In a surprising turn of events during the 96th Academy Awards, legendary actor Al Pacino presented the Best Picture award in a way that deviated from tradition, leaving out the names of all nominees before revealing the winner. Pacino, who took the stage as the final presenter, announced “Oppenheimer” as the winner without listing the competitors, a moment that stirred confusion and later warranted clarification.
The incident prompted Pacino to issue a statement on Monday, emphasizing his intention was never to overlook the nominees. He explained that he had been following the directives of the Oscars production team: “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. I was honored to be a part of the evening and chose to follow the way they wished for this award to be presented.”
Pacino, who won Best Actor in 1992 for “Scent of a Woman” and has been nominated nine times over his illustrious career, expressed his understanding of the significance of an Oscar nod. “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 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.”
The nominees for Best Picture, which included titles like “American Fiction,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Barbie,” “The Holdovers,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” “Past Lives,” “Poor Things,” and “The Zone of Interest,” were each honored with their separate segments during the award ceremony. Nevertheless, Pacino’s truncated announcement, which led with “And the Oscar goes to … ” and ended with the reveal, was unexpected and left some viewers disoriented.
The Oscars producers designed the show to be fluid and timely. With a concern for the runtime at the forefront, the decision to omit the full nominees’ list strategically reduced the lengthy ceremony. Oscars producer Molly McNearney explained to Variety, “It was a creative decision we made because we were very worried that the show was going to be long. By the time you get to the end of the show, you’ve seen all ten best picture clip packages. People just want to hear who wins, and they’re pretty ready for the show to be over. At least that’s what we anticipated.”
Acknowledging the position the production decision may have put Pacino in, McNearney added, “I apologize if our decision to not have to read through all those nominations put him in a tough spot.”
Interestingly, the day following the Academy Awards, it was revealed that Al Pacino’s memoir is on the horizon, set to be released in the fall by Penguin Press. Described as an “astonishingly revelatory account of a creative life in full,” Pacino’s forthcoming book will delve into his experiences with iconic films such as “The Godfather,” “Serpico,” and “Dog Day Afternoon.”
The veteran actor articulated his aspirations for the memoir, stating, “I wanted to express what I’ve seen and been through in my life.” As fans await the release of his personal exploration into a storied career, Pacino’s nuanced clarification of the Oscars Best Picture announcement offers a glimpse into the professionalism that has defined his contributions to the cinematic world.
