The Oscars left us with lots of questions
What’s an ‘inclusion rider’? And who ended up winning that Jet Ski?
The 90th annual Academy Awards dished out its awards, dissed some politicians — like U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence — and left some burning questions. Here are some of the answers: Inclusion rider. Best actress winner Frances McDormand finished her acceptance speech with two words that left many people baffled.
“I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: inclusion rider.”
It’s a legal term that allows an actor to require greater say in the production of a film, including the hiring of actors and crew that reflect diversity, including women, minorities, LGBTQ individuals and people with disabilities.
Time will tell if A-list stars decide to use their clout at a time when the entertainment industry is struggling to become less white male-dominated and more inclusive.
Who was rewarded for brevity?
In an effort to keep the show within its four-hour time limit, emcee Jimmy Kimmel unveiled —with game-show fanfare — a prize for the shortest acceptance speech, a brandnew green Kawasaki Jet Ski worth $18,000 (U.S.). The happy winner was Mark Bridges, who won his second Oscar for Best Costume Design for his work on Phantom Thread. His concise 36-second speech earned him the watercraft, which he straddled as it was brought on stage in the award show’s final moments, with Helen Mirren riding shotgun. Who is Douglas Sirk? Best Director winner Guillermo del Toro twice referenced the name while accepting the reward. Sirk is a German filmmaker who made his mark in Hollywood in the 1950s with emotionally charged dramas such as Magnificent Obsession (1954), All That Heaven Allows (1955) — both starring Rock Hudson — and Imitation of Life (1959). What’s with the orange pins? Eagle-eyed viewers of the red carpet and the show may have wondered about the new fashion accessory being worn by a number of celebrities — orange pins with the image of an American flag.
An advocacy group called Everytown for Gun Safety has created the pins to bring attention to gun violence in the aftermath of the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in which 17 people were killed.