Al Pacino has damaged his silence following the furor over his presentation of the coveted Finest Image award on the 2024 Oscars.
The “Scarface” actor, who appeared throughout Sunday’s star-studded ceremony to current the highest honor, went about his presenting duties in an unconventional method.
As an alternative of constructing the stress and suspense by naming every of the ten nominees — as each different presenter earlier than him had — the “Godfather” star simply blurted out the successful movement image: Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
However in response to the actor, 83, the Academy had not requested him to call the opposite nominees up for the Oscar.
“There appears to be some controversy about my not mentioning each movie by title final evening earlier than saying the Finest Image award,” Pacino advised The Submit in a press release.
“I simply need to be clear it was not my intention to omit them, reasonably a selection by the producers to not have them stated once more since they have been highlighted individually all through the ceremony. I used to be honored to be part of the night and selected to observe the best way they wished for this award to be introduced.”
“I notice being nominated is a big milestone in a single’s life and to not be totally acknowledged is offensive and hurtful,” he went on.
“I say this as somebody who profoundly relates with filmmakers, actors and producers so I deeply empathize with those that have been slighted by this oversight and it’s why I felt it essential to make this assertion.”
Pacino, himself an Oscar winner, was alleged to reunite along with his “Scarface” co-star Michelle Pfeiffer onstage, nevertheless she dropped out on the eleventh hour.
The “Scent of a Lady” actor’s clarification was vouched for by Oscar producers.
“It was a artistic resolution we made as a result of we have been very anxious that the present was going to be lengthy,” producer Molly McNearney advised Selection.
“By the point you get to the top of the present, you’ve seen all 10 Finest Image clip packages. Individuals simply need to hear who wins, and so they’re fairly prepared for the present to be over. Not less than that’s what we anticipated.”
“So, we didn’t give him a clip bundle. We didn’t give him nominations to learn. I apologize if our resolution to not must learn by means of all these nominations put him in a tricky spot,” she added.
Whereas presenting the award on Sunday, Pacino’s abrupt announcement took some without warning inside LA’s Dolby Theatre.
“That is the time for the final award of the night, and it’s my honor to current it. Ten fantastic movies have been nominated, however just one will take the award for Finest Image,” he stated whereas fumbling to open the envelope.
“And, uh, I’ve to go to the envelope for that, and I’ll. Right here it comes. And my eyes see ‘Oppenheimer.’ Sure. Sure.”
The Cillian Murphy-led three-hour epic, which was nominated for 13 awards, took house the highest prize, beating out “American Fiction,” “Barbie,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Holdovers,” “Poor Issues,” “The Zone of Curiosity,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Previous Lives” and “Maestro.”