Warren Beatty urges academy president to clarify Oscar fiasco
NEW YORK — Warren Beatty says Academy of Motion Pictures President Cheryl Boone Isaacs should “publicly clarify” what happened during Sunday night’s best picture presentation “as soon as possible.”
Beatty released a statement Tuesday to The Associated Press in which he declined to comment further on the debacle that led to him and co-presenter Faye Dunaway mistakenly reading “La La Land” as best picture winner rather than “Moonlight.” Instead, he urged the academy to answer questions.
“I feel it would be more appropriate for the president of the Academy, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, to publicly clarify what happened as soon as possible,” said Beatty.
Representatives for the academy didn’t immediately comment Tuesday.
Since Sunday’s broadcast, the academy has largely left the explaining to PwC, the accounting firm that has taken the blame for “La La Land” mistakenly being read as the best picture winner by Beatty and Faye Dunaway. PwC, which is in charge of tabulating the winners, has said partner Brian Cullinan mistakenly handed them the wrong envelope.
The film academy didn’t release a statement of its own until late Monday.
“We deeply regret the mistakes
that were made during the presentation of the best picture category during last night’s Oscar ceremony,” it read. “We apologize to the entire cast and crew of ‘La La Land’ and ‘Moonlight’ whose experience was profoundly altered by this error. We salute the tremendous grace they displayed under the circumstances. To all involved
— including our presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, the filmmakers, and our fans watching worldwide — we apologize.”
On Monday, the academy said it had spent Sunday night and the following day “investigating the circumstances” and “will determine what actions are appropriate going forward.”