As the 2021 Oscars ended, viewers were shocked when iconic actress Rita Moreno presented the Best Picture award before the Best Actor and Best Actress winners were nominated. But that wasn’t the only shock.
When the Oscars changed their typical awards order for the night’s biggest prizes, many assumed they were giving way to a touching posthumous victory for the late Chadwick Boseman. Instead, the Best Actor award went to screening legend Anthony Hopkins for his role in The Father, making him the oldest winner in the category.
SEE THE LIST OF OSCARS 2021 WINNERS
Despite the historic moment, many viewers were surprised – upset, event.
“Wow. I’m out of words now. They’ve clearly rearranged it all in hopes of ending on Chadwick. And now this big moment for Hopkins also feels ruined. What a bad way to end it all. . #Oscars, “tweeted one viewer.
See more reactions below.
While the other nominees in the Best Actor category included talented heavy hitters such as Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal), Steven Yeun (Minari) and Gary Oldman (Mank), Boseman had to earn on the merits of his powerful performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – a performance he won Best Actor for at many other major awards ceremonies.
Adding to the chaos, even though most of the winners were present to accept their prizes, Hopkins was unable to attend which made the evening a bit awkward.
Rebecca Ford of The Hollywood Reporter may have summed up the end of this year’s Oscars event with this astute observation:
Oscars 2021 red carpet: best and worst fashion
Check out the best and worst fashion looks from the 2021 Oscars below.
