After a performance that brought the audience to its feet and left some in tears, "Glory," the soaring track from Selma performed by John Legend and Common, earned the Academy Award for Best Original Song. "Glory" was a shoe-in from the start, even with competition from "Everything Is Awesome." Tonight's performance was one we've seen a few times by now, but it's no less powerful here.
During their later acceptance speech, both performers spoke to the ongoing protests against the violence against black youths across the country. "Selma is now because the struggle for justice is right now," he said. It was a powerful moment, and it might well have been the most moving moment of the entire evening.
However, while Selma did earn a nod for Best Picture, it faces somewhat overwhelming competition from Birdman and Boyhood. Meanwhile, director Ava DuVernay was controversially snubbed for the award for Best Director, resulting in the Academy earning the ire of many onlookers. Unless a major upset happens, this might be the only award the film earns tonight.
