Steven McIntosh
Entertainment Reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Black Panther is having a very good night indeed so far.

Which is just as well. It was key for the Academy that the Marvel movie not be snubbed, as it's one of the few best picture nominees that was a major box office hit.

Young viewers in particular will welcome the film's wins - a key factor in helping the Oscars remain relevant and keep viewers tuning in amid falling ratings.

Black Panther has already taken home best production design, which Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart accepted, while Ruth E Carter became the first black woman to win best costume design.

"It just means we've opened up the door, finally the door is wide open," Carter said backstage.

"I've been struggling, digging deep, mentoring and doing whatever I could to raise others up, and hope through my example this means there is hope and means other people can come on in and win an Oscar just like I did."

Daniel Craig and Charlize Theron presented the award for best supporting actor.

It went to Mahershala Ali for Green Book. It's his second nomination and second Oscar. He previously won in the same category for Moonlight.

Michael Keaton presented the prize for best editing, saying editors "can make an actor so much better. Trust me!"

It's a third Oscar for Bohemian Rhapsody, which stars Rami Malek as the late Queen star Freddie Mercury.

Steven McIntosh
Entertainment Reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Vice was perhaps an inevitable winner in the make-up and hairstyling category, as the film's team had to work particularly hard to transform Christian Bale into former vice president Dick Cheney.

It was hard work, says Greg Cannom as he speaks to journalists backstage after accepting the award.

"We're professional, but sometimes we had to do it twice a day, take him out of that make-up and put him in a different age or location," he explains.

"So it was hard, but we were good at doing it as fast as possible, we work very quickly."

Clearly, it's a tough job working in the make-up team for a film like that. Not quite as difficult for the actor being transformed, mind you.

"We're concentrating the whole time," laughs Greg, "whereas the actor just has to sit there."

Ruth Carter was rewarded with plenty of applause for this line...

Steven McIntosh
Entertainment Reporter

Alfonso Cuaron *was* due to speak to journalists backstage after winning best cinematography for Roma, but the press have just been told they won't be getting him until "end of show".

Not to try and pre-empt the rest of the night or anything, but we think this means there's a pretty good chance they need him in his seat for several other categories he might be likely to win tonight...

Javier Bardem and Angela Bassett introduced the award for best foreign language film, with Bardem saying in Spanish that "no borders or walls can restrain ingenuity or talent".

And the winner is....Roma, which takes its second win of the night.

It's the first Mexican film to win this award. Director Alfonso Cuaron once again thanked Mexico.

Both Hannah Beachler and Ruth Carter have come in for praise for their wins for Black Panther, and their gracious acceptance speeches.

While many Oscar viewers are sitting on their sofas, scoffing popcorn, guests at Elton John's annual Oscars viewing party at West Hollywood Park are in for an altogether fancier affair.

As always, the singer made a splash with his outfit choice of sparkly sunglasses and sequinned jacket.

But it's his husband David Furnish's custom-made jacket that we can't take our eyes off.

Perhaps he's making a reference to the party's headline act - The Killers?

Image source, Getty Images

Steven McIntosh
Entertainment Reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Regina King was the winner of the night's first category to be announced tonight - best supporting actress.

She was recognised for her role in If Beale Street Could Talk, which was directed by Barry Jenkins, whose film Moonlight won best picture two years ago.

Through tears (we suspect this will become a theme tonight), King paid tribute to her mother, who she brought along to the ceremony tonight as a guest.

Speaking about that moment backstage, she said: "It's one of those full circle moments, because so much of the character was inspired by my mother and grandmother.

"So to have her there, and my family, and it goes by so fast and you wanna thank so many people and your mind just goes blank.

"My mum was like the lighthouse right there [in the audience], and it was just everything."

Speaking about the movie, King said: "If Beale Street Could Talk breaks through a lot of the sections that exist right now. Love is that thing that pushes us through trauma.

"Tragedy is something that is experienced no matter what sex you are, what race you are, and love is what pushes us through, what gets us to the other side."

James McAvoy and Danai Gurira announced the award for achievement in sound editing, talking about the sound of silence evoked in nominees A Quiet Place and First Man.

The Oscar went to John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone for Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.

Warhurst said working with Queen was "wonderful", and gave a special nod to Freddie Mercury.

Bohemian Rhapsody also picked up best sound mixing, so it's looking like a good night so far...

There's a lot of love for best supporting actress winner Regina King in social media circles.

But we were struck by this prediction for future awards from Netflix US.

Image source, Getty Images

If you thought Glenn Close's cape had an epic train, check out Jennifer Hudson's - she sang I'll Fight from the film RBG.

Twitter is loving this year's Queen performance.

Alfonso Cuaron wins the gong for best cinematography for Roma.

He thanked his family and his home country Mexico.

It's costumes like these that bagged Black Panther the best costume design award, as Disney were quick to point out.

Winner Ruth Carter said she was proud the Academy had recognised "the empowered way women can look and lead on screen".

It's a second win for Black Panther - Hannah Beachler couldn't find her speech saved in her phone for a few seconds! She paid tribute to the film's director: "I stand here stronger than I was yesterday... because of Ryan Coogler."

She's the first African American to win this prize. She shares it with set decorator Jay Hart.

Black Panther's costume designer Ruth Carter won the top prize - but the world she built has had a bigger impact on one boy's life. The 11-year-old dressed as M'Baku saying he was "kind of like me", after a day when he was teased about his size.

The boy's mum didn't have Ruth Carter's resources - she told the BBC she made the costume from his old football kit, some tape, feathers and spray paint.

Melissa McCarthy and Brian Tyree Henry referenced The Favourite with some huge gowns and a lot of rabbit puppets, as they announced the award for achievement in costume design.

But it was Black Panther's Ruth Carter who took the award.

Carter thanked the Academy for honouring African royalty and empowering women.

The internet couldn't get enough of McCarthy and Henry.

Elsie Fisher and Stefan James announce the award for achievement in make-up and hairstyling.

It goes to Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe and Patricia Dehaney for Vice, a comedy-drama about former US Vice-President Dick Cheney.

But many of the winners so far have been chivvied off the stage by the orchestra and dimmed lights. Keep those speeches short folks!