Scattered announcement

Al Pacino clarifies: This is how the Oscar mishap happened!

Al Pacino caused an Oscar scandal on Sunday with his announcement of the winner in the "Best Film" category. The actor has now commented on the matter.

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Al Pacino presented the most important Oscar category at the gala finale and caused a stir with an absent-minded appearance without much excitement. Now the 83-year-old has explained why it happened the way it did.

According to him, the responsibility lay with the show's producers, who did not want to waste time mentioning all ten nominated films again before the announcement. Since 2010, the "Best Film" category has included ten productions instead of just five.

"Decision of the producers"
"There seems to be some controversy that I didn't mention every movie by name before I announced the award for Best Picture," Pacino announced the day after his Oscar scandal. "I just want to make it clear that it was not my intention to leave them out, but rather the producers' decision."

(Bild: APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/KEVIN WINTER)

The films had already been "highlighted individually during the ceremony". "It was an honor to be part of the evening and I decided to follow the way the makers of the evening had thought of it."

However, Pacino said that he felt his explanation afterwards was "necessary" because he has a "deep relationship with filmmakers, actors and producers" and did not want anyone to feel disadvantaged. "I realize that being nominated is a huge milestone in a person's life" and that it can therefore be hurtful not to be fully recognized.

Nine nominations, one Oscar
Pacino himself was nominated for an Oscar nine times as an actor between 1973 and 2020. He won the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 1993 for his role in the literary adaptation "The Scent of Women".

Pacino had only said at the gala on Sunday evening: "Well, this is the time for the last award of the night. And it's an honor for me to present it. Ten wonderful films were nominated, but only one will receive the award for Best Picture. And for that, I have to go to the envelope."

Al Pacino congratulated the beaming winners of "Oppenheimer".

(Bild: APA/AFP/Patrick T. Fallon)

There was laughter in the audience as he continued: "And that's what I'm going to do. Here he comes. And my eyes see 'Oppenheimer'." At this point, music started to play and the crowd appeared briefly irritated before starting to cheer.

Wrong envelope caused a scandal
The "Best Film" category - traditionally at the end of the Oscars - has mostly been presented by older Hollywood greats in recent years, such as Harrison Ford in 2023, Liza Minnelli (with Lady Gaga) in 2022 and Jane Fonda four years ago. Time and time again, there has been gossip about the type of presentation.

There was a particularly big stir seven years ago when Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway called out the wrong film ("La La Land" instead of "Moonlight") - but the stars had not done anything wrong, but had been handed the wrong envelope by a person from PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), the auditing and consulting firm responsible for the counting and organization.