Inside the 96th Academy Awards Press Room
The Panther attended the 96th Academy Awards Press Room both in-person and virtually, where the night’s winners took questions from press outlets from around the world. “American Fiction Director” Cord Jefferson poses backstage with the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay during the live ABC telecast of the 96th Oscars at Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Photos courtesy of Michael Baker / © A.M.P.A.S.
On the second floor of the Loews Hotel sits a podium and microphone that awaits the newly crowned Academy Award winners. Riding high off their win, the night’s victors clutch their 13.5-inch-tall, 8.5-pound golden statuette while fielding questions from hundreds of journalists in the room, with hundreds more watching from a live Zoom stream.
This year, The Panther attended the 96th Academy Awards Press Room, both in-person by staff writer Molly Rose Freeman, and virtually by editor Nicholas De Lucca. The room allowed winners to expound upon their brief acceptance speeches, address mishaps and celebrate amongst journalists worldwide. Throughout the night, the room was filled with the sounds of the endless typing, voracious applause and networking of countless news outlets.
The first winner to step into the room was producer Kiyofumi Nakajima for “The Boy and the Heron” (Best Animated Film). Choosing not to take questions, Nakajima read a statement provided by Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki, who was not in attendance.
After questions to Dave Mullins and Brad Booker of “War is Over!” (Best Animated Short Film) and Justine Triet and Arthur Hirrari of “Anatomy of a Fall” (Best Original Screenplay), Cord Jefferson took the podium. The “American Fiction” director, carrying his Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar, answered about the importance of being recognized for a film that shined a light on the stereotypes of black characters in film.
“There is an appetite for things that are different,” Jefferson said. “And, you know, a story with black characters that's going to appeal to a lot of people doesn't need to take place on a plantation, doesn't need to take place in the projects, doesn't need to have drug dealers in it (and) doesn't need to have gang members in it. But there's an audience for different depictions of people's lives, and that there is a market for depictions of black life that are as broad and as deep as any other depictions of people's lives.”
“Poor Things” continued its hot streak with press room appearances from Holly Waddington for Best Costume Design and Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. The makeup and hairstyle trio touched on their friendship with actress Emma Stone, afterparty prospects and what it means to take home the award.
“I always think of us as we're not just hair, makeup and accessories,” Stacey said. “We're part of the storytelling process, and it is a huge part of an actor’s getting into character. So, it's incredible and particularly on something like this film where we created this kind of whole new world and characters, and so for us to be recognized for that is amazing.”
Next up were appearances by Best Film Editing winner Jennifer Lame of “Oppenheimer” and the visual effects team of “Godzilla Minus One.” Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers entered the room for their Best Documentary Short Subject win.
Proudfoot and Bower’s film, “The Last Repair Shop,” focuses on one of the last instrument repair shops that resides within a public school district. Bowers spoke about a friend whose mother couldn’t afford therapy, so she bought her son a 99-dollar guitar. He expanded on how music can change the lives of kids in underserved communities and how he hopes the film raises awareness of the need for accessible and affordable repair shops.
Up next was Hoyte Van Hoytema, the cinematographer behind “Oppenheimer,” and Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner and Raney Aronson-Rath for the Best Documentary Feature “20 Days in Mariupol.” Continuing the sentiments from his acceptance speech, Chernov reminded the room of an attack on a maternity hospital in Mariupol — a moment he called symbolic of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He answered a question asking why the documentary feels like the right film to earn Ukraine’s first Academy Award with the following response:
“There will be a time when great films will come out of Ukraine,” Chernov said. “Great artists are now working – or actually fighting. A lot of filmmakers in Ukraine are right now in the trenches fighting for their country. So they cannot make movies. They cannot yet process what is happening to our history, what is happening to our people. So right now, a documentary is representing Ukraine, but the time will come when more Ukraine filmmakers come, and I hope they will be inspired by our experience, by our work, and they will tell more stories.”
Da’Vine Joy Randolph of “The Holdovers,” was asked if her award is a confirmation of her hard work, but the Best Supporting Actress countered the notion with her response.
“I think you’d be selling yourself short if you make it about the awards. It’s too hard of a career. The beautiful thing and the hard thing about being an actor is that it requires you to have resilience and self-confidence and belief in yourself when no one else does, when you are constantly getting ‘nos,’ and you’re saying, ‘Nope, I’m going to keep going.’”
Siblings Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell entered the room after their second win for Best Original Song after last year’s James Bond ballad ‘No Time To Die.’’ Eilish shared a story about being 12 years old, watching Matilda on Broadway and bawling because “I'm never going to amount to anything, because I'm not in Matilda.”
“I would say, give yourself some time and do what you love,” Eilish said. “And I know that's kind of easier said than done, because some of us don't even know what we love.”
The tail end of their interview was interrupted by shockwaves sent through the press room. Murmurs and gasps — along with some surprised expletives — could be heard all around. “What's happening during the show that you are all laughing at?” O’Connell inquired.
The moment came after Michelle Yeoh announced Emma Stone as the winner of the Best Actress category — a decision that many would consider to be the biggest upset of the night. No one appeared to be more dumbfounded by this turn of events than Stone herself, who one reporter said “seemed, more than (he has) ever seen on the Oscars stage, completely shocked.”
The shock briefly subsided as Cillian Murphy entered the room after taking home Best Actor for “Oppenheimer.” Murphy has had a storied career thus far — often as part of Christopher Nolan’s canon. When asked how he would feel if this was the role he was defined by, Murphy said: “Very content. I mean, you know, you gotta move forward, but this has been a huge, huge moment for me and the movie is so special to me.”
Although Stone still felt like she was “spinning,” when she entered the room, she had mostly managed to recover by the time she made her way in front of the room full of eager press outlets. The now two-time Oscar winner confirmed that she snapped her dress during the “I’m Just Ken” performance. She then spoke about living in the shoes of Bella Baxter, a character with a child-like sense of wonder and curiosity, and how much making “Poor Things” meant to her.
“I really miss playing (Baxter) ever since we wrapped filming, which was a long time ago. It was like two and a half years ago,” Stone said. “I miss Bella. And I'm really grateful that we got to celebrate the film tonight and over these past few months.”
As the night came to a close, a steady stream of journalists filtered out of the once-packed space. Some were off to the Governor’s Ball and other afterparties, some headed home — ready to face the monstrous traffic — and some hung back to finish up last-minute Awards updates on their respective blogs or news sites. Meanwhile, the winners went off to conclude their successful Awards season and figure out where to keep their new trophies.