| Billy Crystal | ... | Himself - Host |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: |
 | Agustín Almodóvar | ... | Himself - Audience Member |
| Pedro Almodóvar | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Foreign Language Film |
| Ashley L. Anderson | ... | Isaac Hayes Dancer |
| Paul Thomas Anderson | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay |
| Burt Bacharach | ... | Himself - Performer |
| Erykah Badu | ... | Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Makeup |
| Alan Ball | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Original Screenplay |
| Antonio Banderas | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Foreign Language Film |
| Ian Bannen | ... | Himself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Drew Barrymore | ... | Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Costume Design |
| Angela Bassett | ... | Herself - Presenter: 'The Sixth Sense' Film Clip |
| Warren Beatty | ... | Himself - Thalberg Award Recipient |
| Roberto Benigni | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Leading Role |
| Annette Bening | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role |
| Wes Bentley | ... | Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Documentary, Short Subjects |
| Thora Birch | ... | Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Documentary, Short Subjects (also archive footage) |
| Cate Blanchett | ... | Herself - Co-Presenter: Live Action Short Film |
| Christine Blundell | ... | Herself - Winner: Best Make Up |
| Dirk Bogarde | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
| Robert Bresson | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute |
| Garth Brooks | ... | Himself - Perfomer |
| Michael Caine | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Supporting Role |
| Rory Calhoun | ... | Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage) |
| David E. Campbell | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Sound |
| Ray Charles | ... | Himself - Performer |
| Cher | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Original Song |
| Yun-Fat Chow | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Sound Effects Editing (as Chow Yun-Fat) |
| James Coburn | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Supporting Role |
| Bruce Cohen | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Picture |
| Arthur Cohn | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Documentary, Features |
| Toni Collette | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role |
| Phil Collins | ... | Himself - Performer & Winner: Best Original Song |
| Ellen Corby | ... | Herself (Memorial Tribute) |
| John Corigliano | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Original Score |
| Steve Courtley | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects |
| Justin Cowden | ... | Blame Canada Singer / Dancer |
| Peter Coyote | ... | Himself - Announcer |
| Russell Crowe | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role & Co-Presenter: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration |
| Tom Cruise | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role |
| Penélope Cruz | ... | Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Foreign Language Film |
| Frank Darabont | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Picture & Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published |
| Dane A. Davis | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Sound Effects Editing |
| Judi Dench | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Supporting Role |
| Cameron Diaz | ... | Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Costume Design |
| Michael Clarke Duncan | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role |
| Clint Eastwood | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Picture |
| Gloria Estefan | ... | Herself - Performer |
| Richard Farnsworth | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role |
| Jane Fonda | ... | Herself - Presenter: Honorary Award |
| Morgan Freeman | ... | Himself - Presenter: Video 'History in the Movies' |
| John Gaeta | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects |
| Mel Gibson | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Original Screenplay |
| Heather Graham | ... | Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Sound |
| Susan Hannah Hadary | ... | Herself - Winner: Best Documentary, Short Subjects |
| Conrad L. Hall | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Cinematography |
| Lasse Hallström | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Director |
| Ethan Hawke | ... | Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Documentary Feature |
| Salma Hayek | ... | Herself - Presenter: Scientific & Technical Awards |
| Isaac Hayes | ... | Himself - Singer |
| Rick Heinrichs | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration |
| Lindy Hemming | ... | Herself - Winner: Best Costume Design |
| Faith Hill | ... | Herself - Performer |
| Anjelica Huston | ... | Herself - Presenter: Video 'The Insider' |
| John Irving | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Adapted Screenplay |
| Samuel L. Jackson | ... | Himself - Presenter: 'The Green Mile' Film Clip |
| Dan Jinks | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Picture |
| Angelina Jolie | ... | Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Supporting Role |
| Henry Jones | ... | Himself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Tommy Lee Jones | ... | Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Film Editing |
| Spike Jonze | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Director |
| Ashley Judd | ... | Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Film Editing |
| Madeline Kahn | ... | Herself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Charlie Kaufman | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen |
| Diane Keaton | ... | Herself - Presenter: 'American Beauty' Film Clip |
| Lila Kedrova | ... | Herself - Memorial Tribute |
| Catherine Keener | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Suporting Role |
| Mabel King | ... | Herself - Memorial Tribute |
| Stanley Kubrick | ... | Himself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Queen Latifah | ... | Herself - Performer |
| Jude Law | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role & Co-Presenter: Best Live Action Short Film |
| David Lee | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Sound |
| Mike Leigh | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay |
| Lucy Liu | ... | Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Costume Design |
| LL Cool J | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Song Nominees |
| Desmond Llewelyn | ... | Himself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Chad Lowe | ... | Himself - Audience Member |
| Kevin Macdonald | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Documentary, Features |
| Tobey Maguire | ... | Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Makeup |
| Aimee Mann | ... | Herself - Performer & Nominee: Best Original Song |
| Michael Mann | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Picture, Best Director & Best Adapted Screenplay |
| Victor Mature | ... | Himself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Sarah McLachlan | ... | Herself - Performer |
| Janet McTeer | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role |
| Sam Mendes | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Director (also archive footage) |
| Ann Beth Miller | ... | Blame Canada Dancer |
| Anthony Minghella | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published |
| Julianne Moore | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role & Co-Presenter: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration |
| Samantha Morton | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role |
| Dermot Mulroney | ... | Himself - Audience Member |
| Mike Myers | ... | Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Sound |
| Randy Newman | ... | Himself - Performer & Nominee: Best Original Song |
| Thomas Newman | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Original Score |
| Jack Nicholson | ... | Himself - Presenter: Thalberg Award |
| Edward Norton | ... | Himself - Presenter: Memorial Tribute |
| Haley Joel Osment | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role |
| Gwyneth Paltrow | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Leading Role |
| Sean Penn | ... | Emmet Ray (archive footage) |
| Aleksandr Petrov | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Short Film, Animated |
| Brad Pitt | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Cinematography |
| Abraham Polonsky | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute |
| Trefor Proud | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Make Up |
| Mario Puzo | ... | Himself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Oliver Reed | ... | Himself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Keanu Reeves | ... | Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Original Score |
| Robert Rehme | ... | Himself |
| John T. Reitz | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Sound |
| Charles 'Buddy' Rogers | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute |
| Ruth Roman | ... | Herself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Gregg Rudloff | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Sound |
| Fran Ryan | ... | Herself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Winona Ryder | ... | Herself - Presenter: 'The Cider House Rules' Film Clip |
| Barbara Schock | ... | Herself - Winner: Best Short Film, Live Action |
| Arnold Schwarzenegger | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Visual Effects |
| George C. Scott | ... | Himself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Chloë Sevigny | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Suporting Role |
| M. Night Shyamalan | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Director & Best Original Screenplay |
| Sylvia Sidney | ... | Herself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Greg Siff | ... | Singer / Dancer: 'Blame Canada' |
| Janek Sirrs | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects |
| Kevin Spacey | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Leadign Role & Presenter: Best Adapted Screenplay (also archive footage) |
| Steven Spielberg | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Director |
| Zach Staenberg | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Editing |
| Meryl Streep | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role |
| Mena Suvari | ... | Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Documentary, Short Subjects |
| Hilary Swank | ... | Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Leading Role |
| Frank Tarloff | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute |
| Charlize Theron | ... | Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Original Score |
| Jon Thum | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects |
| Uma Thurman | ... | Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Documentary Feature |
| Tammy Tiehel | ... | Herself - Winner: Best Short Film, Live Action |
| USC Trojan Marching Band | ... | Marching Band - Performer: 'Blame Canada' |
| Jim Varney | ... | Himself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Andrzej Wajda | ... | Himself - Winner: Honorary Award |
| Dionne Warwick | ... | Herself - Performer |
| Denzel Washington | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role |
| William A. Whiteford | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Documentary, Short Subjects |
| Albert Whitlock | ... | Himself (Memorial Tribute) |
| Robin Williams | ... | Himself - Performer |
| Vanessa Williams | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Song Nominees |
After Roberto Benigni's acceptance speech the previous year, "The 72 Annual Academy Awards" would be hard-pressed to equal it. Still, I liked that the first Oscar ceremony of the 21st century (assuming that we start the 21st century in the year 2000) gave "American Beauty" Best Picture. Like "The Graduate" in 1967 - when, incidentally, my parents were as old as I was in 1999 - it presented a totally new approach to how cinema looks at things. Other such movies in 1999 were "Election", "The Blair Witch Project", "The Sixth Sense" and "Being John Malkovich".
As for the rest of the program, I thought that the most interesting part was the look back at the 20th century (I remember that it included a scene from "Yellow Submarine"). And Hilary Swank's win for "Boys Don't Cry" was also well-deserved (Hilary Swank and Annette Bening were both nominated again five years later, and Swank won again).
Overall, a worthy ceremony.