The Academy
Sacheen Littlefeather, Who Stood in for Marlon Brando at 1973 Oscars, Dead at 75
Sacheen Littlefeather, who endured racist mockery and threats of arrest and violence when she appeared on Marlon Brando’s behalf at the 1973 Oscars and declined his award for Best Actor, has died at the age of 75. According to Variety, Littlefeather passed away Sunday, October 2nd, following a battle with breast cancer. As president of the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee, Littlefeather stood in for Brando to protest the mistreatment of American Indians in the film industry. Moments before she took the stage, ceremony producer Howard Koch told her that she would be arrested if she talked for longer than 60 seconds. During her speech, she was mocked with tomahawk chops and ululation, and John Wayne reportedly had to be restrained from charging the podium and attack...
Chris Rock Says He Was Asked to Host Next Year’s Oscars But Turned It Down
Chris Rock famously became the talk of the 2022 Oscars after Will Smith slapped him on stage, but the comedian isn’t trying to be the talk of next year’s ceremony. In a recent stand-up set, Rock said the Academy asked him to host the 2023 Oscars, but he turned them down. According to the Arizona Republic, Rock told the crowd at a recent gig in Phoenix that returning to the Oscars would be like returning to the scene of a crime, comparing the offer to asking Nicole Brown Simpson to “go back to the restaurant” she ate at before being murdered. Rock also said he was asked to do a Super Bowl commercial in light of the slap, an offer he also refused. Elsewhere in the set, Rock said being slapped by Smith physically hurt, noting that Smith played Muhammed Ali in a movie. “He’s bigger than me,” R...
Academy Apologizes to Sacheen Littlefeather for Mistreatment While Declining Marlon Brando’s Oscar
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has apologized to Sacheen Littlefeather, who endured racist mockery and threats of arrest and violence when she appeared on Marlon Brando’s behalf at the 1973 Oscars and declined his award for Best Actor. Via The Hollywood Reporter, the Academy privately apologized to Littlefeather in June and will read the apology publicly on September 17th, when she’ll be the guest of honor at an event at the Academy Museum. “I was stunned. I never thought I’d live to see the day I would be hearing this, experiencing this,” Littlefeather said. “When I was at the podium in 1973, I stood there alone.” An actor herself, Littlefeather was mocked with tomahawk chops and ululations when she spoke for Brando, who had won Best Actor for his work in&n...
Will Smith Banned From Attending Oscars for 10 Years
The Academy has banned Will Smith from attending the Oscars and associated events for a period of 10 years. The punishment was announced by the Academy Board of Governors following a meeting on Friday morning. The meeting had originally been scheduled for April 18th, but was pushed up after Smith announced his resignation from the Academy and said he would not contest any additional punishments. “This action we are taking today in response to Will Smith’s behavior is a step toward a larger goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests, and restoring trust in the Academy,” the Academy’s president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement. “We also hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted.” Advertisement Related Video In a bri...
Guillermo del Toro Slams Oscars for Cutting Awards from Live Broadcast
It seems pretty likely that we’ll hear Guillermo del Toro’s name at this year’s Oscars, but the filmmaker wants his fellow artisans to get the same due as big-name directors. While accepting an award at the Hollywood Critics Association Awards on Monday (February 28th), del Toro criticized the Academy for cutting select behind-the-scenes categories from the Oscars’ live broadcast, noting the collective nature of filmmaking. “If any year was the year to think about it, this is not the year not to hear their names live at the Oscars. This is the year to sing and do it live,” del Toro said. The director, who was accepting the Filmmaking Achievement Award, was referring to the artists who work in documentaries, editing, makeup and hairstyling, production design, short films, and sound. Last we...
Oscars 2022: The Academy Cuts 8 Awards From Live Broadcast
The Academy knows that people complain about the Oscars being too long, so it’s cutting eight awards from this year’s live broadcast. Instead, the awards for Best Documentary (Short Subject), Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Production Design, Short Film (Animated), Short Film (Live Action), and Sound will be announced and recorded at the Dolby Theatre an hour before the Oscars’ live telecast begins, and then edited into the live show. In a letter addressed to its members, Academy President David Rubin clarified that the eight cut categories would be presented at the actual Oscars, not at a pre-show or on the red carpet. Instead, the award ceremony — set for March 27th — will simply begin an hour earlier than previously scheduled to allow for the recording. “To...
