2024 Academy Awards: Al Pacino says abrupt best picture speech was ‘choice by producers’

LOS ANGELES — Academy Award-winning actor Al Pacino clarified his awkward, abrupt speech announcing the best picture award during Sunday night’s Oscars, claiming it was “a choice by producers.”

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Pacino, 83, a nine-time Oscar nominee and a winner for Best Actor in “Scent of a Woman,” did not name any of the nominees for best picture. Instead, he opened the envelope and said, “And my eyes see ‘Oppenheimer,’” Variety reported.

Pacino issued a statement on Monday clarifying his actions, which caught the audience, host Jimmy Kimmel and even the orchestra off-guard. The final award of the night cemented a blockbuster night for “Oppenheimer,” as the film won seven Academy Awards, including for Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.) and Best Director (Christopher Nolan).

“There seems to be some controversy about my not mentioning every film by name last night before announcing the best picture award,” Pacino said. “I just want to be clear it was not my intention to omit them, rather a choice by the producers not to have them said again since they were highlighted individually throughout the ceremony. I was honored to be a part of the evening and chose to follow the way they wished for this award to be presented.

“I realize being nominated is a huge milestone in one’s life and to not be fully recognized is offensive and hurtful,” Pacino added. “I say this as someone who profoundly relates with filmmakers, actors and producers so I deeply empathize with those who have been slighted by this oversight and it’s why I felt it necessary to make this statement.”

Pacino walked to the microphone, serenaded by the theme to “The Godfather” and a standing ovation, Deadline reported.

The actor, who was nominated for best supporting actor in “The Godfather” and best actor in “The Godfather: Part II,” thanked the crowd and began to speak.

“Some Shakespeare now I think is in order, right?” he said. “This is the time for the last award of the evening, and it’s my honor to present it. 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, and I will. Here it comes. And my eyes see ‘Oppenheimer.’ Yes. Yes.”

Oscars producer Molly McNearney told Variety in an interview after the ceremony that the decision to just list the winner was a “creative one.”

The creative team was “very worried that the show was going to be long” and snippets from all 10 nominees had already been played throughout the ceremony.

“By the time you get to the end of the show, you’ve seen all 10 best picture clip packages,” McNearney told the entertainment news website. “People just want to hear who wins, and they’re pretty ready for the show to be over. At least that’s what we anticipated. So, we did not give him a clip package. We did not give him nominations to read. I apologize if our decision to not have to read through all those nominations put him in a tough spot.”

Pacino had been scheduled to co-present the best picture award with his “Scarface” co-star Michelle Pfeiffer, according to The Hollywood Reporter. However, the actress remained in New York due to a family matter, according to multiple sources.

Pacino’s memoir, “Sonny Boy,” will be published in October, the entertainment news website reported. But he was short with words during the ceremony.

“I guess he’s never watched an awards show before,” Kimmel told Kelly Ripa in an interview after the ceremony, according to Variety. “It seems like everyone in America knows the rhythm of how it’s supposed to go … down to the ‘And the Oscar goes to …’ But not Al Pacino! God bless him.”

McNearney said that Pacino’s omission of the signature phrase added to the confusion.

“But listen, that’s the excitement of live television,” she told Variety. “You never know (what) you’re going to get exactly!”

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