'I hope you will listen': 4 times the 2018 Oscars got political

From the outset of the Academy Awards on Sunday night, host Jimmy Kimmelsuggested there would be moments when the speeches would take a political turn.

"Over the course of this evening, I hope you will listen to many brave and outspoken supporters of movements like Time's Up, Me Too and Never Again because what they're doing is important," he said during his show-opening monologue inLos Angeles.

"Things are changing for the better.They're making sure of that."

The comedian and late-night talk show host, Oscars emcee for asecond straight year, mixed comedy with serious commentary.And some performers, presenters and award recipients also used their moment on Hollywood's biggest night to speak out.

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Here are fourtimes the 90thAcademy Awards got political:

'Tell theNRAthey in God's way'

Rapper Common and singer Andra Day performed the Oscar-nominated songStand Up for Something,featured in Marshall, the biopic about ThurgoodMarshall, the first black U.S. Supreme Court justice.

Joining the pair onstage were activists includingTarana Burke, creator of the Me Too campaign,Planned ParenthoodpresidentCecile Richards and Patrisse Cullors, co-founderofBlack Lives Matter.

In his performance, Common referenced the recent high school shooting in Parkland, Fla.

"Tell the NRA they in God's way.And to the people of Parkland, we say Ase," he rapped.

Ase is a West African philosophy that means make things happen and produce change.

Following the Florida shooting, which left17 people dead, gun control advocates including student survivors criticized the National Rifle Association, a powerful gun lobby in the U.S.

Kimmelalso threw his support to "the amazing students from Parkland," who later this month plan to marchin Washington to demand gun reform and are responsible for the #NeverAgain hashtag that promotes gun control.George and Amal Clooneyare among those who have pledged to join the rally on March 24.

"If you want to encourage others to join ... do that,"Kimmelsaid.

'Shut up and dribble'

Five-time NBA championKobe Bryant added another trophy to his collection on Sunday:an Oscar forDear Basketball.The film, based on Bryant's retirement announcementpost on The Players' Tribune website,won best animated short.

"I feel better than winning a championship, to be honest with you. I swear I do," the retired playerlater told reporters in the mediaroom.

During his acceptance speech, however, he referenced a politically charged exchange between NBA star LeBron James and U.S. political punditLaura Ingraham.

"As basketball players, we're supposed to shut up and dribble," Bryant said. "I'm glad we're doing much more than that."

Ingrahamslammed James for criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump and the country's racial climate, advising him to "shut up and dribble."

James responded that black athletes have historically spoken out about injustices and inequality.

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Bryant's latest honour comes amid the Me Tooand Time's Up movements to expose abuse and harassment. But his own life hasn't been without scandal.In 2003, during his time as a player, hewas accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old hotel employee. Headmitted to a sexual encounter with the woman, but denied the assault allegation. The criminal case was later dropped and acivil suit was settled out of court.

Get Out writer-director Jordan Peelealso addressed race in his acceptance speech for best original screenplay. The film follows an interracial couple a black man and a white woman who visit her parents' strange, mysterious country estate.

Peelesaid he stopped writing Get Out"20 times," skeptical that it would ever get made.

"But I kept coming back to it because I knew if someone would let me make this movie, that people would hear it and people would see it, so I want to dedicate this to all the people who raised my voice and let me make this movie."

Me Tooand Time's Up

Although there was no Golden Globes-like dress code wearing all black in solidarity with Me Too and Times Up campaigns to stop sexual misconductthe two movements were still highly visible at the Oscars.

Sam Rockwell, who won best supporting actor for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, wore a Time's Up pin. Sandra Bullock also promotedTime's Up on her clutch.

Me Too founderBurkewalked the carpet Sunday with her sister. Burke said it is still a joyous occasion and that they're at the Oscars to celebrate how much the movement has grown in less than six months.

Burke said they did the "dress code thing" and now they're doing the work.

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For his part, Kimmel's openingmonologuemixed Harvey Weinstein punchlines with earnest comments about reforming gender equality in Hollywood.

Gesturing to a giant statue on the stage, he praised Oscarhimself for keeping "his hands where you can see them" and for having "no penis at all."

Weinsteinhas been accused by dozens of women of sexual misconduct. Three of them Ashley Judd,AnnabellaSciorra andSalma Hayek appeared onstage together to a standing ovation, andproclaimed "time's up" for sexual impropriety and inequality.

"We work together to make sure the next 90 years empower these limitless possibilities of equality, diversity, inclusion and intersectionality," said Judd. "That's what this year has promised us."

The three then introduced a montage celebrating diversity in film.

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In her acceptance speech for best actress, Frances McDormandasked every female Oscar nominee to stand up, generating thunderous applause.

McDormand, who won her role inThree Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,appeared joyous as she looked out at the women.

'I am an immigrant'

Taking to the stage as presenters, Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani joined Kenyan-bornOscar winner Lupita Nyong'o to salute the so-called Dreamers immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children and allowed to stay without permanent protection from deportation.

"Dreams are the foundation of Hollywood and dreams are the foundation of America. And, so, to all the Dreamers out there, we stand with you," Nanjiani said.

Common also referenced the Dreamers in his performance, saying: "We stand up for the Dreamers. We stand up for the immigrants."

Accepting the best-director Oscar for his work in the Cold War fantasy dramaThe Shape of Water,which was later named best picture, Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro also espoused the virtues of immigration.

"I am an immigrant," saiddelToro, whomaintains residences in Los Angeles and Toronto.

"The greatest thing our art does and our industry does is to erase the lines in the sand. We should continue doing that when the world tells us to make them deeper."

Del Toro's comments may have been aimed at U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump has been critical of U.S. immigration policy, has unsuccessfully moved to rescind protections for Dreamers,and reportedly questioned why the U.S. would accept more immigrants from Haiti and "shithole countries" in Africa.