'CODA,' 'Dune' win big at the Oscars

March 27 (UPI) -- CODA was named the Best Picture of 2021 at the Oscars gala in Hollywood Sunday night.

The dramedy about the music-loving daughter of deaf parents also earned the honor for Best Adapted Screenplay, while cast member Troy Kotsur picked up the Best Supporting Actor trophy.

The sci-fi epic, Dune, won for Best Cinematography, Visual Effects, Sound, Film Editing, Score and Production Design prizes.

Jane Campion earned the title of Best Director for helming the western The Power of the Dog, while Will Smith won Best Actor for the tennis-themed family drama King Richard and Jessica Chastain went home with the Best Actress prize for the biopic The Eyes of Tammy Faye, which also won for Best Hair & Makeup.

Ariana DeBose scored the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for the movie musical West Side Story and the Disney villain origin story, Cruella, won for Best Costume Design.

The family adventure, Encanto, earned the accolade for Best Animated Film, but Lin-Manuel Miranda, who composed the music for it, was unable to attend the ceremony because his wife tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend.

The Best Animated Short honor went to The Windshield Wiper and Best Live-Action Short was presented to The Long Goodbye.

Summer of Soul won for Best Documentary, The Queen of Basketball was named Best Documentary Short and Drive My Car was voted Best International Film.

Kenneth Branagh won the Best Original Screenplay statuette for his coming-of-age tale, Belfast. "No Time to Die" from No Time to Die won Best Song.

Comic actresses Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes hosted the event honoring excellence in cinema. It aired live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre.

Among the highlights of the evening was a 30th anniversary reunion of White Men Can't Jump stars Rosie Perez, Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, and a performance of the nominated song "Be Alive" by Beyonce.

Smith also made headlines when he appeared to hit Chris Rock in the face after the comedian made fun of his wife Jada Pinkett Smith's new close-cropped hairdo, which is due to her battle with alopecia.

Smith later apologized to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and his fellow nominees for his behavior, but he did not mention Rock by name.