Oscar congratulations
Hawking congratulates Redmayne on his Oscar win via a post on Hawking’s Facebook page.
Ratings drop 16%
TV ratings for the Oscars drop 16%. The broadcast averages 36.6 million viewers, down from 43.7 million the previous year. The Washington Post writes:
It was bound to happen eventually. Neil Patrick Harris, the man who can host anything, finally stumbled. Even stripped to his skivvies in a ‘Birdman’ parody … (Harris) couldn’t deliver quite all the thrills needed to get through the three-hour, 38-minute Oscar folderol without a yawn.
Wins best actor
Redmayne wins the Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything.
I am fully aware that I am a lucky, lucky man. This belongs to all of those people around the world battling ALS. It belongs to one exceptional family [the Hawkings]. […] I will be its custodian. I promise you I will look after him.
Record 24th Best Screenplay Oscar nomination
Allen earns his record 24th Best Screenplay Oscar nomination for Blue Jasmine, starring Cate Blanchett, who is nominated for her performance in the leading role. On writing Blanchett’s complex protagonist:
Over the years you get to see what a struggle life is for most people, how tough it is, how easy it is to be judgmental and criticize and stand outside of situations and impart your wisdom and judgment. But over the decades I’ve got more tolerant of people’s flaws and mistakes. Everybody makes a lot of them.
