Brad Pitt, 'Parasite' win early at Academy Awards

The 92nd Academy Awards have started off on script: Brad Pitt won his first acting Oscar for his performance in "Once Upon on a period ... In Hollywood" and Bong Joon Ho's "Parasite" took best original screenplay.

Few categories were more certain getting into Sunday's Oscars than best supporting actor, which Pitt has had locked down all awards season. Pitt earlier shared in the best picture win for "12 Years a Slave," as was a producer. While Pitt has regaled audiences with one-liners in the run-up to the Oscars, he began his comments on a political note.

"They told me I've 45 seconds to speak, which is 45 seconds a lot more than the Senate gave John Bolton this week," said Pitt, alluding to the impeachment hearings. "I'm thinking maybe Quentin does a movie about any of it."

Pitt said the honor had given him reason to think about his fairy-tale journey in the film industry, heading back to when he moved to Los Angeles from Missouri. "Once after a period in Hollywood," said Pitt. "Ain't that the truth."

The class satire "Parasite," which many believe has a chance to upset the front-runner "1917" for best picture, got off to an excellent start. In winning best screenplay, Bong and co-writer Han Jin Won became the first Asian writers to take the prize, and "Parasite" became the first Korean film to win an Oscar. Should "Parasite" win the night's final award, it could be the first non-English language film to win best picture.

"Whatever the outcome, I think the door has been opened," Bong said on the red carpet. "I believe given that we keep on with this effort, the entranceway will just open wider and wider."

As it did this past year, the twelve-monthly Dolby Theatre ceremony kicked off with out a host. Janelle Monae opened the show entering a Mister Rogers set and singing "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood." Singing to leading row, Monae dropped her bowler hat on the head of Tom Hanks, who was nominated for his performance as Fred Rogers. A medley continued with Billy Porter taking part, as Monae segued into her song "STAND OUT."

"I'm so proud to be standing here as a black queer artist telling stories," said Monae. "Happy Black History Month."

Two former Oscar hosts, Chris Rock and Steve Martin, dropped in to supply an opening monologue. Martin called it "an unbelievable demotion." Martin noted that something was missing from this year's directing nominees. "Vaginas!" Rock replied. No women were nominated for best director this season.

Pixar extended its domination of the greatest animated film category, winning for "Toy Story 4." It is the 10th Pixar film to win the award and second "Toy Story" film to take action, following previous 2010 installment.

It was also an early award for the Walt Disney Co. which despite this past year amassing a record $13 billion in worldwide box office and owning the network the Oscars are broadcast on, was set to play a role in the ceremony. Some of its best chances came from 20th Century Fox ("Ford v Ferrari") and Fox Searchlight ("Jojo Rabbit"), that your company took control of following its $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox last year.

"Jojo Rabbit" also won for Taika Waititi's adapted screenplay to his Nazi satire. The New Zealand filmmaker became the first indigenous director ever to win an Oscar. He dedicated the award to "all of the indigenous kids on the globe who wish to do art, dance and write stories."

"We are the original storytellers," Waititi said.

The rainy weather provided some early drama on the red carpet, with personnel scrambling to keep water from leaking onto camera crews within the ceremony. Some outfits spoke loudly. Natalie Portman wore a cape lined with the names of female filmmakers who weren't nominated for best director, including Lulu Wang ("The Farewell"), Greta Gerwig ("Little Women") and Mati Diop ("Atlantics"). Spike Lee, who documented the late Kobe Bryant in the 2009 2009 documentary "Kobe Doin' Work," wore a Lakers-colored tuxedo with Bryant's number, 24, emblazoned onto it.

ABC, which is broadcasting the show live, is hoping a widely watched field of nominees - like the $1 billion-grossing "Joker," up for a respected 11 awards - can help viewership. Last year's show garnered 29.6 million viewers, a 12% uptick.

This year's Oscars comes amid a streaming overhaul throughout Hollywood. Hurrying to catch up to Netflix and Amazon, the majority of the major studios are prepping or have previously launched their own streaming services, as have new entrants like Apple. Netflix makes the Oscars with a respected 24 nominations because of "The Irishman," "Marriage Story," "BOTH Popes" and the likely best documentary winner, "American Factory."

But despite spending heavily through awards season, Netflix may go back home with only a few awards. The streamer continues to be seeking its first best picture win after Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma" came up just shy last year.

Instead, this year's Oscar favorites are largely movies released widely in theaters. In addition they predominantly feature male characters and come from male directors.

After a year in which women made significant gains behind the camera, no female directors were nominated for best director. The acting categories are also the least diverse because the fallout of #OscarsSoWhite pushed the academy to remake its membership. Cynthia Erivo ("Harriet") may be the only actor of color nominated. Those results, which were a subject in speeches through awards season, stand as opposed to research that suggests the most used movies star more people of color than previously.