The 96th Academy Awards night had its share of eye-popping moments like every year, and this time it was a very coy John Cena who stole the show by appearing on stage in his birthday suit. Here are nine moments that stood out, though not necessarily for the same reasons.

John Cena turns up in the buff as presenter

Professional wrestler and actor John Cena stunned all by showing up almost naked on stage to present the award for best costume design. In a nod to a bizarre incident from the 46th Academy Awards when a man had streaked across the Oscars stage, Cena appeared with only a large envelope strategically covering his modesty. The audience erupted in laughter as Cena, after being coaxed by show host Jimmy Kimmel near the wings, gingerly walked onto the stage holding the envelope in front of him, leading to a quick cut and his reappearance in a golden toga.

Twins reunion

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito gave us a Twins reunion, arriving on stage together to present the awards for best visual effects and best film editing. Their banter on their roles in the Batman franchise — reminding one of their iconic performances as villains in the film series — was delightful.

Barbenheimer ribbing

Barbie actor Ryan Gosling and Oppenheimer actress Emily Blunt took the stage and ribbed each other on the alleged rivalry around the July 2023 release date of their respective films. Gosling dismissed any tension, mentioning that he was happy to have moved on, while Blunt noted that it “wasn’t much of a rivalry”. Gosling remarked that Blunt rode “Barbie’s coattails all summer”.

Revival of tradition

In a nod to tradition, the Academy invited past acting winners to introduce and present awards in their respective categories. Jennifer Lawrence, Lupita N'yongo, Regina King, Mary Steenburgen, Sam Rockwell, Branden Fraser, Ke Huy Quan and Mahershala Ali were among the past Oscar winners who graced the stage this year as presenters.

In Memoriam

The In Memoriam segment provided a poignant moment as the Oscars paid tribute to those from the entertainment industry who passed away in 2023. Accompanied by Andrea Bocelli’s haunting rendition of Time to Say Goodbye, the segment honored luminaries such as Michael Gambon, Chita Rivera and Alan Arkin.

Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue

The four-time host of the Oscars set the stage for the night with his opening monologue. Kimmel wasted no time in poking fun at the controversies and snubs surrounding this year’s nominations. From Greta Gerwig’s absence in the best director category to taking a jab at Robert Downey Jr., Bradley Cooper and Christopher Nolan, Kimmel had the audience in stitches from the very beginning.

Messi dressed up in a bow tie

Messi the dog from the Oscar-nominated film Anatomy of a Fall, who watched the proceedings from his assigned seat, was an instant hit with the audience. Kimmel introduced the Border Collie who donned a doggy bow tie, acknowledging Messi’s remarkable performance in the film.

Sean Lennon's heartfelt moment

Accepting the best animated short award, John Lennon’s son Sean Lennon slipped in a birthday shoutout and a (UK) Mother’s Day wish to his 91-year-old mother, Yoko Ono. The audience joined in wishing the celebrated artist a Happy Mother’s Day.

Al Pacino’s chaotic award presentation

Al Pacino took the stage to present the best picture award and left viewers puzzled with his brief and somewhat disorganised speech on the category. There was little buildup and absolutely no engagement on Pacino’s part, with his “For best picture... um, let me consult the envelope” remark making for a very underwhelming announcement of the best picture winner .