Al Pacino made headlines at the 2024 Oscars with his unconventional presentation of the Best Picture award. Instead of following the traditional procedure of listing all nominees before announcing the winner, Pacino went straight to the envelope and declared “Oppenheimer” as the winner. This abrupt announcement was not a mistake but a deliberate choice by the Oscars producers to keep the show within its time limits.
Pacino’s delivery, however, added an element of confusion and amusement. He hesitated before saying, “And my eyes see Oppenheimer,” leading to a moment of uncertainty in the audience. This peculiar phrasing, coupled with his subsequent question, “What happened?”, turned the announcement into one of the night’s most talked-about moments.
The producers later explained that since each Best Picture nominee had been highlighted throughout the ceremony, they decided to forgo listing them again to streamline the show. Pacino himself clarified in a statement that this approach was intended to avoid redundancy and keep the focus on the winner.
Despite the mixed reactions, Pacino’s presentation became a viral sensation, overshadowing other noteworthy events of the night, such as John Cena’s comedic antics. The incident highlighted the unpredictable nature of live television and added a memorable twist to the 2024 Oscars.
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