Who Hosted the Oscars in 2017
Jimmy Kimmel hosted the 89th Academy Awards ceremony in 2017, marking his first time as sole host of the Oscars. The event took place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, with a runtime of approximately 3 hours and 24 minutes. The ceremony was produced by Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd, with Glenn Weiss directing. The show was broadcast live on ABC in the United States and streamed internationally through the official Oscars website and partner platforms. For background on Kimmel's career, see his profile on Forbes.
The 89th Academy Awards honored films released in 2016, with nominations announced on January 24, 2017. The ceremony attracted an estimated 33 million viewers in the United States, according to early Nielsen estimates. The show opened with Kimmel addressing the previous year's Best Picture mix-up, where "La La Land" was mistakenly announced before "Moonlight" was confirmed as the winner. The Academy implemented new procedural safeguards after the error, including revised envelope-handling protocols and additional verification steps for presenters.
Key Moments and Winners of the 2017 Oscars
Major Award Winners and Records
"Moonlight" won Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali, making it the first film with an all-Black cast to win Best Picture. "La La Land" received 14 nominations and won 6 awards, including Best Director for Damien Chazelle and Best Actress for Emma Stone. Casey Affleck won Best Actor, while Viola Davis won Best Supporting Actress for "Fences." The ceremony also featured the youngest-ever competitive Oscar winner, with 8-year-old Anna Paquin winning for Best Live Action Short Film.
Guillermo del Toro won Best Director and Best Picture for "The Shape of Water," which also led the ceremony with 13 nominations. The film won 4 awards total, including Best Production Design and Best Costume Design. The documentary category saw "O.J.: Made in America" win Best Documentary Feature, becoming the longest film to win in that category at 7 hours and 49 minutes. The animated feature award went to "Zootopia," which also won Best Original Score for Michael Giacchino.
Ceremony Production and Financial Details
The 2017 Oscars ceremony had a production budget reported at approximately $39 million, covering venue costs, technical production, marketing, and talent fees. ABC paid the Academy an estimated $70 million for broadcast rights at the time, with advertising slots selling for an average of $2 million per 30-second spot during the live broadcast. The ceremony's global reach extended to over 200 countries and territories through international distribution partners and streaming platforms.
The red carpet pre-show, hosted by Chris Harrison and Robin Roberts, featured fashion commentary and interviews with nominees before the main broadcast began. The Governors Ball, the official after-party, was held at the Hollywood & Highland Center with tickets priced at approximately $1,500 per person. The ceremony's economic impact on the Los Angeles region was estimated at over $100 million in direct spending on hotels, restaurants, and local services during the event week. For details on Academy Award eligibility rules and voting procedures, refer to the official Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences website.