The slap remained front and center at the February 13 Oscar nominees luncheon.
So much so that Motion Picture Academy President Janet Yang neither had to describe it nor name Will Smith or Chris Rock to an award-filled ballroom to know what she was talking about when He expressed his remorse.
“I’m sure you all remember we experienced an unprecedented event at the Oscars,” Ms. Yang told the crowd including Tom Cruise, Angela Bassett, Cate Blanchett and Steven Spielberg during her opening remarks. “What happened on stage was completely unacceptable and our organization’s response was inadequate.”
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did little in response to Mr. Smith storming the stage and slapping Rock during or immediately after last year’s Oscars telecast. About two weeks ago its board of governors voted to ban Mr Smith from the Oscars and all other Academy events for 10 years. Mr Smith had already resigned as a member of the Academy.
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“We have learned from this that the Academy must be fully transparent and accountable in our actions,” Ms. Yang said, “and you must act swiftly, compassionately and decisively for yourself and for our industry, especially in times of crisis.” should work. You should and can not expect us to move forward.
Ms. Yang, who was not the president at the time, was interrupted by a light round of applause, and did not elaborate further, moving on to a lighter topic.
The nominees were met with thunderous applause when they were told that all categories would be shown live on the March 12 ABC telecast. Last year, a controversy largely eclipsed the slapstick, with several Oscars handed out at a pre-telecast ceremony and edited versions of the winners’ speeches being squeezed into the main show.
Run-up to the main event
The luncheon is a warm, feel-good experience where the nominees are normally treated with equality, and a relative unknown for Best Animated Short might be seated next to an A-lister for Best Actor.
Some, of course, attract more attention than others, and not all are required to wear a given nametag.
Tom Cruise, nominated as a producer for best picture nominee “Top Gun: Maverick,” managed to mingle with the crowd in a ballroom at the Beverly Hilton before he drew a crowd of gawkers.
He and Jamie Lee Curtis, up for Best Supporting Actress for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” pressed their foreheads together and giggled as they bumped into each other.
He smiled widely as he posed for photos with his old “War of the Worlds” and “Minority Report” collaborators Steven Spielberg, up for best director for “The Fabbelmans,” and Michelle Yeoh, for “Everything Everywhere at All Eight.” for Best Actress. Once’, the most nominated film of the year.
In a pairwise representative of the random-looking seating chart, Odessa Rae, producer of the nominated documentary feature “Navalny,” sat akin to scallops during a lunch of risotto and oyster mushrooms with table-mate and Best Actor nominee Colin Farrell.
At another nearby table, Brian Tyree Henry, best supporting actor nominee for “Causeway,” laughed with Jenny Slate, voice star of animated feature nominee “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.”
The centerpiece of the luncheon is a class picture, staged to feel like a high school graduation. An academy governor read the names of the 182 nominees and their peers cheered as they walked up and took their places on the risers.
“Jamie Lee Curtis,” producer Devon Franklin exclaimed loudly into the mic. Curtis jumped and as she climbed alone to the top level, she received loud applause.
Mr. Henry, named for the first time, stood at his desk, raised one arm in the air, and yelped when his name was called.
Kwan, another first-timer who won best supporting actor for Everything Everywhere All at Once, ran to his place in front and shook his fist in victory. She hugged ‘Babylon’ musician Justin Hurwitz, who was assigned to stand next to her.
Ms. Bassett, who was nominated for best supporting actress for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,’ was the happiest of the afternoon when her name was called, and when she reached her seat next to him, He hugged Cruz.
The luncheon also serves as the Oscars orientation for the winners. Ms Yang insisted that acceptance speeches at next month’s ceremony should be kept to 45 seconds.
“Let’s say it together, 45 seconds,” he told the crowd.
He repeated it back in a tone, though at least some surely forget – or ignore him – once they’ve got the idol in their hands.