93rd Annual Oscars Makes History

On Sunday, April 25th, the 2021 Oscars took place.  COVID affected many events, including last year's award shows. This year, however, with everything going on in health news, the Academy decided to take a chance and continue this tradition a slightly different way.

Many know that the Oscars take place in the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, but due to the circumstances of this year, there was a change. The awards were given this year in Union Station, which is also in Los Angeles. This train station is also known for many movies that were shot there, including Catch Me If You Can, Pearl Harbor, Blade Runner, and many more. This was a different idea than last year, when they were able to do the ceremony in its normal location, about a month before the pandemic caused things to shut down. Due to limited seating, only the nominees were on the premises during the ceremony. 

After the red carpet pre-show, Regina King came onto the stage while the camera followed her all the way from the door. It was filmed as the opening to a Hollywood Blockbuster, even including the hosts and crew in the intro. When she arrived on the stage, she informed the audience that everyone in the room was tested multiple times, vaccinated, socially distanced, and followed all necessary precautions for the event to be safe.

Other than a simple change in venue, this Oscars ceremony also made some history with the charts. One of the nominated movies, Nomadland, was very popular in the headlines. They won the Oscars for “Best Picture”, Frances McDormand for “Best Actress” and Chloe Zhao for “Best Director.” This was a big moment because she was the first woman of color to win an Oscar for “Best Director,” and the second woman to receive this award in all 93 years. 

The 94th ceremony hopes to return to its original setting and invite the traditional 1000+ people by 2022. With COVID vaccinations going up in the country and fewer cases of the virus, it may be a possibility by then.