As one of the world’s most watched award ceremonies, the Oscars have produced their share of memorable, awkward moments. These controversies range from Spike Lee’s walkout when Green Book won Best Picture to the baffling case of Emmanuelle Riva appearing in David O. Russell’s nomination slot in 2013. There was also Will Smith’s onstage clash with Chris Rock and the infamous mix-up at the 89th Awards when La La Land lost to Moonlight. Notably, most incidents were genuine mistakes rather than planned acts.
Yet one episode appears deliberately staged. At the 93rd Academy Awards, Anthony Hopkins’ win for his role in The Father edged out Chadwick Boseman’s posthumous nomination for portraying Levee Green in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom in the Best Actor category. While competition is the essence of awards, the presentation felt oddly calculated.
The 2021 ceremony took place amid the Covid-19 pandemic, which reshaped the awards landscape. While winners at the 72nd Emmys and 74th BAFTAs accepted their awards from home, the Oscars held an in-person event in Los Angeles with reduced attendance. Satellite hubs, including one at London’s BFI Southbank, were set up for international nominees, adding to the disruption. Although this arrangement made sense in theory, it still required nominees to travel if they did not live near a satellite location.
Tension reached its peak during the lead acting segment, which was restructured so that the Best Actor award was presented last—replacing the traditional honor of Best Picture as the evening’s grand finale. This change fueled speculation that producers of the ceremony including Jesse Collins, Stacey Sher, and Steven Soderbergh were setting the stage to honor Chadwick Boseman posthumously. Boseman, whose riveting performance as Black Panther captivated audiences, passed away in 2020 from colon cancer complications, with Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom as his final film. Many expected that his posthumous Best Actor win would serve as a moving tribute, reminiscent of Heath Ledger’s posthumous Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as the Joker. Sweeping the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice, and SAG, his win seemed inevitable… until it wasn’t.
In a surprising echo of the BAFTAs, Anthony Hopkins was announced as the Best Actor winner. Phoenix announced Hopkins as the Best Actor winner, stating that the award was accepted on his behalf due to his absence, the ceremony ended abruptly in a manner that felt distinctly uncomfortable. The awkwardness deepened when it emerged that Hopkins, who stayed in Wales, had offered to join via Zoom—a suggestion the producers declined.
Though this incident may seem minor, it exposes a broader issue. Despite attracting talent from around the globe, the Academy has at times projected an air of arrogance and irrelevance—making choices that don’t always reflect its membership’s wishes. This isn’t the first time the Oscars have taken questionable steps. The Academy introduced and then quickly scrapped gimmicks like the Best Popular Film category in 2018, as well as the Oscars Fan Favourite and Oscars Cheer Moment in 2022. That same year, the presentations and acceptances of eight awards were pre-taped an hour before the live broadcast to accommodate jokes and songs, and to shorten the ceremony. Not to mention, countless heartfelt speeches have been abruptly cut short to make room for unfunny or offensive jokes.
These desperate, attention-seeking measures suggest that the Oscars are struggling with declining viewership and shifting expectations in entertainment. Ultimately, the Oscars no longer seem to hold the same weight they once did. As disheartening as it may sound, the Academy’s executives need to realize at this point that they owe their respect and time solely to the winners, nominees, and industry professionals who drive filmmaking—without them, there would be no Oscars, nor the Academy.
“Chadwick Boseman” by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
