Hollywood legend Al Pacino, who didn’t name all 10 nominees for Best Picture at the recently held 96th Academy Awards before announcing the winner, has clarified what led to the awkward moment on stage. He issued a statement amid questions surrounding his appearance during the 2024 Oscars ceremony, where he awkwardly presented the best picture category, as reported by Variety. The actor, who won an Academy Award for Best Actor in Scent of a Woman, simply opened the envelope and said, “And my eyes see Oppenheimer,” at the award ceremony. Al Pacino Breaks Silence on His Oscars Controversy, Reveals He Was Told NOT To Name Best Picture Nominees by the Producers – Read Statement.

“There seems to be some controversy about my not mentioning every film by name last night before announcing the best picture award,” Pacino said. “I just want to be clear it was not my intention to omit them, but rather a choice by the producers not to have them said again since they were highlighted individually throughout the ceremony. I was honoured to be a part of the evening and chose to follow how they wished for this award to be presented.”

He further mentioned, as quoted by Variety, “I realize being nominated is a huge milestone in one’s life, and to not be fully recognized is offensive and hurtful. I say this as someone who profoundly relates to filmmakers, actors, and producers, so I deeply empathize with those who have been slighted by this oversight, and it’s why I felt it necessary to make this statement.”

Read Al Pacino's Statement

 

Oscars producer Molly McNearney also told Variety in an interview after the Oscars that “it was a creative decision” not to have Pacino list all 10 Best Picture nominees before announcing the winner. The creative team was “very worried that the show was going to be long,” and clips from all 10 Best Picture nominees had already played throughout the ceremony.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 12, 2024 03:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).