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10 things we bet you didn’t know about the Oscars

Hello Hollywooders! Welcome back to #HollyGood Tuesdays, where we explore the wonderful world of Hollywood. 

While we anxiously anticipate the approach of the 2021 Oscars on Sunday April 25, let’s go over some of the fun facts you never knew about this famous Hollywood ceremony. 

#1: The Oscar Statue isn’t made of gold.  

The Oscar statuette looks as if it is made of gold, but it is simply plated in 24-karat gold. In actuality, it’s made of solid bronze, weighing in at about 8.5 pounds. For a short time after World War II, there was a metal shortage, and Academy Award winners received plastered figures rather than gold plated ones. Seems like a rip-off to me. 

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#2: Speeches have a time limit for a reason. 

In the early years of the Oscars, there was never a time limit to winners speeches, that is until Greer Garson came along. Greer Garson won the best actress award for Mrs. Miniver in 1943, and her speech was over 5 minutes long. The Oscars stretched out till 1 am that night, and ever since, we hear the sound of play-off music after 45 seconds. 

#3: You can still win an Oscar in your 80s

James Ivory was the oldest Oscar winner in history when he won best adapted screenplay for Call Me By Your Name in 2018 at age 89. 

He did not only win the oscar, he won best dressed of the night, proving that he is also a Timothée Chalamet stan. 

#4: Not many women have been nominated for best director

Since the awards began 93 years ago, only seven women have been nominated for best director. Can you believe that?!

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The first in 1977 being Lina Wermuller for Seven Beauties, followed by Jan Campion 1993’s The Piano. In 2003, Sofia Coppola was nominated for Lost in Translation and the only woman to win was Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker in 2010. In more recent years, Greta Gerwig was nominated for Lady Bird in 2017, and two women are nominated for Best Director at the 2021 Oscars. Emerald Fennell is nominated for her masterpiece Promising Young Woman and Chloé Zhao is nominated for Nomadland, starring Frances McDormand. One of these talented female directors is bound to win, and hopefully will set the precedent for more women directors in Hollywood.

#5: The youngest Oscar winner was YOUNG, like really young. 

The youngest ever Oscar winner was Tatum O’Neal for her role in Paper Moon. She was only 10 years old. This is extremely impressive, considering most of us were still learning how to ride a bike. 

#6: Alfred Hitchcock was a man of very few words

The shortest acceptance speech at the Oscars was by Alfred Hitchcock and William Holden. They both just said “Thank you” and walked off stage. I love this approach, simple yet effective. 

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#7: The statuette is named after good old Uncle Oscar

The actual name of the trophy given to winners is the Academy Award of Merit, but it is known as an Oscar. There is no hard evidence as to why we call it that, but there is a theory that an executive director in the academy noted that the statue resembled her uncle Oscar. This nickname wasn’t associated with the trophy until the late 1930s. 

#8 The most Oscar wins goes to…

The most ever Oscar wins went to Walt Disney at a whopping 26 wins. He has a total of 64 Oscar nominations for his work, and holds the record to this day. 

We did a run-down of the 20 Hollywood movies with the most award nominations ever. Check it out here.

#9: A family of Oscar winners

There have been Oscar winning Hollywood couples, but what about families? The only family to claim every family member an Oscar winner are the Minellis. Judy Garland won an award in 1943, and Vincente Minnelli won for Best Director of the film Gigi. Nearly 20 years later, their daughter Liza Minnelli won Best Actress for the classic film Cabaret. That is one talented family!

#10: Aaaand the winner is…Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep holds the record for most Oscar nominations across the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories, with a total of 21(!!) nominations. She has won a total of three Oscars for Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie’s Choice and The Iron Lady.

All hail the queen of Hollywood. 

More Like This: These 20 Hollywood movies have the most award nominations like, ever
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