Oscars: Faye Dunaway, Warren Beatty expected to return to present Best Picture after flub
Despite last year’s infamous best picture mix-up,Faye DunawayandWarren Beattyare expected back at this year’sOscarsto again present the final award. Sources confirmed the duo will give it another try on Sunday, this time with much more attention to the handling of the envelope.
The “Bonnie and Clyde” actors rehearsed the moment in advance of Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theater Thursday afternoon,TMZ first reported.
Dunaway, 77, and Beatty, 80, gave viewers one of the most memorable Oscar nights ever in 2017 when Beatty took a look at the card, seemed to be unclear about what he saw, and handed the card to Dunaway, who saw the words “La La Land” and pronounced it best picture winner instead of “Moonlight.” Beatty and Dunaway had apparently been handed the best actress duplicate card that Emma Stone had won moments before for “La La Land.”
PriceWaterhouseCoopers, whose accountant Brian Cullinan had apparently been tweeting while on envelope duty, issued the following statement: “We sincerely apologize to Moonlight, La La Land, Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, and Oscar viewers for the error that was made during the award announcement for Best Picture. The presenters had mistakenly been given the wrong category envelope and when discovered, was immediately corrected. We are currently investigating how this could have happened, and deeply regret that this occurred.”
This year, the celebrity presenter as well as a stage manager will confirm that they have the correct envelope before announcing the award. PwC partners will not be allowed to use social media during the show, according to the Associated Press. In addition, a third “balloting partner” will sit with producers in the control room with a third set of envelopes.
Cullinan and Martha Ruiz will not be returning to carry the ballots this year. Balloting partners will include PwC’s Rick Rosas, who has handled Oscar duties many times before, and Kimberly Bourdon.
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