(Screenshot courtesy of YouTube)

The 88th annual Academy Awards awarded the best in the film industry with a major shout out to the LGBT community by Best Original Song winner Sam Smith, multiple wins for “Mad Max: Fury Road,” Best Picture win for “Spotlight” and a first time Oscar win for Leonardo DiCaprio.

Smith, along with co-writer Jimmy Napes, won for Best Original Song for the “Spectre” theme song “Writing’s on the Wall.” He used his speech to acknowledge the LGBT community.

“I read an article a few months ago by Sir Ian McKellen and he said that no openly gay man had ever won an oscar,” Smith said. “And if this is the case, even if it isn’t the case, I want to dedicate this to the LGBT community all around the world. I stand here tonight as a proud gay man and I hope we can all stand together as equals one day.”

In fact, Smith now joins the group of gay men who have won Oscars including Elton John, George Cukor, Alan Ball and Dustin Lance Black.

Host Chris Rock brought the comic relief while discussing the serious #OscarsSoWhite controversy during his opening monologue.

“You’re damn right Hollywood is racist. But it ain’t that racist that you’ve grown accustomed to. Hollywood is sorority racist. It’s like, ‘We like you Rhonda, but you’re not a Kappa,'” Rock quipped at the start of the awards.

Stacey Dash appeared on stage to a confused audience to wish America a Happy Black History Month. Dash has been vocal in the past about wishing to abolish Black History Month and the BET Awards.

Poking fun at the lack of diversity in the show continued with a spoof on what the Oscars would look like starring black people. Tracey Morgan appeared as Eddie Redmayne’s role of Einar Wegener in “The Danish Girl” “The Martian” and “Joy” were also given the diversity treatment with Rock and Whoopi Goldberg.

Leonardo DiCaprio received the first Oscar of his career winning Best Actor for “The Revenant.” He used his on stage time to address climate change, a philanthropy effort DiCaprio has advocated his time towards for years.

“Climate change is real. It’s happening right now,” DiCaprio said in his acceptance speech. “Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted.”

“Spotlight” won the highest award of the night for Best Picture. Alicia Vikander was awarded Best Supporting Actress for “The Danish Girl.”

“Mad Max: Fury Road” was the top earner of the Oscars, winning six awards including Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Costume Design.

Lady Gaga gave an emotional performance for her song ‘Til It Happens to You,” co-written by Diane Warren, from the documentary on campus sexual assault “Higher Ground.” Vice President Joe Biden introduced the rousing performance. Accompanied by a string orchestra, Lady Gaga played the piano eventually joined on stage by fellow sexual assault survivors leading to a standing ovation at the Dolby Theatre.

Best Picture: “Spotlight”

Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu for “The Revenant”

Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio for “The Revenant”

Actress: Brie Larson for “Room”

Supporting Actor: Mark Rylance for “Bridge of Spies”

Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander for “The Danish Girl”

Adapted Screenplay: “The Big Short” by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay

Original Screenplay: “Spotlight” by Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy

Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki for “The Revenant”

Foreign Language Film: “Son of Saul”

Animated Feature: “Inside Out”

Documentary Feature: “Amy”

Documentary Short Subject: “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness”

Live Action Short Film: “Stutterer”

Original Score: “The Hateful Eight” by Ennio Morricone