7 Unexpected Superheroes From The Oscars

Real human beings, and real heroes.

Because literally every A-list actor in Hollywood either has played, is currently playing, or will soon play a superhero, it was no surprise that the 2015 Oscars had a critical mass of superheroes in attendance. There were three members of the Avengers; one Asgardian guardian; a captain of the starship Enterprise; and even a wayward Hulk.

But tonight at the Dolby Theater, the biggest heroes on the stage weren't actors; they were real, actual heroes, performing real, actual acts of heroism. And here they are, in no particular order.

  1. Host Neil Patrick Harris, for sending up the Oscars' lack of diversity in minute one.
  2. Graham Moore, who used his acceptance speech for Best Screenplay to make a heartfelt shout-out to all the weird, different kids in the world. "Stay weird" = the best advice ever dispensed from the Oscars stage.
  3. Idina Menzel, for courteously presenting alongside John Travolta and not shoving him off the stage. (It's what we would have done.)
  4. Pawel Pawlikowski, for bravely battling the "play off" music during his acceptance speech -- and winning.
  5. John Legend, Common, and the singers who brought the entire theater to tears, and to their feet, with that performance of "Glory."
  6. Patricia Arquette, for a totally unexpected shout-out to gender equality that brought the damn house down.
  7. And of course, Batman. Because he's Batman.