Al Pacino on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California.Photo:Kevin Winter/Getty
Kevin Winter/Getty
Al Pacinois speaking out about the unconventional way he announced the winner of the Oscars Best Picture Category.
Pacino issued a statement saying it was not his choice to exclude a reading of the list of nominees, reportedVarietyandCNN. He shared the statement on Monday after announcingOppenheimeras the winneron Sunday evening.
In a break from tradition, Pacino, 83, did not recap all 10 nominees in the category before announcing the winner. “Here it comes,” he teased after he opened the envelope.
“I was honored to be a part of the evening and chose to follow the way they wished for this award to be presented. I realize being nominated is a huge milestone in one’s life and to not be fully recognized is offensive and hurtful,” continued the Oscar winner.
Al Pacino, Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan on Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Los Angeles, California.Frank Micelotta/Disney via Getty
Frank Micelotta/Disney via Getty
After the Oscars, the telecast’s producer, Molly McNearney, shared in an interview withVarietythat omitting the list of nominees “was a creative decision.” She explained that the team was “very worried that the show was going to be long.”
“By the time you get to the end of the show, you’ve seen all 10 best picture clip packages,” shared McNearney. “People just want to hear who wins, and they’re pretty ready for the show to be over. At least that’s what we anticipated. So, we did not give him a clip package. We did not give him nominations to read. I apologize if our decision to not have to read through all those nominations put him in a tough spot.”
The producer also confessed that the actor’s choice not to say the phrase, “And the Oscar goes to…” may have made the announcement “a little confusing.”
“But listen, that’s the excitement of live television,” added McNearney. “You never know what you’re going to get exactly!”
One source told CNN that the actor’s decision to announce the award untraditionally was “just Al Pacino being Pacino.”
Al Pacino on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California.Kevin Winter/Getty
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In a backstage interview, hostJimmy Kimmeljoked withKelly RipaandMark Consuelosand said, “I guess [Pacino’s] never watched an awards show before?"
“Seems like everyone in America knows the rhythm of how it’s supposed to go, down to the ‘And the Oscar goes to,’ " Kimmel, 56, said.
source: people.com
