The 94th annual Academy Awards kicked off with three legendary stars: Venus and Serena Williams and Beyoncé. (Sure, they are stars in the fields of sport and music, but it was still very exciting.)

The sisters Williams introduced Beyoncé to sing “Be Alive” from the biopic about their father, Richard Williams, and the way in which he trained them to become champions.

Beyoncé, performed from the tennis court in Compton where the Williams sisters got their start, a performance in which everything – Beyoncé’s look, a fleet of dancers’ outfits, the violins, cellos and guitars played by the band – was the color of yellow tennis balls.

Hosts Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes had to follow that, and they did just fine.

“This year, the Oscars hired three women to host, because it’s cheaper than hiring one man,” Schumer cracked at the start.

“We’re going to have a great night,” Sykes said. “And for you people in Florida, we’re gonna have a gay night.” (The latter a reference to the state’s recent so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill.)

While some awards had been announced in a pre-show, which is a new wrinkle this year, the first award of the telecast night went to Ariana DeBose as best supporting actress in “West Side Story.”

“Even in this weary world that we live in dreams do come true, and that’s really a heartening thing right now,” DeBose said.

“It was the summer of a lifetime, and I am the most privileged and grateful to spend it with you,” she said, speaking to the cast and crew.

Greg Fraser soon followed with a win for best cinematography for “Dune,” which earlier had grabbed four Oscars in categories such as best original score and best film editing.

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