‘The Shape of Water’ triumphs at an Oscars awash in change

UPDATE: LOS ANGELES (AP) – Against all odds, love won out at the 90th Academy Awards.

Guillermo del Toro’s lavish, full-hearted monster romance “The Shape of Water” swam away with best picture at an Oscar ceremony flooded by a sense of a change for a movie business confronting the post-Harvey Weinstein era. The ceremony, held Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, exorcised some demons – like last year’s envelope fiasco – and wrestled with other, deeper problems in Hollywood, like gender equality and diversity.

“The Shape of Water,” which came in with 13 nods, took a leading four awards, including best production design, best score and best director for del Toro. The Cold War-set movie, about a mute woman and a captive fish-man, is del Toro’s Technicolor ode to outsiders of all kinds – and species.

“The greatest thing that art does, and that our industry does, is erase the lines in the sand,” said del Toro, accepting the best director award.

Del Toro became the third Mexican-born filmmaker to win the award, joining his friends and countrymen Alejandro Inarritu and Alfonso Cuaron – who once were dubbed “the Three Amigos.” He dedicated the best picture award to young filmmakers – “the youth who are showing us how things are done.”

The night’s final award was handed out again by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, a year after the infamous “Moonlight”-“La La Land” error. “It’s so nice seeing you again,” said Beatty with a grin.

The ceremony was the crescendo of one of Hollywood’s most turbulent awards seasons ever – one that saw cascading allegations of sexual harassment topple movie moguls, upended Oscar campaigns and new movements sparked like Time’s Up.

Much of Sunday’s broadcast, hosted for the second straight year by Jimmy Kimmel, seemed to point a way forward for the industry. “It’s a new day in Hollywood,” said presenter Jennifer Lawrence, who with Jodie Foster, subbed for last year’s best-actor winner, Casey Affleck, in presenting the best-actress award.

The award went to Frances McDormand for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” a movie about a furious woman out for justice. McDormand asked all the attending female nominees stand up in the theater. There weren’t nearly as many as men, despite the historic nominations for Greta Gerwig (the fifth woman nominated for best director) and Rachel Morrison (“Mudbound”), the first woman nominated for best cinematography.

“Look around, ladies and gentlemen, because we all have stories to tell and projects that need financing,” declared McDormand. “I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: Inclusion Rider” – referring to actors signing contracts that mandate a film’s gender and racial inclusivity.

Jordan Peele won for his script to his horror sensation “Get Out,” becoming the first African-American to win for best original screenplay. Peele said he stopped writing it “20 times,” skeptical that it would ever get made.

“But I kept coming back to it because I knew if someone would let me make this movie, that people would hear it and people would see it,” said Peele. “So I want to dedicate this to all the people who raised my voice and let me make this movie.”

Things went expected in the acting categories, where three widely admired veteran actors won their first Oscars. Gary Oldman won for his Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour,” Allison Janney (“I, Tonya”) took best supporting actress, and Sam Rockwell (“Three Billboards”) won best supporting actor. Oldman thanked his nearly 99-year-old mother. “Put the kettle on,” he told her. “I’m bringing Oscar home.”

But many of the show’s most powerful moments came in between the awards. Ashley Judd, Anabella Sciorra and Salma Hayek – who all made allegations of sexual misconduct against Weinstein – together assembled for a mid-show segment dedicated to the #MeToo movement that has followed the downfall of Weinstein, long an Oscar heavyweight. They were met by a standing ovation.

“We work together to make sure the next 90 years empower these limitless possibilities of equality, diversity, inclusion and intersectionality,” said Judd. “That’s what this year has promised us.”

Kimmel opened with a monologue that mixed Weinstein punchlines with earnest comments about reforming gender equality in Hollywood. And of course, Kimmel – returning to the scene of the flub – dove straight into material about last year’s infamous best-picture mix-up.

“I do want to mention, this year, when you hear your name called, don’t get up right away,” said Kimmel. “Give us a minute.”

But while Kimmel spent a few moments on the fiasco known as Envelopegate, he expended far more minutes frankly and soberly discussing the parade of sexual harassment allegations in the wake of the revelations regarding Weinstein. Kimmel cited the industry’s poor record for female directors and equal pay.

“We can’t let bad behavior slide anymore,” said Kimmel. “The world is watching us.”

Gesturing to a giant statue on the stage, he praised Oscar, himself for keeping “his hands where you can see them” and for having “no penis at all.” But Kimmel introduced the broadcast as “a night for positivity,” and cited, among other things, the box-office success of “Black Panther” and “Wonder Woman.”

“I remember a time when the major studios didn’t believe a woman or a minority could open a superhero movie – and the reason I remember that time is because it was March of last year,” said Kimmel.

In a year lacking a clear front-runner the awards were spread around. Christopher Nolan’s World War II epic “Dunkirk” landed three awards, all for its technical craft: editing, sound editing and sound design.

Several cinema legends won their first Oscar. James Ivory, 89, won best adapted screenplay for his script to the coming-of-age drama “Call Me By Your Name,” becoming the oldest winner ever. After 14 nominations, revered cinematographer Roger Deakins finally won for his photography on “Blade Runner 2049.”

Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani joined Kenyan-born Lupita Nyong’o to salute the so-called Dreamers – immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children and here without permanent protection from deportation. “Dreams are the foundation of Hollywood and dreams are the foundation of America. And, so, to all the Dreamers out there, we stand with you,” Nanjiani said.

Later, Pixar’s colorful ode to Mexican culture “Coco” won best animated film as well as best song for “Remember Me.” Best foreign language film went to Chile’s “A Fantastic Woman,” Sebastian Lelio’s drama starring transgender actress Daniela Vega.

“The biggest thank you of all to the people of Mexico,” said director Lee Unkrich to loud applause. “Marginalized people deserve to feel like they belong. Representation matters.”

Netflix scored its first feature-film Oscar, with best documentary going to “Icarus,” Bryan Fogel’s investigation into doping in sports, aided by the assistance of Grigory Rodchenkov, the head of the Russian anti-doping laboratory who candidly discussed the doping scheme under Vladimir Putin. Fogel dedicated the award to Rodchenkov, “our fearless whistleblower who now lives in grave danger.”

“Darkest Hour” won for best makeup. The period romance “Phantom Thread” won for costume design.

No Golden Globes-style fashion protest was held by organizers of Time’s Up, the initiative begun by several hundred prominent women in entertainment to combat sexual harassment. Their goals go beyond red carpets, organizers said in the lead-up to the Oscars. “We did the dress code thing and now we’re doing the work,” said #MeToo founder Tarana Burke on the red carpet.

The parade of sexual harassment allegations made the normal superficial red carpet a place of sometimes more serious discussion than attire. Scrutiny fell Sunday on E! host Ryan Seacrest after his former stylist, Suzie Hardy, alleged sexual harassment against the red-carpet regular. Seacrest has denied it and E! has supported him. Best supporting actress Oscar nominee Mary J. Blige said Seacrest is “fighting for his life right now.”

Twenty years ago, a “Titanic” sweep won record ratings for the Oscar broadcast. But ratings have recently been declining. Last year’s show drew 32.9 million viewers for ABC, a 4 percent drop from the prior year. Movie attendance also hit a 24-year low in 2017.

But this year is already off to a strong start, thanks largely to Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther,” which many analysts believe will play a prominent role at next year’s Oscars. In three weeks, it has already grossed $500 million domestically – a kind of tally that dwarfs most of this year’s Oscar nominees. The film’s star, Chadwick Boseman, was placed front-and-center, at the Dolby Theatre.

With just a few minutes before the show started, Kimmel and his team emerged from his dressing room chanting, “Let’s get it right this time!”

The Oscars

List of winners for the 90th Academy Awards presented Sunday by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences:

» Best Picture: “The Shape of Water.”

» Actor: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour.”

» Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”

» Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”

» Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya.”

» Directing: “The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro.

» Foreign Language Film: “A Fantastic Woman,” Chile.

» Adapted Screenplay: “Call Me by Your Name.”

» Original Screenplay: “Get Out.”

» Production Design: “The Shape of Water.”

» Cinematography: “Blade Runner 2049.”

» Sound Mixing: “Dunkirk.”

» Sound Editing: “Dunkirk.”

» Original Score: “The Shape of Water,” Alexandre Desplat.

» Original Song: “Remember Me” from “Coco.”

» Documentary Feature: “Icarus.”

» Documentary (short subject): “Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405.”

» Film Editing: “Dunkirk.”

» Makeup and Hairstyling: “Darkest Hour.”

» Animated Short Film: “Dear Basketball.”

» Live Action Short Film: “The Silent Child.”

» Animated Feature Film: “Coco.”

» Visual Effects: “Blade Runner 2049.”

» Costume Design: Mark Bridges, “Phantom Thread.”

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PREVIOUS STORY: LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Latest on the 90th annual Academy Awards, which are being bestowed Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood (all times local):

8:45 p.m.

The Cold War fantasy film “The Shape of Water” is the winner of the best picture Academy Award.

Director Guillermo del Toro’s film has been considered one of the front-runners for the evening’s top honor. It received a leading 13 nominations for this year’s Oscars, and won four Oscars on Sunday night.

It stars Sally Hawkins as a mute janitor who falls in love with an aquatic creature kept captive in a government lab.

Del Toro also won for best director. He dedicated the win to young filmmakers around the world.

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8:35 p.m.

Frances McDormand’s portrayal of a mother seeking justice for her murdered daughter in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” has won the best actress Academy Award.

It is McDormand’s second Oscar and comes for her blistering turn as a mother who feels authorities haven’t done enough to investigate her daughter’s rape and murder.

McDormand won a best supporting actress award for her role as a police officer in “Fargo.” Her win Sunday was not a surprise – she has swept the major awards this year.

The actress opened her speech by saying if she fell over during her speech, someone should pick her up because had “some things to say.” She thanked her family, telling them they fill her with everlasting joy.

She then set her Oscar on the stage and asked every female Oscar nominee to stand up, generating thunderous applause. McDormand looked joyous as she looked out on the women.

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8:20 p.m.

Gary Oldman’s transformation into Winston Churchill for “Darkest Hour” has won him the best actor Academy Award.

It is Oldman’s first win on only his second nomination, despite his lengthy career of compelling performances. The 59-year-old had been considered the front-runner for the honor, having swept awards season.

Oldman underwent hours of makeup to become Churchill for the film, which focuses on a pivotal time in the British leader’s career when he rallied his country to fight the Nazis. Oldman thanked Churchill in his acceptance speech, as well as those who worked with him on “Darkest Hour.”

He also thanked his 98-year-old mother, telling her, “thank you for your love and your support. Put the kettle on. I’m bringing Oscar home.”

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8:15 p.m.

Guillermo del Toro has won the best director Academy Award for his film “The Shape of Water.”

Del Toro started out his speech saying he is an immigrant and referencing other Mexican directors who are also Oscar winners, Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro G. Inarritu. The men are close friends.

“The Shape of Water” has a leading 13 nominations at Sunday’s Academy Awards. It is up for the night’s top honor, best picture.

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8:10 p.m.

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez have won their second Academy Award for best original song.

The husband-and-wife duo picked up the honor Sunday for “Remember Me” from “Coco.” The pair also won best original song for “Let It Go” from “Frozen.”

Robert Lopez dedicated the win to his mother who passed away. His wife said she was happy to see their category include a number of female nominees.

The Lopez’s song beat out Mary J. Blige’s “Mighty River” from “Mudbound”; Common and Diane Warren’s “Stand Up for Something” from “Marshall”; Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s “This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman”; and Sufjan Stevens’ “Mystery of Love” from “Call Me by Your Name.”

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8 p.m.

Composer Alexandre Desplat’s music for “The Shape of Water” has won the Academy Award for best original score.

He thanked his mother, who he said turns 90 this year, and “Shape of Water” director Guillermo del Toro.

“The Shape of Water” is the leading nominee at Sunday’s Oscars, and so far has won two Academy Awards. Del Toro is nominated for best director, and the film is also nominated for best picture.

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7:50 p.m.

It’s been a long time coming, but cinematographer Roger Deakins is finally an Oscar winner.

The cinematographer won his first Academy Award Sunday for “Blade Runner 2049.” It is Deakins’ first win after 14 nominations.

Deakins wasn’t about to cut his speech short and referenced a running joke of the Oscars that the winner who gave the shortest acceptance speech would win a jet ski. Deakins said he didn’t think he’d have much use for the vehicle, and proceeded to thank his wife and his team on “Blade Runner 2049.”

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7:45 p.m.

There may not have been a dress code, but the #MeToo movement has been a key talking point at the Oscars, especially in a segment that brought three women onstage who have been instrumental figures in the unfolding Harvey Weinstein story.

Actresses Ashley Judd, Annabella Sciorra and Salma Hayek came out to introduce a montage that celebrated diversity in cinematic storytelling – including gender and race. First, they each referred to the reckoning that has occurred since the Weinstein story broke last October, launching the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements.

Judd, whose accusations appeared in the first New York Times article about Weinstein, spoke about “new voices, different voices, OUR voices.” She then shouted, “”Time’s Up!”

The #MeToo movement was also a key subject in Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue, and on the red carpet, with women like #MeToo founder Tarana Burke addressing the next steps that the movement needs to take.

– Jocelyn Noveck

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7:40 p.m.

“Get Out” has won the Academy Award for best original screenplay, giving writer-director Jordan Peele a historic win.

Peele is the first African-American writer to win in the category.

His win was greeted by thunderous applause in the Dolby Theatre, which Peele tried to quiet. He said in his acceptance speech that he stopped writing his horror sensation “about 20 times because I thought it was impossible.”

But Peele says he kept writing because he knew if it got made, he knew “people would hear it and see it.”

Peele is also nominated for best director and “Get Out” is competing in the best picture category.

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7:30 p.m.

“Call Me By Your Name” has won the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay, making screenwriter James Ivory the oldest Oscar winner ever.

Ivory is 89 years old and was half of the famed independent filmmaking duo along with the Ismail Merchant, who died in 2015.

Ivory had wanted to co-direct “Call Me By Your Name,” but ran into trouble with investors. He has said he has no plans to retire, and is working on a new screenplay.

“Call Me By Your Name” is an adaptation of a 2007 novel by Andre Aciman. Ivory thanked Aciman first during his acceptance speech, saying it’s his policy to always thank the person whose work he adapted first.

He also thanked Merchant and their collaborator, the late writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala.

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7:25 p.m.

Allison Janney has emerged with not just an Oscar but a theater full of fans for both her award-winning role in “I, Tonya” and her charming acceptance speech.

After capturing the Oscar for best supporting actress, Janney returned to the theater where she was immediately swamped during the next commercial break by people wanting to take selfies with her.

During her speech Janney credited not only her co-stars and others who worked on the film but even the scene-stealing bird that appeared in the dark comedy about the Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan skating rivalry that resulted in an attack on Kerrigan just before the 1994 Olympics.

– Andrew Dalton (@andyjamesdalton) from inside the Dolby Theatre

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7:15 p.m.

If they were giving out Oscars for the most popular arrival in the Oscar backstage press room, the hands-down winner would be Kobe Bryant.

The former Los Angeles Lakers star arrived in the press room to a near standing ovation and was swamped with the most questions of the evening so far. Bryant won for the animated short film he wrote, “Dear Basketball.”

Bryant told reporters, “I feel better than winning a championship, to be honest with you. I swear I do.”

When he told people he wanted to write and tell stories after retiring from basketball, Bryant said he the reaction was, “That’s cute, you’ll be depressed when your career’s over. To be here now and have this sense of validation, this is crazy man.”

– John Rogers in the Oscars interview room

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6:40 p.m.

“Coco” is the winner of the best animated feature Academy Award.

The Disney and Pixar collaboration tells the story of a Mexican boy who dreams of being a musician despite his family’s wishes.

“Coco” has drawn widespread praise for the culturally authentic way it presents Mexico’s “Day of the Dead” culture.

Its signature song, “Remember Me,” is also nominated in the best original song category.

The best animated short Oscar was awarded to “Dear Basketball,” making former Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant an Oscar winner.

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6:30 p.m.

Allison Janney has won the best supporting actress Oscar for her role in “I, Tonya.”

Janney won for her caustic portrayal of Tonya Harding’s mother, LaVona Harding in the film about the figure skater’s life.

It is Janney’s first Oscar win. She has won seven Emmys for her roles on the NBC drama “The West Wing” and the CBS comedy “Mom.”

The actress started her acceptance speech by joking, “I did it all by myself.” She quickly changed course, saying, “Nothing could be further from the truth.”

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6:25 p.m.

Chile’s “A Fantastic Woman” has been named the winner of the best foreign language film Academy Award.

The film from director Sebastian Lelio stars transgender actress Daniela Vega as a woman who faces acrimony and scrutiny after the death of her lover. Lelio called Vega the inspiration for the film.

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6:10 p.m.

Working in a comedy bit from one of the signature moments of the Oscar-nominated film “Get Out,” Jimmy Kimmel has told this year’s winners that if they rambled in their acceptance speeches they wouldn’t be played offstage by music.

Instead, Kimmel had actor Lakeith Stanfield race on stage and scream, “Get out,” just as he did in the movie.

Only Stanfield didn’t get out when the bit was over – at least not initially.

Instead, he remained on center stage, dressed in his “Get Out” get-up, long after the bit was over and the television cameras had cut away from him.

Finally a crew member came out and ushered him off stage.

– Andrew Dalton (@andyjamesdalton) from inside the Dolby Theatre

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5:40 p.m.

“Icarus” has won the best documentary feature Academy Award.

The film tells the story of a doping program used by Russian athletes through accounts from the man who says he oversaw it.

Director Bryan Fogel said in his acceptance speech that he hopes the film is a wake-up call about the dangers of Russia.

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5:30 p.m.

Ryan Seacrest typically gets the most sought-after interviews on the red carpet, but on Oscars night he had a lot of idle time.

Some of the key nominees and stars did not stop for interviews with the host of E!’s Oscars red carpet show. Timothee Chalamet, Margot Robbie and others walked past him, as did Oscar winner Viola Davis. Octavia Spencer told him he looked handsome but did not do an interview. Director Dee Rees seemed to wave no when someone asked if she wanted to stop.

Several stars, including Mary J. Blige, Allison Janney and Whoopi Goldberg did stop to speak to Seacrest.

There was speculation that stars would avoid Seacrest because of sexual harassment allegations levied against him by a former employee. E! Said it investigated the claims and found insufficient evidence of the woman’s claims.

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5:15 p.m.

Sam Rockwell’s portrayal of a racist sheriff’s deputy in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” has won the best supporting actor Oscar.

Rockwell had been considered the favorite to win the award, after picking up the same honor at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last month and other honors.

His character has been the focus of backlash against “Three Billboards” by some who see its portrayal of racism as simplistic.

Rockwell’s acceptance speech focused on his love of movies, which he says his father helped foster by pulling him out of school when he was a young boy to go see a film.

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5:05 p.m.

Jimmy Kimmel has opened the 90th annual Academy Award by telling winners to pause a beat before coming up to the stage.

Kimmel’s joke was a reference to last year’s best picture fiasco. He also poked fun at accounting firm PwC, which caused the error last year. Kimmel says he turned down a skit on the accountants last year and the mistaken reading of “La La Land” was a result of the accountants trying to do comedy.

The late-night host also referenced the sexual harassment scandal that has roiled Hollywood, mentioning disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein by name and saying he deserved to be expelled from the academy most of all. He also joked the Oscar statuette is the ideal embodiment of the moment – because it lacked a penis.

Kimmel joked about the statue, “He is literally a statute of limitations.'”

He also gave a shout-out to the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, saying the audience could expect to hear more about them later in the show.

The show opened with a black-and-white newsreel-style montage showing footage from Sunday, poking fun at some of the nominees including Gary Oldman, last year’s best actress winner Emma Stone and others.

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4:55 p.m.

And the Oscar goes to …

The tuxedoed show workers who worked tirelessly for hours to make sure everyone got into place properly at the Oscar show and on time with as few hitches as possible.

With just a few minutes until show time, and their work mostly done, some three dozen tuxedoed show workers waited in line for a chance to snap cellphone photos of themselves holding an Oscar statuette.

Everyone who posed had to don a pair of white gloves first.

With just a few minutes before the show started, host Jimmy Kimmel and his team emerged from his dressing room chanting, “Let’s get it right this time! Best show ever! Best show ever!!”

– Sandy Cohen (@YouKnowSandy)

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4:45 p.m.

Rita Moreno says it was time for her gown from the 1962 Oscars to make a comeback, so she decided to wear it for Sunday’s Oscars ceremony.

The 86-year-old actress told the story behind the gown she wore 56 years ago and how she never expected to win best supporting actress for her role in “West Side Story.”

Moreno recounted how she came to the 1962 Oscars “never dreaming I would win” because she was up against Judy Garland.

The Puerto Rican actress and singer flew in from the Philippines where she was “making a really crappy World War II movie, playing yet another native girl” and had a dress maker in Manila make the gown.

She remembers the dressmaker’s name: Jose Moreno. No relation.

Moreno says she hopes he was watching and “gets to see this extraordinary dress again.”

She told The Associated Press the dress has been hanging in her closet ever since, and needed a bit of adjusting in the back in order to wear on Sunday.

– Marcela Isaza (misaza) and Jocelyn Gecker (@jgecker)

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4:20 p.m.

Best supporting actress Oscar nominee Mary J. Blige says Ryan Seacrest is “fighting for his life right now.”

Speaking Sunday on the red carpet for the Academy Awards, Blige says that she loves Seacrest and that she doesn’t know the whole truth of what happened. The E! host has been accused of sexual misconduct by his former personal stylist. He’s denied the allegations.

Blige was one of several stars, including Diane Warren and Allison Janney, who spoke to Seacrest on the Oscars red carpet.

The Grammy winner says she’s a supporter of the #MeToo movement and stressed how important it is for women to be liberated and set free by telling the truth.

Blige is nominated for best supporting actress for her role in the period drama “Mudbound.”

– Nicole Evatt (@NicoleEvatt) and Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr)

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4:05 p.m.

Mexican director Alejandro Inarritu is excited to see his countryman and friend Guillermo del Toro make a big statement today.

Inarritu says he hopes del Toro’s film “The Shape of Water” wins best picture because he says it’s his most beautiful film and it’s “very relevant politically.”

“The Shape of Water” is up for a leading 13 Academy Awards Sunday, including best director and acting nominations for stars Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer and Richard Jenkins.

Inarritu was sporting a pin on his lapel Sunday to support immigrants. He also says wants productions to become more open in the future to having Latin American actors and actresses have bigger roles.

Inarritu has won Oscars for “The Revenant” and “Birdman” and last year was honored with a special achievement award for his virtual reality film “Carne y Arena.”

– Nicole Evatt (@NicoleEvatt) and Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr)

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3:50 p.m.

Oscar nominees Richard Jenkins and Sam Rockwell are sharing in a little bromance on the Oscars red carpet.

When the best supporting actor nominees crossed paths on the carpet Sunday they didn’t look at each other as wary rivals, instead engaging a warm bear hug of an embrace.

The 70-year-old Jenkins is nominated for his role as the reclusive neighbor who kindly lends his assistance to a sea creature being held by the government in “The Shape of Water.”

Rockwell is also a supporting actor nominee for his role as the racist small-town sheriff’s deputy who, following a fiery epiphany, attempts to help Frances McDormand find her daughter’s killer in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”

This is Rockwell’s first Oscar nomination. Jenkins received a supporting actor nomination in 2009 for “The Visitor.”

– Sandy Cohen (@YouKnowSandy) and John C. Rogers

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3:40 p.m.

There may not be a blackout dress code like there was at the Golden Globes, but Time’s Up has remained a hot topic on the Oscars red carpet.

A few men flaunted their Time’s Up pins again, like “The Greatest Showman” songwriter Justin Paul, Bradley Whitford and best supporting actor nominees Richard Jenkins and Sam Rockwell. “Get Out” actor Lil Rel Howery says his pin is on his jean jacket, which he wears out more often than his Oscars tux.

Eva Marie Saint, who is presenting Sunday night, says she thinks the movement will be good for men and women. Whitford says it’s time to focus on non-Hollywood Time’s Up situations too.

Tarana Burke, the creator of the viral #MeToo movement, walked the carpet Sunday with her sister. Burke says that it is still a joyous occasion and that they’re at the Oscars to celebrate how much the movement has grown in less than six months.

Burke says they did the “dress code thing” and now they’re doing the work.

– Nicole Evatt (@NicoleEvatt) and Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr)

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3:15 p.m.

World skiing champion Lindsey Vonn says her heart was racing faster on the Oscars red carpet than it did at the Olympics.

Vonn was one of the early arrivals Sunday for the 90th Academy Awards and says being there creates anxiety on a totally different level than racing down a ski slope.

The Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion says she’s excited to be around so many strong and powerful women who are presenting awards at Sunday’s Oscars and plans to just soak in the evening’s atmosphere.

Vonn says she also hopes the Time’s Up movement can change world culture for both entertainment and sports figures.

– Nicole Evatt (@NicoleEvatt) and Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr)

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3:05 p.m.

Oscar nominee Diane Warren says she did not hesitate to stop to do an interview with E! host Ryan Seacrest on the Oscars red carpet Sunday.

Seacrest is facing allegations of sexual misconduct and there have been questions around whether Time’s Up supporters will stop to talk to him on the carpet in spite of that. Seacrest has denied wrongdoing, and E! says it conducted an investigation and did find any issues with the host’s conduct.

Warren says she knows Seacrest and has for a long time. She also says she’s a big supporter of the Time’s Up movement. Allison Janney, considered the front-runner for the best supporting actress Oscar, was among those who also spoke to Seacrest on Sunday.

Warren is nominated for best original song for “Stand Up for Something” from the film “Marshall.”

Warren has been nominated for nine Oscars, and her previous nomination was for the song “Til It Happens to You” from “The Hunting Ground,” a 2015 documentary about campus rape.

– Nicole Evatt (@NicoleEvatt) and Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr)

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2:55 p.m.

“Strong Island” director Yance Ford says that it has been an incredible experience being the first openly transgender nominee.

Ford’s says Sunday that his presence on the Oscars red carpet speaks for itself and that he plans to enjoy himself no matter what the outcome when the envelope is opened later in the evening.

The film is a harrowing portrait of how Ford’s family was affected following the death of his brother in 1992 in Long Island. A white grand jury did not indict the white man who shot him.

“Strong Island” is competing for best documentary against “Last Men in Aleppo,” ”Icarus,” ”Abacus: Small Enough to Jail” and “Faces Places.”

– Nicole Evatt (@NicoleEvatt) and Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr)

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2:45 p.m.

With a little more than two hours to go until Oscar showtime, a sense of calm before the storm has set in backstage at the 90th annual Academy Awards.

Several show workers appear to be enjoying the respite, sitting backstage quietly chatting while one worker diligently wipes away smudges in preparation of celebrities’ imminent arrival on the red carpet.

There is no mention of the stunning envelope fiasco that closed last year’s show.

– Sandy Cohen (@YouKnowSandy)

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2:35 p.m.

“Last Men in Aleppo” director Firas Fayyad says that art is more powerful than the voices of Vladimir Putin or Donald Trump.

Fayyad’s documentary about a group of first responders in the White Helmets and the Syrian civil war is nominated for best documentary at the 90th Academy Awards Sunday. The film is up against “Faces Places,” ”Abacus: Small Enough to Jail,” ”Icarus” and “Strong Island.”

Fayyed said Sunday on the Oscars red carpet said that he is honored to be there and that it’s an important space to share this story. He said it was one of the most powerful platforms in the world. He has been openly critical of Russia and Putin while promoting the film.

The filmmakers had faced some visa issues and were unsure if they were going to make it to the Oscars, but access came through for Fayyed, his producer and his cinematographer. Syria is one of the countries included in a travel ban.

– Nicole Evatt (@NicoleEvatt) and Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr)

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1:30 p.m.

It’s an hour before the stars start arriving on the Oscars red carpet, and final preparations are in full swing.

E! red carpet host Giuliana Rancic posed for photos in front of fan bleachers wearing a flowing yellow dress. Journalists worked to get into their positions on the carpet, some snapping their last selfies before the show. The carpet is scheduled to open at 5:30 p.m. Eastern.

Fans cheered as they recorded a well-wishes message to host Jimmy Kimmel, who returns as Oscars host for the second time.

Two workers from Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant carried a huge tray of food that will be served inside the post-show Governors Ball, including chocolates and lox shaped like Oscars statuettes. Puck followed the platter, throwing snacks to cheering fans in the bleachers and saying, “Alright, who wants an Oscar?”

A massive tent was erected over the carpet to protect it from two days of rain. But the skies had cleared Sunday and temperatures were the low 60s, although it was considerably hotter for fans and journalists under the tent.

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6 a.m.

The (right) envelope, please.

The Oscars will hope to live down their most infamous blunder at the 90th Academy Awards. The ceremony begins at 8 p.m. EST. But more than redemption is on the line Sunday. The ceremony promises to be rife with references to the #MeToo movement sparked by the Harvey Weinstein revelations.

Host Jimmy Kimmel will be tasked with not just ensuring the correct winners are read Sunday, but also with confronting a traumatic year for Hollywood. No dress-code protest is planned by Time’s Up organizers, as happened at January’s Golden Globes.

The night’s top honor, best picture, is considered especially up for grabs this year, with contenders including “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” ”The Shape of Water” and “Get Out.”

– AP Film Writer Jake Coyle (@jakecoyleAP)