Anthony Hopkins offered to accept Oscar via Zoom but was turned down
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Sir Anthony Hopkins reportedly offered to accept his Oscar win via Zoom, but the Academy refused.
The actor won the award for Best Actor at the 93rd Academy Awards on Sunday (April 25), and was singled out as one of the only winners who was not present in Los Angeles or at one of the Oscars hubs around the world.
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Hopkins’ absence was particularly notable as the award for Best Actor was presented last (where usually it would be the award for Best Picture) and many said the night ended on an “anti-climactic” note.
A new report in the New York Times reveals that Hopkins had asked to accept his award via Zoom if the moment came, but was denied the chance.
“I’m told that Hopkins was at home in the Welsh countryside and had offered to accept via Zoom if his name was read, but the Oscars nixed that plan,” the Times’ Projectionist Kyle Buchanan wrote.
“To distinguish themselves from award shows like the Golden Globes that had been hobbled by videoconferencing mishaps, Oscar producers encouraged nominees to attend the Los Angeles gala in person or to make their way to satellite ceremonies that had been set up in a handful of European cities.”
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“I had an exchange of emails with him this morning, and they were quite wonderful,” Sony Pictures Classics co-president Michael Barker told the publication on Monday (April 26).
“He was very exuberant and very moved. He said to have something like this at his age was such a gift.”
Accepting his Oscar for Best Actor the day after the ceremony, Sir Anthony Hopkins paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman in his speech.
“Good morning. Here I am in my homeland in Wales, and at 83 I did not expect to get this award. I really didn’t,” he said.
“Very grateful to the Academy and thank you, and I want to pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman who was taken from us far too early. And again thank you all very much. really did not expect this, so I feel very privileged and honoured. Thank you.”
