The Annual Academy Awards - General Discussion

[Bruinsfan]

On 3/13/2023 at 5:10 PM, slowpoked said:

Eeep, even this one dropped the ball - you have Naomi Judd and Loretta Lynn in there but not Christine McVie?!

On 3/14/2023 at 12:27 AM, yowsah1 said:

Judd and Lynn were members of the Academy and have worked in movies (Judd was an actress for a while, although obviously not as successful in that field as her daughter Ashley).  McVie was not a member of the Academy and has never (to my knowledge) worked in movies, hence she was not featured.

Yeah, Christine McVie is/was perhaps my favorite musician, but I'm not aware of any work she did specifically for film that would have required her inclusion. Did she do uncredited backup vocals on "Holiday Road"?

[ProudMary]

6 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

People like Ashley Graham show why, despite how some drag him for supposedly being annoying, Ryan Seacrest was damn good at what he did with the red carpet stuff

Seacrest was the best Red Carpet interviewer, hands down. He was relaxed and natural with all the celebrities. Because he wears so many hats in the entertainment industry, he knows most everyone and the celebs all seemed to like him. No one else comes close to doing what Ryan did. With the very notable exception of Ashley Graham, most of the other ABC crew did a respectable job. They didn't make me cringe.

Regarding Christine McVie's In Memoriam absence: She never appeared before the cameras as anything but herself, a musician. From what I can see, she wasn't associated with any particular film or TV production. OTOH, she was one of the main musicians highlighted during The Grammys' In Memoriam segment, with Mick Fleetwood even being fully involved in the tribute. That was exactly as it should be. I know many people don't bother watching The Grammys anymore, so here's the video of their recent tribute for those who may not have seen it. 

 

As for Naomi Judd and Loretta Lynn, each of them had done some acting and in Loretta Lynn's case, she herself was the subject of an Oscar-winning (Best Actress, Sissy Spacek) film. The film itself garnered 7 nominations that year, including Best Picture.

[Kel Varnsen]

6 hours ago, slowpoked said:

Or Paul Rudd/Alicia Silverstone? 

Pair up Paul Rudd and Donald Faison and people won't be sure if they are watching the current Oscars or a clip from like the 2006 Oscars.

[KaveDweller]

7 hours ago, scarynikki12 said:

One of Jimmy’s writers said on a podcast yesterday that someone else was supposed to be in the suit but dropped out last minute. He never specified who is was so it may have been Matt.

I don't know if it was someone famous, but the person in the bear suit was somehow the most hilarious person there. Interesting that they were a last minute fill in.

[Ms Blue Jay]

7 hours ago, slowpoked said:

I agree it's not ok. Emily Blunt is British but has never been that rude on the carpet, or when talking to anyone. British in general have a very dry sense of humor, yes, but not all of them are outright rude. IMO there's a way to handle these things still coming out as "British" but not rude. Hugh's right, he's just a stodgy old scrotum.

The divide is that some of us do not think he was being "rude" at all, but rather honest, to the point, and not fake.  If that reads as British, fine.  

I've had a European person come to Canada and ask me, "Why is everyone always smiling here?  It looks psychotic."  Well!  Yeah!  Cultural differences!

Edited March 17, 2023 by Ms Blue Jay

[Marigold66]

On 3/14/2023 at 2:51 PM, superdeluxe said:

I don’t like Michelle Yeoh.  I get these feelings about people and I don’t have a good one about her.

Out of genuine curiosity, what gives you that impression?  

[slowpoked]

Good recap of behind-the-scenes of producing the Oscars:

https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/oscars-lady-gaga-rihanna-jimmy-kimmel-behind-the-scenes-secrets-1235553066/

This is probably one of the reasons why the Oscars was generally received positively this year:

Quote

One thing Kimmel decided to do when he took the gig was not focus on big pre-taped packages or flashy stunts. “We’ve put a ton of time and energy into these big produced bits, whether they be live, like we did with the movie theater break-in or the Hollywood tour bus that surprised people and brought them in. We’ve also done bigger pre-taped things like we’ve done with Matt Damon. We discovered that those are a ton of work and without a lot of payoff. So, we decided to stick with some simplicity, jokes and focus on the people in the room.

 

[tv echo]

How A24 Made Oscars History: “Lovable” Actors, Social Media Savvy and a “Wild West” Season
BY REBECCA KEEGAN   MARCH 14, 2023
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oscars-2023-how-a24-won-1235351976/ 

Quote

Quan would go on to help drive a wildly successful Oscar night for Everything Everywhere All at Once’s indie producer and distributor, A24, which became the first studio in history to sweep the top six awards — picture, director and all four acting prizes — in a single year. The studio’s stunning Oscar haul, which also included Brendan Fraser’s win for The Whale, owes a lot to the appeal of its actors, and to the deft deployment of their charm at screenings, events and on social media. 

Winners Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis, Quan and Fraser are all industry veterans who have ridden out career lows. “They focused rightly on the cast,” says a strategist at another studio. “And their actors are so lovable that you wanted good things for them.” Says an executive at another competing studio: “Their comeback narratives – Ke’s particularly — really resonated with voters.” 

Brendan Fraser Is Nominated for a Golden Globe. Here's Why He Isn't Going
BY LAURA ZORNOSA     JANUARY 9, 2023 
https://time.com/6245638/brendan-fraser-golden-globes-2023/ 

Quote

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) picked a fraught year to nominate Brendan Fraser for his first Golden Globe. In 2018, Fraser—nominated for best actor in a drama for his role in The Whale—told GQ that former HFPA president Philip Berk sexually assaulted him in 2003. In November, Fraser confirmed that if invited, he would not attend this year’s award ceremony, to be broadcast live on NBC on Jan. 10.
*  *  *
From the 1990s to the early 2000s, Fraser was a breakout Hollywood fixture, starring in films like School Ties (1992), George of the Jungle (1997), and The Mummy (1999). Eventually, though, he receded from view.

Fifteen years after the alleged incident, Fraser came forward to GQ journalist Zach Baron with an account of what he said happened at a luncheon held by the HFPA at the Beverly Hills Hotel in the summer of 2003.

Berk, Fraser told GQ, had sexually assaulted him. He went on to describe the alleged assault in detail. “I felt ill,” he continued. “I felt like a little kid. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry. I felt like someone had thrown invisible paint on me.”

Berk has denied and disputed Fraser’s account, and he remained president of the HFPA after both the incident itself and the publication of the GQ article. It was only in April 2021, after 44 years at the helm, that Berk was fired. The expulsion happened two days after Berk emailed the HFPA membership an article that described Black Lives Matter as a “racist hate movement.”

The incident at the Beverly Hills Hotel was the last in a slew of reasons—including the death of his mother, a divorce, and physical health issues after years of stunt-heavy roles—that contributed to Fraser disappearing from the public eye shortly after the turn of the century. The actor said he was rarely invited back to the Golden Globes.

“I don’t know if this curried disfavor with the group, with the HFPA,” Fraser told GQ. “But the silence was deafening. In my mind, at least, something had been taken away from me.”

Separately, Scarlett Johansson has also said that questions and remarks by HFPA members at press conferences have “bordered on sexual harassment.”

Edited March 17, 2023 by tv echo

[DollEyes]

On 3/15/2023 at 11:12 AM, slowpoked said:

If he's not up for small, silly talk, can't he just skip the red (or champagne) carpet altogether? It's an awards show, not a panel on world literature and history or a forum on world economics! Of course, most questions will border on the silly and shallow. No one is going to ask about the latest theorem on quantum physics or a treatise on world peace. Some stars just go straight to the auditorium if they don't want to be bothered too much by everything that's going on at the carpet.

 

Given most of his past red-carpet interviews, Hugh Grant can handle small talk if the person interviewing him asked at least one interesting/intelligent question, but Ashley Graham couldn't even manage *that* much. I didn't expect her to ask Grant about quantum physics, but she should've done better than "Who are you wearing?"

[Irlandesa]

44 minutes ago, DollEyes said:

Given most of his past red-carpet interviews, Hugh Grant can handle small talk if the person interviewing him asked at least one interesting/intelligent question, but Ashley Graham couldn't even manage *that* much. I didn't expect her to ask Grant about quantum physics, but she should've done better than "Who are you wearing?"

But "what are you wearing?" is the red carpet. He doesn't want to answer those dumb questions? Fine.  He can skip the interviews.  He's not dumb or new here. 

[LegalParrot81]

51 minutes ago, DollEyes said:

Given most of his past red-carpet interviews, Hugh Grant can handle small talk if the person interviewing him asked at least one interesting/intelligent question, but Ashley Graham couldn't even manage *that* much. I didn't expect her to ask Grant about quantum physics, but she should've done better than "Who are you wearing?"

I'm pretty sure Ashley Graham was probably given a set of questions to ask and didn't have the ability to go off script.  She came off as dim and he came off as kind of an arse.

[MicheleinPhilly]

15 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

But "what are you wearing?" is the red carpet. He doesn't want to answer those dumb questions? Fine.  He can skip the interviews.  He's not dumb or new here. 

Wasn't there some type of campaign a few years ago to steer away from those questions? I think it was more directed towards women and the hashtag was something along the lines of "Ask her more".

Unless I was a nominee I would totally skip the red carpet. It's all just so awkward and forced. 

[blackwing]

17 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

The divide is that some of us do not think he was being "rude" at all, but rather honest, to the point, and not fake.  If that reads as British, fine.  

4 hours ago, DollEyes said:

Given most of his past red-carpet interviews, Hugh Grant can handle small talk if the person interviewing him asked at least one interesting/intelligent question, but Ashley Graham couldn't even manage *that* much. I didn't expect her to ask Grant about quantum physics, but she should've done better than "Who are you wearing?"

4 hours ago, LegalParrot81 said:

I'm pretty sure Ashley Graham was probably given a set of questions to ask and didn't have the ability to go off script.  She came off as dim and he came off as kind of an arse.

She showed that she's not a very good interviewer.  I'm sure she had her list of "go-to" questions but an experienced interviewer would also have the cognition to see when something isn't working and be able to adapt and come up with her questions of her own.  She clearly doesn't have that ability.  Her questions were mostly vapid and inane.  Especially her response to his "vanity fair" comment and asking him about a movie he was barely in.

I also don't understand why interviewers would ask men about their suits.  It's a suit.  Now if it was different or interesting, like Dwayne Johnson's pink tuxedo, then yeah, ask about it.  But otherwise, there was nothing remarkable about Hugh's suit to make me at home want to know more about it.

I saw that Piers Morgan called Hugh Grant the "biggest douchebag of the day".  Hah.  Piers Morgan is the king of douchebags IMO.

[Milburn Stone]

5 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

But "what are you wearing?" is the red carpet. He doesn't want to answer those dumb questions? Fine.  He can skip the interviews.  He's not dumb or new here. 

"What are you wearing" came after the fatal "vanity fair" blunder. If it had come before, he might have answered her in good humor. Upon her blunder, I wouldn't have blamed him if he'd walked away right then, saying "I'm sorry, but you're too dumb to live."

Edited March 17, 2023 by Milburn Stone

[MissAlmond]

On 3/17/2023 at 2:05 PM, blackwing said:

I saw that Piers Morgan called Hugh Grant the "biggest douchebag of the day".  Hah.  Piers Morgan is the king of douchebags IMO.

Don't let Piers Morgan fool you. Calling Hugh Grant a "douchebag" has nothing to do with an Oscar interview and everything to do with Grant calling out Morgan's role in phone hacking. But that's another story. 

Edited March 19, 2023 by MissAlmond

[KaveDweller]

On 3/17/2023 at 11:15 AM, MicheleinPhilly said:

Wasn't there some type of campaign a few years ago to steer away from those questions? I think it was more directed towards women and the hashtag was something along the lines of "Ask her more".

Unless I was a nominee I would totally skip the red carpet. It's all just so awkward and forced. 

I don't remember a push to steer away from those questions. Personally, I like the idea of it in general, but asking about clothes is very much what the Oscars are about. It is a huge business thing, I remember an article about it a couple years ago. Designers spend tons of money and effort convincing celebrities to wear their dress (that they don't pay for) just so that millions of people watching will hear their name when the celebrity gets asked "who are you wearing?"  All the media outlets are probably encouraged to play along and ask everyone that because of the money involved.

I watched red carpet footage for 3 hours before the Oscars and every single interview included a person being asked about their dress/tux. Not to defend Ashley Graham in particular, but she was just following regular protocols. She could have followed up with something more involved though. Or Hugh Grant could have been like, "interviews are dumb and I have nothing to promote, I'm skipping this."

[Crs97]

1 hour ago, KaveDweller said:

Wasn't there some type of campaign a few years ago to steer away from those questions? I think it was more directed towards women and the hashtag was something along the lines of "Ask her more".

Yes, there was.  The complaint was that the women were asked about her outfit and maybe what she did that day to get ready while the men were asked questions about the movie and societal themes.  It seems like the compromise is to ask the men the stupid questions, too.

[buttersister]

I watched the pre-show on the Oscar YouTube channel. Cameras were in the back of the area, over the heads of the photographers and focused on the Oscar-goers on the washed-out carpet, in front of the washed-out Oscar-laden background posing on their marks, walking three feet along to hit the next mark and POSE. The only sounds were the cameras clicking and the photographers calling out people's names and requesting poses.

There was a guy holding up 8x11" pieces of paper with the names of the celebrities and their films--as they moved from the line to the line-up. The camera would show those names or the first hour or so, then just gave up. LOL.

I didn't miss any of the lame interviews. At all. 

[Vermicious Knid]

CMT showed Encino Man this weekend. 🙂

[ProudMary]

Happy April Fool's Day!

Sarah Polley Asked to Return Her Oscar to Academy in Prank by 11-Year-Old Daughter.

 https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sarah-polley-return-oscar-april-fools-day-prank-daughter-1235365530/

 

 

 

[yowsah1]

Oscars: Film Academy Enacts Sweeping Reforms of Campaign Rules in Response to Andrea Riseborough Controversy

Looks like a bunch of people just got their hands metaphorically slapped...

 

[Avabelle]

14 hours ago, yowsah1 said:

Oscars: Film Academy Enacts Sweeping Reforms of Campaign Rules in Response to Andrea Riseborough Controversy

Looks like a bunch of people just got their hands metaphorically slapped...

 

Good.

[blackwing]

On 5/1/2023 at 11:48 PM, yowsah1 said:

Oscars: Film Academy Enacts Sweeping Reforms of Campaign Rules in Response to Andrea Riseborough Controversy

Looks like a bunch of people just got their hands metaphorically slapped...

 

The only thing better would be if they called it the "Gwyneth Paltrow rule".  Will be interesting to see if this changes anything.  I don't see much difference between tweeting "OMG Andrea Riseborough is so great in this movie" vs. "OMG Andrea Riseborough deserves the Oscar for this movie, I'm totally voting for her".  In both cases, an actress who has some regard in the industry is publicly stating her support for someone.  The only difference is that in #1, she's not actually stating she is going to vote for her, but does it need to be explicitly said?  It seems implied.

 

Angela Bassett and Mel Brooks have been named as Honorary Oscar recipients.  https://ew.com/awards/oscars/angela-bassett-honorary-oscar-winners/

Does that honorary ceremony always happen so many months before the Oscars?  This obviously feels like a consolation prize for Bassett, and I wonder if it's some kind of indication that many in the Academy think she should have won this past season.

I remember Peter O'Toole saying he didn't want the Honorary Oscar because he wanted a chance to win one outright.  They gave it to him after seven failed attempts.  Then a few years later he was nominated again, lost again, and then died a few years after.

I'd be curious as to why Bassett and not Glenn Close, Michelle Pfeiffer, or Sigourney, all of whom are older or slightly older but all have had longer careers than Bassett and more Oscar nominations.  It just seems a little too soon after Bassett losing last year to be awarding her the Honorary, strikes me as a make-up award.

[Crs97]

Why would it be the Gwyneth Paltrow rule?

[blackwing]

18 hours ago, Crs97 said:

Why would it be the Gwyneth Paltrow rule?

I thought she was one of the most prominent names who were openly campaigning for Andrea Riseborough.  That, and I can't stand her.  I would not be displeased if she and her vagina massage cream moved to Mars.

[Crs97]

Helpful article for those who weren’t paying attention at the time.
 

Gwyneth was one of many who championed Andrea’s nomination

 

[ProudMary]

From Variety. The full list of invitees appears at the end of the article.

Oscars Invite 398 New Members: Taylor Swift, Austin Butler, Ke Huy Quan, ‘RRR’ Stars Ram Charan and NTR Jr and More

The 2023 class is 40% women. 34% belong to underrepresented ethnic/racial communities and 52% hail from 51 countries and territories outside the United States.

Also from Variety:

Why Do Some People Get Invited to Join the Academy and Others Don’t? An Explainer

[Bruinsfan]

Taylor Swift? I assume her membership is based on musical contributions to some film project, having seen her "acting" in Valentine's Day...

[ProudMary]

1 hour ago, Bruinsfan said:

Taylor Swift? I assume her membership is based on musical contributions to some film project, having seen her "acting" in Valentine's Day...

Yes. If you look at the list of invitees from the first article, it's broken into categories. Her invitation is in the Music category.

Here is a bit more detail:

https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/oscars-invite-taylor-swift-ke-huy-quanand-keke-palmer-to-join-the-academy/

Swift garnered Oscar buzz for the 2023 season when her directorial debut on "All Too Well: The Short Film" was submitted for consideration in the best live-action short category. Her original song "Carolina," written for the film "Where the Crawdads Sing," made the shortlist for a nod in the best original song category. Swift did not end up receiving an Oscar nomination in either category.

Let's face it, AMPAS is looking to drum up interest and viewership from a younger audience. Who better to appeal to than "Swifties?"

Also along those lines, The Weeknd received an invitation under the music category, for his contributions to Avatar: The Way of Water.

[Milburn Stone]

She also had a short role in that David O. Russell film from last year, Amsterdam. She was fine in it, did what she had to do. (My capsule review of movie: It was all over the place but I liked it.)

 

[erylin]

On 6/27/2023 at 12:10 AM, blackwing said:

The only thing better would be if they called it the "Gwyneth Paltrow rule".  Will be interesting to see if this changes anything.  I don't see much difference between tweeting "OMG Andrea Riseborough is so great in this movie" vs. "OMG Andrea Riseborough deserves the Oscar for this movie, I'm totally voting for her".  In both cases, an actress who has some regard in the industry is publicly stating her support for someone.  The only difference is that in #1, she's not actually stating she is going to vote for her, but does it need to be explicitly said?  It seems implied.

 

Angela Bassett and Mel Brooks have been named as Honorary Oscar recipients.  https://ew.com/awards/oscars/angela-bassett-honorary-oscar-winners/

Does that honorary ceremony always happen so many months before the Oscars?  This obviously feels like a consolation prize for Bassett, and I wonder if it's some kind of indication that many in the Academy think she should have won this past season.

I remember Peter O'Toole saying he didn't want the Honorary Oscar because he wanted a chance to win one outright.  They gave it to him after seven failed attempts.  Then a few years later he was nominated again, lost again, and then died a few years after.

I'd be curious as to why Bassett and not Glenn Close, Michelle Pfeiffer, or Sigourney, all of whom are older or slightly older but all have had longer careers than Bassett and more Oscar nominations.  It just seems a little too soon after Bassett losing last year to be awarding her the Honorary, strikes me as a make-up award. I do my homework for the Academy of Physics and https://edubirdie.com/do-my-homework supports me daily.

Huh, while both tweets show support for an actress, the second one explicitly states voting intentions for an award. Honorary Oscars can vary in timing and are often given for an individual's overall contributions to the industry and international academic statistical research)) I see that as the selection process considers an artist's impact and body of work on others' aptitudes to learn. Therefore, while some may see it as a "make-up award," it's meant to honor their legacy and influence in the industry. I mean award decisions can be subjective, but they really celebrate talent and skill to study and become better and smarter in the entertainment world.

[BetterButter]

Film Academy Announces New Oscar for Achievement in Casting

[NUguy514]

1 minute ago, BetterButter said:

Film Academy Announces New Oscar for Achievement in Casting

Finally!!

[sugarbaker design]

50 minutes ago, BetterButter said:

Film Academy Announces New Oscar for Achievement in Casting

That is HUGE news!

[Vermicious Knid]

TCM's 31 Days of Oscar starts today. 

[ProudMary]

As a precursor to what is probably the most locked-in Oscar category, Christopher Nolan won the DGA award for Oppenheimer last night. From Variety:

Christopher Nolan Wins at Directors Guild for ‘Oppenheimer,’ Full DGA Winners List

[ProudMary]

I'd like to share here the most interesting and entertaining 58 minutes I've spent on YouTube this awards season. I always enjoy these discussions among potential nominees in various categories, whether from The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times or Variety's "Actors on Actors." I've watched a number of them, along with predictions for nominations and general film criticisms. This Screenwriters' Roundtable from THR is a cut above. It was posted to YT two months ago, although I just watched it earlier this evening. Obviously, that puts its timetable ahead of all the awards nominations. Of the six writers included here, three received an Academy Awards nomination. Those nominees are indicated by an asterisk. On the panel:

Tony McNamara* (Poor Things) Adapted

Celine Song* (Past Lives) Original

Eric Roth (Killers of the Flower Moon) Adapted

Chloe Domont (Fair Play) Original

Cord Jefferson* (American Fiction) Adapted

Andrew Haigh (All of Us Strangers) Adapted

 

 

[yowsah1]

The Oscars are starting!

Let the snarking begin!  ;)

[Browncoat]

Just now, yowsah1 said:

The Oscars are starting!

Let the snarking begin!  ;)

Come to the other thread!  We've been snarking on outfits!

[yowsah1]

5 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Come to the other thread!  We've been snarking on outfits!

LINK, PLEASE!!!!  :)

[ebk57]

Just now, yowsah1 said:

LINK, PLEASE!!!!  :)

The only other thread in this category.

[yowsah1]

4 minutes ago, ebk57 said:

The only other thread in this category.

Thanks!

[ProudMary]

Moving this discussion over from the 96th Academy Awards topic:

48 minutes ago, Hedgehog2022 said:

But Jane Fonda is the daughter of Henry Fonda...one of Hollywood's much beloved iconic actors.

The general public certainly considered Henry Fonda to be a beloved, iconic actor. I don't think it's a given that the Academy did. They didn't award him a competitive Oscar until he was quite literally on his death bed, and had only given him an honorary Oscar the prior year when it became known that he wasn't well.

[tv echo]

Oscars 2025: ABC Sticking With Earlier Start Time for Telecast
BY MATT WEBB MITOVICH   APRIL 10, 2024
https://tvline.com/lists/2025-oscars-date-location-everything-we-know/ 

Quote

The 97th Oscars will be held Sunday, March 2, 2025, starting for a second straight year at the earlier hour of 7 pm EST/4 pm PST, ABC and the Academy have announced.

The 2025 ceremony will be held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.
*  *  *
Among the key dates preceding next year’s Academy Awards, preliminary voting will run Dec. 9-13; the eligibility period ends Dec. 31; nominations voting runs Jan. 8-12; and nominees will be announced Friday, Jan. 17.

Finals voting will then be held Feb. 11-18.

A host has not yet been named for the 2025 Oscars.

Edited April 12 by tv echo

[Amello]

In case anyone else might find it interesting, here are the actor nominee births per decade:

1850s: 1
1860s: 4
1870s: 15
1880s: 28
1890s: 65
1900s: 90
1910s: 84
1920s: 124
1930s: 123
1940s: 111
1950s: 99
1960s: 93
1970s: 66
1980s: 51
1990s: 20
2000s: 1

The nominee to live the longest is Luise Rainer, who died at 104. The nominee to pass away at the youngest age was River Phoenix, who lived until he was 23.