Actor and director Regina King acknowledged the hardships of the past year during an opening straight out of the movies for the 2021 Oscars. "It has been quite a year and we are still smack dab in the middle of it," King said. "We are mourning the loss of so many, and I have to be honest, if things had gone differently this past week in Minneapolis, I might have traded in my heels for marching boots." In addition to her reaction to the guilty verdict at Derek Chauvin's trial in the killing of George Floyd, King noted the personal impact recent news cycles have had on her. Oscars 2021: Tyler Perry Takes Home Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

"Now, I know that a lot of you people at home want to reach for your remote when you feel like Hollywood is preaching to you. But as a mother of a black son, I know the fear that so many live with and no amount of fame or fortune changes that," she said. Oscars 2021: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’s Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal, and Jamika Wilson Take Home Best Makeup and Hairstyling Award.

The "One Night in Miami" director was featured at the start of the 2021 Oscars in an opening produced by director Steven Soderberg. Producers and directors promised that this year's ceremony would be closer to a movie than a television show.

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