KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 — Amid the intense Barbie-Oppenheimer rivalry and a pro-Palestine protest, the 2024 Academy Awards was an evening to remember.
Here are some of the best moments from Hollywood’s biggest night this year:
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john cena introducing ‘best costume design’ NAKED at the oscars pic.twitter.com/DVCSFDlnto
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— 2000s (@PopCulture2000s) March 11, 2024
John Cena bares it all
Wrestler-turned-actor John Cena turned up at the Oscars in his “birthday suit” to announce the winner for Best Costume Design.
The sketch was in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the jaw-dropping moment when a naked man ran across the stage while host David Niven was introducing Elizabeth Taylor during the 1974 Oscars.
“Can you imagine a naked man at the Oscars today? Wouldn’t that be crazy?” host Jimmy Kimmel asked, recalling the moment.
Cena peeked from behind the stage and told Kimmel that he “changed his mind” about doing the “streaker bit”, triggering a light-hearted banter between the two.
Kimmel then passed him an oversized winners’ envelope, which Cena used to cover his private parts when he appeared on stage.
“Costumes…they are so important. Maybe the most important there is,” Cena said, as the audience roared with laughter.
And, when the lights went off as the nominees were announced, the backstage staff rushed to cover Cena in a curtain-like golden toga.
Emily Blunt starred as Kitty Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer’ and Ryan Gosling starred as Ken in ‘Barbie’. — Reuters pic
Barbie-Oppenheimer rivalry: Kitty and Ken debate it out
This year’s Oscars have been underscored by the intense contest between Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
And, before paying their tribute to stunt artists, actors Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling traded playful barbs about the rivalry.
Blunt starred as Kitty Oppenheimer, the wife of J. Robert Oppenheimer, in the titular biopic while Gosling starred as Ken in Barbie.
“I think I kind of figured out why it’s called Barbenheimer and not Oppenbarbie.
“Well, I think you guys are at the tail end of that because you were riding Barbie’s coat-tails all summer,” Gosling said.
Blunt, in return, said: “Thanks for Kensplaining that to me, Mr-I-need-to-paint-my-abs-to-get-nominated, you don’t see Robert Downey doing that.”
Clad in a hot pink suit and black cowboy hat, Ryan Gosling performed ‘I’m Just Ken’ from Barbie. — Reuters pic
Ryan Gosling channels Ken-energy with I’m Just Ken
Clad in a hot pink suit and black cowboy hat, Ryan Gosling channelled his Ken-energy in rendering I’m Just Ken from Barbie at the Oppenheimer-dominated Oscars.
Gosling was joined on stage by Mark Ronson and his fellow Ken actors Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa and Kingsley Ben-Adir.
Gosling also returned to the audience and held the microphone up for Barbie director Greta Gerwig and his co-stars Margot Robbie and America Ferrera to sing along with him.
Billie Eilish bagged the Oscar for Best Original Song for What Was I Made For in Barbie.
“Anatomy of a Fall” star Messi appears to pee on Matt Damon’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. https://t.co/UNgGySGz3r pic.twitter.com/yMXgsvpiip
— Variety (@Variety) March 11, 2024
Messi the dog gets a seat at the Oscars
Messi the dog, who rose to fame for his role in Anatomy of a Fall, got his own seat at the Oscars this year.
The blue-eyed canine star was seen sitting on a chair inside the Dolby Theatre while he waited for the show to start.
The seven-year-old border collie played the role of guide dog Snoop in the French legal drama that was also nominated for Best Picture.
Despite his quiet appearance during the event, the mischievous Messi apparently peed on Matt Damon’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, reported Variety.
Mark Ruffalo sporting a red pin in support for ceasefire calls in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. — AFP pic
Hollywood stars don red pin in support for ceasefire
At Hollywood’s biggest night, many celebrities walked on the red carpet, sporting a red pin in support for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Among the stars were songwriting siblings Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, Poor Things star Ramy Youssef and The Avengers star Mark Ruffalo.
In October 2023, more than 400 Hollywood stars signed a letter urging the US President Joe Biden and the Congress to initiate an immediate ceasefire in the war.
Earlier, Variety reported that hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters blocked a major section of Hollywood during the Oscars red carpet, leading to traffic jams.
