Actor Al Pacino came forward to explain his awkward line delivery of the Best Picture Oscar at Sunday’s ceremony and admitted it was the show’s producers who made the decision.
“There seems to be some controversy about my not mentioning every film by name last night before announcing the Best Picture award,” Pacino detailed in a statement obtained Monday by TheWrap. “I just want to be clear it was not my intention to omit them, rather a choice by the producers not to have them said again since they were highlighted individually throughout the ceremony.”
The statement came after social media users reacted to Pacino coming out to present the final award of the evening and choosing to not name the nominees before declaring “Oppenheimer” the winner.
“Ten wonderful films were nominated, but only one will take the award for Best Picture,” he said in the telecast. Clips of all the Best Picture nominees had played throughout the ceremony, but he did not revisit them in his introduction.
Pacino simply came out, said, “I have to go to the envelope for that, and I will. Here it comes. And my eyes see: ‘Oppenheimer.’”
The reaction in the room started out rather muted, almost as if the audience was confused on whether “Oppenheimer” had actually won or not.
“I’m obsessed with the way Al Pacino announced ‘Oppenheimer’ as Best Picture.’ Couldn’t have been more chaotic or confusing,” one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote in response.
“I realize being nominated is a huge milestone in one’s life and to not be fully recognized is offensive and hurtful,” Pacino went on to say in Monday’s statement. “I say this as someone who profoundly relates with 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.”
“Oppenheimer” would end the night with seven Academy Awards after being nominated in 13 categories.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported on Pacino’s statement.
