Al Pacino’s ‘Oppenheimer’ Best Picture Oscars flub explained — maybe

Jack Hobbs
·3 min read

The award for most anticlimactic Oscar ending goes to…

Al Pacino caused quite a stir during the 2024 Oscars when he skipped over announcing all 10 of the Best Picture nominees. Instead, he just quickly blurted out “Oppenheimer.”

The Oscar winner, 83, was greeted by a standing ovation as he took to the stage at LA’s Dolby Theatre before he delivered the top award.

Al Pacino caused quite a stir during the 2024 Oscars on Sunday when the actor seemed to skip over announcing all 10 of the Best Picture nominees and went straight into announcing the winner. Rob Latour/Shutterstock
Al Pacino caused quite a stir during the 2024 Oscars on Sunday when the actor seemed to skip over announcing all 10 of the Best Picture nominees and went straight into announcing the winner. Rob Latour/Shutterstock
Pacino, 83, took the stage at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre at the end of the show to a tremendous amount of applause and a standing ovation to deliver the top award. Frank Micelotta/Disney via Getty Images
Pacino, 83, took the stage at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre at the end of the show to a tremendous amount of applause and a standing ovation to deliver the top award. Frank Micelotta/Disney via Getty Images

However, instead of building the tension like several previous presenters and allowing all the films one last chance to be recognized, the “Godfather” actor trudged straight ahead by announcing the victor.

“Ten wonderful films were nominated, but only one will take the award for Best Picture — and I have to go to the envelope for that,” he said.

“My eyes see ‘Oppenheimer!‘ “

The “Scent of a Woman” star’s brusk announcement was met with several social media users wishing the actor had kept decorum.

“Wish Al would have read all of the nominees first. I was looking forward to seeing the sizzle reels, and a bit of tension,” one person posted on X (formerly Twitter).

“Ten wonderful films were nominated, but only one will take the award for Best Picture — and I have to go to the envelope for that,” Pacino stated as he fumbled with the envelope eliciting laughs from the star-studded crowd before adding “My eyes see ‘Oppenheimer!’ ” Kevin Winter/Getty Images
“Ten wonderful films were nominated, but only one will take the award for Best Picture — and I have to go to the envelope for that,” Pacino stated as he fumbled with the envelope eliciting laughs from the star-studded crowd before adding “My eyes see ‘Oppenheimer!’ ” Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Christopher Nolan’s (second from left) film, which was nominated for 13 awards, took home the top award, beating out “American Fiction,” “Barbie,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Holdovers,” “Poor Things,” “The Zone of Interest,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Past Lives” and “Maestro.” Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
Christopher Nolan’s (second from left) film, which was nominated for 13 awards, took home the top award, beating out “American Fiction,” “Barbie,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Holdovers,” “Poor Things,” “The Zone of Interest,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Past Lives” and “Maestro.” Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

“What a weird anti climactic way to reveal the winner. Everyone was like WTF!” a second person posted.

“The downside of elderly legends giving out the biggest award,” stated a third critic. “Pair them with a younger star to make sure they do what they are supposed to do or tape the announcement of the ten nominees Disrespectful to not give them their due.”

Despite the negative comments, a source claimed to E! News it was a creative direction by production.

A source close to the production later told E! News that the “Scarface” star’s unorthodox presenting style had been agreed to ahead of time as a creative direction. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
A source close to the production later told E! News that the “Scarface” star’s unorthodox presenting style had been agreed to ahead of time as a creative direction. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
The biopic also took home the awards for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Score and Best Supporting Actor. Universal Pictures via AP
The biopic also took home the awards for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Score and Best Supporting Actor. Universal Pictures via AP

The Post reached out to the Academy for comment.

Although Pacino’s category was awkward, other viewers stood up for him.

“People think he forgot to say the nominees, but they did the same non-announcement for Best Song,” a user pointed out. “Perhaps they skip saying the nominees in both categories because each song was sung and each movie highlighted during the ceremony.”

“This always happens at the end of these awards shows especially when they have an 80-year-old presenting. You can’t blame them. Get over it,” another angry X user posted.

Christopher Nolan’s film, which was nominated for 13 awards, took home the top prize, beating out “American Fiction,” “Barbie,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Holdovers,” “Poor Things,” “The Zone of Interest,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Past Lives” and “Maestro.”

The biopic also earned gold statues for Best Director (Nolan), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.), Best Editing, Best Cinematography and Best Score.