No crowds and fewer cameras than ever before — that’s how Hollywood’s finest have gathered for the Oscars red carpet.
Celebrities posed in a socially-distanced manner without wearing any mask amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The 93rd annual Academy Awards were held for the first time at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles instead of the usual Dolby Theater.
Glamorous stars led this prestigious event including Carey Mulligan, Margot Robbie, and Reese Witherspoon.
Regardless of the fewer number of attendees, guests were still able to amaze everybody with the likes of Zendaya wowing in Valentino Couture, head turner Amanda Seyfried in Armani Prive, dazzling Regina King in Louis Vuitton, and a Gucci dress that makes Vanessa Kirby breathtaking.
From the usual 3,000 guests, this year’s academy award was pulled off with just 170 invited guests.
The Academy Awards made sure that the invited guests have done a low-risk lifestyle for 10 days before the show. Moreover, testing was required for the attendees.
Virtue-signaling stars used the platform to remind viewers about the injustices of the world. Anthony Hopkins winning the best actor awards above Chadwick Boseman triggered some people and attacked him. Viewers at home weren’t pleased with the outcomes of the show, tagging it as “worst ever”.
Highlights of the night were director Travon Free showed off a jacket emblazoned with the names of black people killed by police, Mia Neal acceptance speech for best hair and makeup spoke about “breaking the glass ceiling” for trans and minority ethnic people, and lastly the award host Regina King who kicked off the night by hailing the conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.
Best Picture nominees failed to win over audiences ahead of the show, together some of them are the biggest box office flops of all-time with six of eight movies ranking in a combined total of $39.3 million worldwide – an average of just $6.5 million each.
The pandemic and closing of the cinemas played a role in the poor takings. Top earner Promising Young Woman took $12.6 million, Minari, an Asian-American domestic drama took $11 million, Judas And The Black Messiah earned $6.1 million while Nomadland had $5.4 million.
The Father by Olivia Colman and Anthony Hopkins made $3.7 million and Sound Of Metal, a rock movie, just earned $176,054.
Oscar co-producer Steven Soderbergh described the three-hour show as “like a movie” that marks the assembled Hollywood’s finest in over a year.
Mask-free while on-camera or seated in the main showroom, movie stars were socially distanced from each other at the delayed ceremony at the Union Station In L.A. hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Union Station is a historic landmark that was built in 1939. It has plenty of room to hold theatrics on Hollywood’s biggest night because of its 161,000 square feet main terminal. Around 100,000 people walk through its halls every day during normal days before the COVID-19 pandemic happened.
When compared to Dolby Theatre that can only accommodate seats around 3,300, Union Station is a spacious station ideal for an award show amid the pandemic. It is believed to be large enough to do social distancing with its soaring main hall featuring windows that are 40-feet high where stars have more room to mingle and maneuver.
For the UK actors who are unable to attend this prestigious ceremony, the Academy organizers had a “British hub” in London at the British Film Institute, sticking to a “No Zoom” policy.
The red carpet at Union Station is one of the glamorous places during Oscars night. Cut-out detailing along her torso and a statement ball skirt, Carey, 35, dazzled in a strapless gold Valentino Couture gown. She is with her husband, Mumford and Sons musician Marcus Mumford.
A Chanel grey and silver gown with delicate black trim and spaghetti straps with delicate floral detailing was seen wearing by Margot, 30.
Reese, 45, slipped on a Grecian-styled Christian Dior gown with a black belt, an ombre-hued fabric that delicately draped against her frame is what consisted of her frock.
A goddess-like Zendaya, 24, wore a bright yellow Valentino Couture gown. The Euphoria star astounded everyone with over $6 million Bvlgari jewelry for her flat midriff in the strapless, cut-out frock by the design house.
Zendaya’s earrings are made of 9.4 yellow pear diamond and two 3.49carat pearl diamonds, set in platinum.
The actress Amanda Seyfried, 35, looked like a classic movie star in an Armani Prive gown, she’s wearing Forevermark jewelry including 10.45-carat Premier Gem yellow radiant drop halo earrings with a matching 5.03-carat ring.
Regina, 50, amazed everybody in her Louis Vuitton dress. It took 140 hours with over 62,000 sequins and 4,000 crystals to make her dress which began in January. Her diamond drop earrings are 36.10 carats with 4.03 casts stud earrings by Forevermore jewelry.
Halle Berry arrived on the red carpet with her boyfriend Van Hunt. The pair is wearing an Etro suit with David Yurman broach and Christian Louboutin dress shoes while Berry was a head-turner with her short haircut and a purple strapless Dolce & Gabbana gown. She partnered her gown with Christian Louboutin heels and Ridano jewels.
Presenters of the show like Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford, Rita Moreno, Reese Witherspoon, Zendaya, and Halley Berry were considered “cast members” as producers led by Steven Soderbergh said that this year’s Oscars were folded to look like a movie. The show appeared more widescreen and was shot in 24 frames per second.