Backstage at the Academy Awards, host Jimmy Kimmel pokes fun at presenter Al Pacino for failing to read all nominees before announcing the top prize of the night.
- March 12, 2024
AceShowbiz - During an appearance on "Live With Kelly and Mark", Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel poked fun at Al Pacino's unconventional presentation of the Best Picture award at the 2024 Academy Awards.
"I guess he's never watched an awards show before," Kimmel said of Pacino. "It seems like everyone in America knows the rhythm of how it's supposed to go, down to 'And the Oscar goes to...' but not Al."
Pacino deviated from the customary award announcement format, surprising the audience by announcing the winner, "Oppenheimer", without first listing the other nominees. This caused a momentary delay in applause as attendees anticipated the traditional phrase.
However, some defended Pacino, suggesting that it may have been a creative decision by production, as a similar non-announcement occurred for the Best Song category. Others criticized the move, labeling it as disrespectful to the nominated films.
Despite the varying reactions, Kimmel maintained his lighthearted tone, jokingly attributing Pacino's abbreviated presentation to the actor's age. "Another old Hollywood legend hung out to dry at the end of the show," he lamented.
Whether it's intentional or not, as the nominees were bypassed, the Oscars conveniently avoided controversy as one of the Best Picture contenders, "The Holdovers", faced plagiarism scandal. Director Alexander Payne was accused of ripping off the screenplay from a "Black List" script by screenwriter Simon Stephenson.
The other nominees are "American Fiction", "Anatomy of a Fall", "Barbie", "Killers of the Flower Moon", "Maestro", "Past Lives", "Poor Things", and "The Zone of Interest".
