A Night at the Academy Awards
ANDERSON: You're with CNN and Connect the World. All right, the 87th Academy Awards now in the books. And perched on top this time around Birdman. It took the top prize: Best Picture. And also to award to over three other Oscars. For some of the highlights, Stephanie Elam looking back at Hollywood's big night for you.</s>SEAN PENN, ACTOR: The Oscar goes to "Birdman".</s>STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alejandro Inarritu's "Birdman" soared over the competition taking the top prize of the night's best picture.</s>ALEJANDRO INARRITU, BEST DIRECTOR, "BIRDMAN": We are here. I don't know how that happened but it happened.</s>ELAM: "Birdman" about a fallen star fighting for success earned four Oscars including original screenplay and director. First time host, Neil Patrick Harris, got into the act recreating "Birdman's" famous underwear scene.</s>HARRIS: Acting is a noble profession.</s>ELAM: It was a night marked with passionate speeches about causes near to the winner's heart. Eddie Redmayne who won best actor for playing Stephen Hawking in "The Theory of Everything" dedicated his award to people battling ALS, the diseases that afflicts Hawking.</s>EDDIE REDMAYNE, BEST ACTOR "THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING": This Oscar -- wow -- this belongs to all of those people around the world battling</s>ALS. ELAM: Julianne Moore earned the best actress Oscar for "Still Alice" about a woman struggling with Alzheimer's.</s>JULIANNE MOORE, BEST ACTRESS "STILL ALICE": And people with Alzheimer's deserve to be seen so that we can find a cure.</s>ELAM: J.K. Simmons won the supporting actor prize for his tough as nails music instructor in "Whiplash" while Patricia Arquette took supporting actress for "Boyhood" and used the Oscar platform to speak out.</s>ARQUETTE: It's our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America.</s>ELAM: Graham Moore made a startling confession after his adapted screenplay win for "The Imitation Game" about World War II code breaker Alan Turing who was persecuted because he was gay.</s>GRAHAM MOORE, BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY, "THE IMITATION GAME": When I was 16 years old, I tried to kill myself because I felt weird and I felt different and I felt like I did not belong. And now I'm standing here. I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she's weird or she's different or she doesn't fit in anywhere. Yes, you do.</s>ELAM: John Legend and Common brought the audience to its feet and tears with their Oscar-winning song "Glory" from the civil rights drama "Selma". The raw emotion carried over to their acceptance speech.</s>JOHN LEGEND, SINGER: We say that "Selma" is now because the struggle for justice is right now.</s>ELAM: And in an unexpected musical highlight, Lady Gaga performed a 50th anniversary salute to "The Sound of Music." Stephanie Elam, CNN, Hollywood.</s>ANDERSON: And Steph joining us now from Los Angeles. What a night. And some political point scoring last night on the west coast, Steph?</s>ELAM: A lot of political points were made yesterday during the Oscars. Becky, when you look at this statement, you look at Patricia Arquette talking about those equal pay for women in general. And you know, Hollywood is an industry just like any other. And that's an issue here. You look at the moving speeches by Graham there talking about how he felt different. You looked at even John Legend and Common and their acceptance speech and how they had people moved to tears with their song. There was a lot of moments there in this entire show that were really about what mattered to these people as individuals and less to the glamour of what is the Oscars. So a lot of moving moments really came from those.</s>ANDERSON: Yeah, we're going to ask our viewers what their favorite Oscar moment was last night. Our team at Connect the World of course always wants to know. Facebook.com/CNNConnect. Steph -- they can get in touch with me @BeckyCNN as well and with you on Twitter. What was your favorite moment?</s>ELAM: I think when you look back at that performance by John Legend and Common and the way with such grace that they accepted the award. It was really beautiful. And I had the chance to talk to Oprah Winfrey outside of the Governor's Ball afterwards, after the show. And talking about like this whole idea of whether or not the movie Glory whether or not -- Selma, I'm sorry -- if Selma was snubbed. And they're like look we're here, we're part of this. And so just really taking that moment to enjoy being nominated was really moving. Also, you know, people are showing different sides of them. You take a look at Lady Gaga showing this understated side of herself and show that she really just has the chops to sing was also quite beautiful. But these moving speeches and people taking advantage of this platform around the world really, really fabulous to see. And Eddie Redmayne. I talk to him outside the Governor's Ball last night, he is so charming in person and so happy to have won an Oscar for playing Stephen Hawking. So it was a delight to see how happy he was in his moment.</s>ANDERSON: Yeah. And I have to say I saw that movie and it was quite remarkable. Well done. Just to let you know, John Legend was one of your favorite moments, Steph last night, I'm seeing him here in Dubai on Friday. So, come and join me.</s>ELAM: OK, I'll be -- I'm getting on a plane tonight.</s>ANDERSON: Excellent stuff. Thank you, Steph. And just to remind our viewers, they can get in touch: Facebook.com/CNNConnect. Of coruse, we always want to hear from you. @BeckyCNN is how you can reach me or @CNNConnect, the team. We've got a parting shot for you this evening. We bring you a final look back at the Oscars through some poignant photos. Here is best song winner Common celebrating backstage his live rendition of Glory along with John Legend brought at least one actor to tears. Birdman director hugging his son after walking away with two prizes. Also among the evening's last winners was best actor Eddie Redmayne, of course, winning for The Theory of Everything. And who could forget Neil Patrick Harris doing his best Birdman impression, or actress Julianne Moore collecting her statuette for best actress. I'm Becky Anderson from the team here in Abu Dhabi, it is a very good evening. Thank you for watching. END