you made?

‘But look at him, he’s so handsome, so talented, he’s won every award there is to win. Is that an acceptance speech in your pocket or do you just have a very rectangular penis?’

The joke fell flat as RDJ looked somber while staring at the camera while fans slammed Kimmel for his ‘bottom of the barrel’ jokes about substance abuse.

Downey Jr. had previously spent time behind bars in 1999 after a long period of substance abuse which stifled his career.

He added: ’20 years ago, Robert played the villain, and correct me if I have this wrong, in a movie where Tim Allen turns into a dog, right? And if you ever decide to remake that film, I have just the guy to play Tim Allen. 

The actor’s legal troubles began in 1996 when he was stopped for speeding and authorities found of heroin, cocaine and an unloaded .357 caliber Magnum. A year later, he skipped a court-ordered drug test and spent nearly four months in the Los Angeles County jail.

Following this, he then skipped another drug test and was sentenced to three years of prison in 1999. During this time, Downey Jr. served 15 months in state prison in Corcoran, California.

A few months after his release, he was arrested on Thanksgiving weekend for alleged cocaine and Valium possession and being under the influence of drugs.

The valium charge was eventually reduced to a misdemeanor, he pleaded no contest to the remaining charges and avoided more jail time.

In 2001, he was found walking bare foot around Culver City, Los Angeles, and was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs.

Following year of substance abuse, arrests, rehabs and relapse, Downey made a full recovery and has since gone on to achieve global recognition.

Moments later, the film also earned the coveted honor Outstanding Film Editing as Jennifer Lame took home her first Academy Award.

The film dominated the visual categories as Hoyte van Hoytema also took home Outstanding Cinematography. 

Da’Vine Joy Randolph emotionally kicked off the Oscars as she broke into tears as she earned the coveted Actress in a Supporting Role for The Holdovers.

The talented 37-year-old actress beat out stiff competition including Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer, Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple, America Ferrera, Barbie, and Jodie Foster, Nyad.

She had tears running down her face as she earned a standing ovation for her crowning moment as she began her speech by saying: ‘God is so good. God is so good. 

‘You know — I — I didn’t think I was supposed to be doing this as a career. I started off as a singer, and my mother said to me, go across that street to that theater department, there’s something for you there. And I thank my mother for doing that. 

‘I thank you to all the people who have stepped in my path and have been there for me, who has ushered me and guided me. I am so grateful to all you beautiful people out here. For so long, I’ve always wanted to be different, and now, I realize, I just need to be myself. And I thank you. I thank you for seeing me.’

Da’vine definitely did not forget where she comes from as she thanked her acing coach Ron Van Lieu.

She said: ‘Ron, I thank you. When I was the only Black girl in that class, when you saw me and you told me I was enough, and when I told you, I don’t see myself, you said, that’s fine, we’re going to forge our own path. You’re going to lay a trail for yourself. I’m so grateful to all the women who have been by my side, Colleen, Barbara, Tracy Brennan, Sarah Fargo. 

‘I have to give a special shoutout to my publicist. I know you said don’t say anything about your publicist, but you don’t have a publicist like mine. I’m forever grateful. I pray to god that I get to do this more than once. I thank you for seeing me. Have a blessed night. Thank you so much.’

In the film she portrays Mary Lamb who is the head cook at Barton Academy boarding school and is a bereaved mother. 

Da’Vine has proved to be unbeatable as she also earned major Awards Season wins at the Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globes, and Critics’ Choice Awards.

Cord Jefferson won in one of the most contentious categories Adapted Screenplay for his brilliant work on American Fiction.

The 42-year-old writer and director beat out Barbie, Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan, Poor Things, Tony McNamara, and The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer.

During his acceptance speech Cord said: ‘that worked on the film. I’ve been talking a lot about how many people passed on this movie in discussing it, and I worry sometimes that sounds vindictive. I don’t want to be vindictive, I’m not a vindictive person anymore, I’ve worked really hard not to be, and it’s more a plea. A plea to acknowledge and recognize that there are so many people out there that want the opportunity that I was given.’

Original Screenplay was earned by Justine Triet and Arthur Harari for critically-acclaimed film Anatomy of a Fall. 

The duo beat out an impressive field including: The Holdovers, David Hemingson, Maestro, Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer, May December, Samy Burch (Story b Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik), and Past Lives, Celine Song.

The Zone Of Interest from The United Kingdom earned International Feature Film over Io Capitano, Italy, Perfect Days, Japan, Society of the Snow, Spain, and The Teachers’ Lounge, Germany. 

The second award of the night was Animated Short Film and it was given to  WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko.

Sean Ono Lennon made sure to give a special shoutout at the end of his speech for mom Yoko as he said: ‘Thank you, my mother turned 91 this February, and today is mother’s day in the UK, so, could everyone please say happy mother’s day, Yoko? Thank you so much. Thank you.’

Early in the show, the crew from Poor Things earned a trio of awards. 

Make-up and Hairstyling went to Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston for their work on the Yorgos Lanthimos flick.

Poor Things also won Outstanding Achievement in Production Design as James Price and Shona Heath were recognized for Production design while Zsuzsa Mihalek earned it for Set Decoration. 

The film also earned the coveted award for Outstanding Achievement in Production Design as Holly Waddington was recognized.

Visual Effects was taken home by Godzilla Minus One with Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima earning the honor.

 The team beat out impressive teams including The Creator, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, and Napoleon.

The 96th Academy Awards honors the best films of 2023 – with the glittering ceremony held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. 

The most hotly anticipated movies of the past year – Barbie and Oppenheimer – lead the nominations. 

Oppenheimer has bagged 13 nods, including best picture and best actor for Cillian Murphy – who is favorite to win the major category after scooping a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and SAG award for his role as physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer.

The impressive total – which also includes best supporting actor and actress for Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt, as well as best director for Christopher Nolan – is just one nomination short of the all-time record set by Titanic in 1998.

Last year’s other smash hit movie – Barbie – was nominated for eight awards, but also fell victim to notable snubs from the Academy.

Its star Margot Robbie was not nominated for best actress, while Greta Gerwig was not nominated for best director.

Another surprise saw America Ferrera nominated for best supporting actress over her role in Barbie, with pundits saying her character’s impassioned speech on feminism had sealed the deal. 

Barbie’s other nominations include best picture, best supporting actor for Ryan Gosling and two nods for best song – including Gosling’s famed ‘I’m Just Ken.’ 

The second most-nominated movie was Poor Things, a graphic art house movie starring Emma Stone that has wowed critics but so-far failed to set the box office alight.

Stone plays a sex-crazed young woman, with her performance wowing critics. She previously won best actress in 2017 for her performance in La La Land. 

For best actor in leading role Bradley Cooper and Cillian Murphy are set to duke it out for the award. Colman Domingo, Paul Giamatti and Jeffrey Wright received nominations as well.

Leonardo DiCaprio was not recognized for his acting on Killers Of The Flower Moon.

Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things took home 11 Oscar nominations and Killers of the Flower Moon landed 10.

Annette Bening, Lily Gladstone, Sandra Huller, Carey Mulligan and Emma Stone have been nominated for best actress in a leading role.

Gladstone is the first Native American nominated for best actress, for her performance in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon – and is the favorite in the category thanks to her wins at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards,

What Was I Made For by Billie Eilish and I’m Just Ken performed by Ryan Gosling from Barbie received their expected nominations for best original song. 

Sterling K. Brown, Robert De Niro, Robert Downey Jr., Ryan Gosling and Mark Ruffalo received nominations for best actor in a supporting role.

Emily Blunt, Danielle Brooks, America Ferrera, Jodie Foster and Da’Vine Joy Randolph received nominations for best actress in a supporting role.

Joy already has  Golden Globe, Bafta, Critics Choice and Screen Actors Guild awards and is favorite for an Oscar for her performance as a bereaved cook in The Holdovers.

Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer were nominated for best directing, snubbing Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. 

Gerwig was nominated for best director in 2018 for her solo directorial debut, Lady Bird. Only three women have won Oscars for best director – Kathryn Bigelow, Chloe Zhao and Jane Campion.

Though Nolan is regarded as the big-budget auteur of his era, he’s never won an Academy Award, nor have any of his films won best picture. 

Bradley Cooper was not nominated for directing Maestro but he was recognized for his acting in that bio movie.

American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, Barbie, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, Poor Things and The Zone of Interest landed best picture nominations.  

The 96th Academy Awards will be held on March 10 at 7 pm ET/4pm PT live on ABC, hosted for a fourth time by Jimmy Kimmel.