In lieu of the show’s traditional opening monologue, Queen took the stage at tonight’s Academy Awards for renditions of “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.” The band consisted of original Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, with frequent collaborator Adam Lambert taking up lead vocals. The performance was initially teased earlier this week in a short clip posted to Twitter. The performance kicks off a historic night for the annual telecast, marking the first Oscars in 30 years without an official host. Kevin Hart was originally set to host, but stepped down late last year after a controversy involving old tweets and comedy bits that were perceived as homophobic. The show announced earlier this year that they’d be abandoning their tradition of honoring all Best Original Song nominees with live showcases, which would have left nominees like Mary Poppins Returns’ “The Place Where Lost Things Go” and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ “When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings” without performances. The Academy since nixed that plan, but it didn’t stop Kendrick Lamar and SZA from independently pulling out of performing “All The Stars.” Queen were invited to tonight’s show in celebration of alleged abuser Bryan Singer’s Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, which is somehow up for five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor for Rami Malek. Watch a clip from Queen’s performance below.<doc-sep>Viewers who tuned into the 91st Academy Awards on Sunday night may have thought they were watching the Grammys as Hollywood's biggest night relied heavily on musical performances as opposed to witty dialogue after opting to forgo a host for only the second time in decades. While "Green Book" won the top honor for best picture, it was Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's passionate performance of "Shallow" from "A Star Is Born" and Queen, with Adam Lambert singing in Freddie Mercury's place, that moved the audience. The performances gave the show a distinctly Grammy-like flavor as Hollywood's prestigious ceremony sought to prove that it's still "champion of the world" after last year's record-low ratings. KEVIN HART BOXES DURING OSCARS AFTER STEPPING DOWN AS HOST OVER ALLEGED HOMOPHOBIC REMARKS Following Queen's opening the show, the motion picture academy ran a montage of the year's movies before Tina Fey — alongside Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph — welcomed the Dolby Theatre audience to "the one-millionth Academy Awards." The trio ran through the kind of jokes, they said, they would have said if they were, in fact, hosting. They wasted no time poking fun at the series of missteps and backtracks by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences which included a new best "popular film" category was in, and then it was out, Kevin Hart was host and then he wasn't and some categories were removed from the live broadcast, and then they were back. PHOTOS: OSCARS 2019 RED CARPET "We are not your hosts," Fey pointed out before Rudolph jumped in and said, "So just a quick update in case you're confused. There is no host tonight, there will be no popular movie category and Mexico is not paying for the wall." Rudolph's political jab got the audience cheering before Regina King tearfully accepted her award for her role in "If Beale Street Could Talk." The crowd gave King a standing ovation for her first Oscar. "Mom, I love you so much," the actress told her mother who was sitting in the audience. "Thank you for teaching me that God...always has been leaning in my direction...God is good all the time." TREVOR NOAH SLAMS MEL GIBSON DURING OSCARS SPEECH ABOUT 'BLACK PANTHER' Another politically charged moment came when Spike Lee when he won best adapted screenplay for "BlacKkKlansman." Lee started out his acceptance speech with some profanity, telling producers not to start the clock on his speech. Winners have been allotted 90 seconds for their speech from the time their names are called. Lee ready from a two-page letter that tied together history and the years 1619 and 2019, along with his own story. He then urged people to "do the right thing" in the upcoming 2020 presidential election. "The 2020 presidential election is around the corner," Lee said. "Let's all mobilize, let's all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love vs hate. Let’s do the right thing. You know I had to get that in there." One of the night's top honors went to Rami Malek who won best actor for his portrayal of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody." "I may not have been the obvious choice but I guess it worked out," Malek joked after paying tribute to his later father, who he said didn't get to see him become a film star. Best actress went to Olivia Colman for "The Favourite" and the British star had a hard time holding back her shock as Glenn Close was considered a shoo-in for the award. While Gaga lost the best actress award to Colman, she took home best original song for "Shallow" from "A Star Is Born." "Shallow" was written by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper perform it in the film. The song won two Grammy Awards earlier this month. Gaga effusively thanked the academy and her co-winners, as well as her sister and Cooper. "It's not about how many times you get rejected...it's about how many times you stand up and you're brave and you keep on going," she said through tears. Best director went to Afonso Cuaron for "Roma" which also won best foreign language film -- a first for Mexico. The writer-director dedicated his speech to domestic workers, noting that tens of millions of them work around the world with any rights. History was made multiple times during the otherwise tame show. Ruth E. Carter became the first African-American costume designer to win in the costume design category for "Black Panther." The film had another history-making moment when Hannah Beachler became the first African-American winner in the production design category. But almost stealing Carter's spotlight was Melissa McCarthy who presented her with the award dressed in a seeming nod to "The Favourite" and its Queen Anne's affection for bunnies and elaborate dress. McCarthy had the audience roaring with laughter as she came out to present dressed in a huge, white queen's gown covered with stuffed rabbits. The laughter continued as McCarthy explained that a costumer's job is to present an authentic dress for actors but "never distract from the story." Other awards included best documentary for Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin's "Free Solo" and Mahershala Ali won his second Oscar for best supporting actor for his performance in "Green Book." In "Green Book" he plays Don Shirley, an African-American classical pianist, who tours the Deep South. DANNY GLOVER TALKS DIVERSITY IN HOLLYWOOD ON THE OSCARS RED CARPE Later it came as no surprise as fan-favorite "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" won best animated film. The ground-breaking and mind-bending film about multiple spider-heroes from multiple universes gives Sony Pictures its first Oscar for animated feature, a category that has been dominated by Disney for its 18-year existence. "Green Book" won the Oscar for original screenplay while "First Man" won best visual effects. BILLY PORTER'S OSCARS TUXEDO DRESS TURNS HEADS, SPARKS SOCIAL MEDIA FRENZY Last year's Oscars followed the rise of the #MeToo movement, the launch of the gender equality group Time's Up and the downfall of Harvey Weinstein. A year after best-actress winner Frances McDormand urged the adoption of an "inclusion rider" (a contractual stipulation for the diversity of a film's cast and crew), numerous production companies, stars and one studio (Warner Bros.) have made similar pledges. In the last few years, the academy has considerably increased its membership in an effort to diversify its ranks, which have historically been overwhelmingly white and male. In June, the academy invited a record 928 new members. EMMA STONE WRITES FELLOW OSCAR NOMINEE MARINA DE TAVIRA 'INCREDIBLE' NOTE BEFORE CEREMONY Several of this year's nominees have been affected by sexual misconduct allegations. "Bohemian Rhapsody" director Bryan Singer, who was fired in mid-production, was accused of sexually assaulting minors; he has denied it. "Incredibles 2" producer and Pixar co-founder John Lasseter last year departed the Walt Disney Co. after acknowledging "missteps" in his behavior with female employees. (He has since been hired by Skydance Media.) Without a host, the film academy has emphasized its eclectic lineup of presenters. They included: Barbra Streisand, Congressman John Lewis, Serena Williams, Mike Myers, Chadwick Boseman, Tina Fey, Whoopi Goldberg, Brie Larson, Awkwafina and Samuel L. Jackson. The Associated Press contributed to this report.<doc-sep>"During commercials, when people at the ceremony know they're not live on the air, they run around and talk to people, go to the bathroom, be a little loud, and that could've come across as disrespectful to the winners who are getting their awards during that time."<doc-sep>
We knew the Academy Awards would skip a host this year. But what the show lacked in monologues, though, it made up for in musical performances — because this year’s Oscars opened with a performance from Queen. The modern-day version of Queen, that is. Former American Idol contestant Adam Lambert fills in on vocals when the band tours, and he appeared on stage to rock the theater with the rest of the band. Lambert is always a ready, able performer, so he brought more energy than the average Oscars host usually would. He’s no Mercury, as the medley of covers (including “We Will Rock You” and “We are the Champions”) reminded us; but passable takes on some of the best songs of all time are ... fine. Even if this mini-concert lasted a scant five minutes, tops. At least Javier Bardem was having the best time: Javier Bardem is living his best life right now at the #Oscars pic.twitter.com/2TSd4bD1tc — laney (@misslaneym) February 25, 2019 javier can't stop the feeling pic.twitter.com/Xwu0sEGmZ1 — karen han (@karenyhan) March 4, 2017 Other attendees having a good time included Lady Gaga: And Mike Myers, who’s here! Jordan Peele was only kind of feeling it ... As was Bradley Cooper: As for Christian Bale? He wanted the real show to start, thank you very much. Queen’s appearance at the Oscars isn’t random. Bohemian Rhapsody, nominated for Best Picture and myriad other awards this year, is a biopic about the life of Freddie Mercury. Mercury died of AIDS-related complications in the early ’90s, but Bohemian Rhapsody focuses on his high points. It’s not the most critically celebrated Oscar nominee this year (although Rami Malek’s take on Mercury is considered the favorite to win), but Bohemian Rhapsody has won over plenty of audiences worldwide since it premiered last fall. The road to the 91st Annual Academy Awards was a rocky one. In mid-2018, the Academy announced a category meant to celebrate bigger-name blockbusters, but nixed the idea after intense backlash. A controversial hosting choice, Kevin Hart, ended up dropping out from the gig only months before showtime after his homophobic social media history resurfaced. And most recently, the organizers announced that it would present important categories like Best Cinematography off-air — despite the fact that the Academy’s president is part of the cinematographers’ guild himself. All of this led to an Oscars ceremony without a host for the first time since 1989.