Title: Oscars 2023: The Winners No One Heard From on Stage
The 95th Annual Academy Awards brought some historic wins and milestones this year, including Michelle Yeoh becoming the first Asian woman to win the Best Actress award and Ke Huy Quan landing the Best Supporting Actor award. However, there was a glaring issue that overshadowed these wins and cast a negative light on the Oscars: the winners who missed their opportunity to speak.
Last year, the Oscars cut out eight categories from their live broadcast to trim the show’s notoriously long run-time. However, this move was met with criticism from movie fans who noted how unfair it was that the people nominated in these categories didn’t get their moment in the sun. This year, the Academy returned all eight categories to the live ceremony, but it once again meant that the Oscars were pressed for time.
The “get off the stage” music that played people off when their acceptance speeches ran long was especially aggressive this year, with several non-famous winners getting cut off entirely before they could speak. Judy Chin, the co-winner of the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for her work on “The Whale,” waited patiently on stage while her collaborators spoke before walking up to the mic for her turn and immediately getting shut down by the loud music.
Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Mongadouble, two Indian filmmakers who won the Best Documentary Short Film award for “The Elephant Whisperers,” also had their time on stage abruptly cut short by the music. The most frustrating part of this, however, was that BIPOC women seemed to be the ones being denied an opportunity to speak while their white, male counterparts were allowed to ramble on as long as they pleased.
This inconsistency in the music meant that Charlie Mackesy and Matthew Freud, winners in the Best Animated Short Film category, were able to deliver their entire speeches uninterrupted right after the BIPOC winners were played off. This inconsistency regarding who gets to speak and who doesn’t undermines the efforts of the Academy to embrace diversity and honor deserving nominees.
It is no secret that the Oscars always run long, but there needs to be some sort of system in place to ensure that everyone gets their moment on stage. The rules need to apply to everyone, and there has to be a way to make room for every winner to say a few words. Rather than cutting the smaller categories and forcing these winners to shut up and remain in the background, the Academy should find other ways to streamline the show.
Cutting the unnecessary and unfunny comedy skits would be a step in the right direction as it would allow for more time to be given to the deserving winners. Most people would rather see someone who is passionate about what they do finally achieve a life-long dream than sit through another cringey bit. We hear so much from the Best Actor and Actress nominees throughout the year and during awards season, but we rarely get the opportunity to hear from the winners in the smaller categories.
All winners deserve to have their moment on stage, and cutting the guy in the bear suit and giving them 30 seconds to say thank you is the least the Academy can do. As an Academy that claims to be inclusive and diverse, they need to put their words into action and ensure that everyone gets their chance to speak. Otherwise, the Oscars will continue to be criticized for not taking their commitment to diversity seriously.
In Conclusion
The 95th Annual Academy Awards brought up significant issues that need to be addressed if the Oscars want to maintain their relevance and credibility. It is not just about recognizing and honoring the achievements of the nominees and winners; it is also about ensuring that everyone gets their moment to shine on stage.
The Oscars need to put in place measures that make room for every winner to get up and say a few words. Cutting the expenses of the show while avoiding interrupting the smaller categories are critical steps that can help create a more inclusive Oscars. This approach will prove the Academy’s commitment to creating a fair playing field for all nominees regardless of their background.
