THE LOS ANGELES – Janet Yang, head of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, praised the 186 filmmakers at the 95th annual Oscars nominees luncheon on Monday while also criticizing how the organization handled the Oscars scandal from the previous year.
At the glamorous ceremony hosted at the Beverly Hilton, celebrities including Tom Cruise, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michelle Yeoh, Austin Butler, Angela Bassett, Steven Spielberg, Michelle Williams, and Brendan Fraser celebrated their Academy Award nominations.
Not all of the events were a love fest. In her address, Yang criticized the “inadequate” response to the iconic Will Smith slap from the previous year and vowed to handle similar situations better going forward.
What transpired at the luncheon is as follows:
Tom Cruise attends the Oscar nominations luncheon and mingles with A-list celebrities
The annual luncheon is all about Hollywood stars mingling and welcoming one another, but producer and star Cruise of “Top Gun: Maverick” took it to the next level. Cruise spent time with fellow contenders including Bassett, Butler, Curtis, and Ke Huy Quan from “Everything, Everywhere All at Once,” Marlee Matlin, and filmmakers Spielberg and Guillermo del Toro while standing on the ballroom stairs with fellow producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Christopher McQuarrie.
Quan requested a selfie with Cruise, which is now a first-time nominee tradition at award shows. Cruise gave in. And Cruise insisted on taking the image again with better lighting as a group of filmmakers approached for a group selfie.
Following The Slap, the Academy president pledges to act “swiftly” against behavior that is “inappropriate”
Janet Yang, the head of the Academy, discussed Will Smith’s attack on presenter Chris Rock at the Oscars last year and the organizing committee’s inadequate response to the “unique event.” The Academy’s Board of Governors banned Smith from attending the Oscars for ten years twelve days after the altercation. Smith was permitted to stay at the ceremony and eventually won best actor.
According to Yang, “What happened on stage was wholly wrong and the organization’s response was insufficient.” “This taught us something. The Academy must act with complete accountability and transparency, especially during times of crisis. We must take prompt, considerate, and determined action. Going forward, you should and can anticipate nothing less from us.”
The Academy requests “short, pleasant” speeches from Oscar winners
For the live TV event, Yang also discussed the importance of making victors’ speeches “short, simple, and to the point.” The entire time allotted for each speech, including the trip to the podium, will be 45 seconds.
According to Yang, who also said that all prizes will be handed out live on the program, if an award is shared with a group, either one person speaks for the group, or each individual can thank one person before we go on. “As a result, we need your cooperation. After all, this is live television.”
A group picture of the 186 nominees was taken
One by one, the nominees were called to the stage to applaud and take a traditional group photo. The first two called to the podium were Curtis and “Wakanda Forever” filmmaker Ryan Coogler, who both laughed while clapping for other nominees. As they assumed their positions, Cruise and Quan offered each other fervent fist pumps. Before Academy photographers could catch the occasion, director Del Toro of “Pinocchio” was the last nominee to be brought up.
Notable nominees such as “Blonde” actress Ana de Armas and “To Leslie” actor Andrea Riseborough, whose nomination campaign was under investigation by the Academy but was ultimately upheld, were not present.
Describe The Oscars
The Oscars usually referred to as the Academy Awards, are a yearly ceremony honoring exceptional accomplishments in the film business. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is responsible for presenting the prizes, and the event is usually held in late February or early March. In addition to acting, directing, and screenplay, the awards also honor technical accomplishments including cinematography and special effects. Since 1929, when the first Oscars were given out, the ceremony has grown to be one of the most prestigious and widely-watched occasions in the entertainment business.
The Oscars ceremony typically features a red carpet event, where celebrities and nominees walk down a carpet lined with photographers and fans. The awards themselves are presented during a live televised broadcast, which includes performances, comedy skits, and other entertainment segments. The most prestigious award of the ceremony is the Best Picture award, which recognizes the best overall film of the year.
In addition to the Oscars ceremony, other Academy Awards ceremonies recognize outstanding achievements in specific areas of filmmaking, such as the Emmy Awards for television or the Tony Awards for theater. Winning an Oscar is considered a significant achievement in the film industry and can have a major impact on the careers of actors, directors, and other industry professionals.
The winners of the Oscars are chosen using a distinctive voting process. Industry professionals and previous winners who are members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences suggest and vote for the winners in each category. Members are first sent nomination ballots for consideration, after which they vote for the top five candidates in each category. After the nominations are revealed, the winner will be chosen by a final vote.
Over the years, the Oscars have generated controversy and criticism for a variety of reasons, such as lack of diversity among nominees and winners or political statements made during acceptance speeches. Despite this, the Oscars remain a highly anticipated event in the film industry and attract a global audience. The ceremony has also undergone significant changes over the years, including the addition of new categories and changes to the voting system.
The Oscars have evolved to include a range of categories, including awards for acting, directing, writing, cinematography, editing, and sound design, among others. The ceremony also features awards for international films, short films, and documentaries, as well as honorary awards recognizing lifetime achievements in the industry.
One of the unique features of the Oscars is the tradition of acceptance speeches. Winning an Oscar is often seen as the pinnacle of an actor or filmmaker’s career, and acceptance speeches can be emotional, humorous, or political. Some of the most memorable Oscar speeches have included Marlon Brando’s 1973 refusal to accept his award in protest of Hollywood’s treatment of Native Americans, Halle Berry’s emotional acceptance speech in 2002 as the first Black woman to win Best Actress, and Frances McDormand’s call to action for increased diversity and inclusion in the film industry in 2018.
The Oscars also have a significant impact on the film industry, as winning an award can lead to increased visibility, prestige, and financial success for a film. The ceremony is watched by millions of people around the world, and the red-carpet fashion and buzz around the nominees often generate significant media attention.
