Mejor Actor · El Padre
Anthony Hopkins gana sin estar presente: el Oscar de la pandemia y el discurso del día siguiente
La 93ª ceremonia, celebrada en Union Station de Los Ángeles en plena pandemia, tenía un final escrito de antemano en la mente de todos: Chadwick Boseman, póstumo, ganaría Mejor Actor. La Academia reorganizó el orden para reservar ese momento como cierre. El sobre decía otra cosa.
Hopkins no estaba en Los Ángeles. Estaba en su casa en Gales. Tampoco estaba viendo la ceremonia: según contó después, se había ido a dormir. La cámara buscó a sus representantes, que tampoco estaban en la sala. El momento fue, involuntariamente, uno de los más surrealistas en la historia de los premios.
Al día siguiente, Hopkins grabó un vídeo desde los acantilados de Gales, con el Oscar en la mano y el mar al fondo. Agradeció el premio con visible emoción y dedicó palabras a Boseman. El contraste entre la solemnidad del entorno —la costa galesa, el cielo gris— y la estatuilla dorada tenía algo de involuntariamente poético.
El episodio generó una discusión editorial amplia: la Academia había apostado por una historia y la realidad entregó otra. Una lección sobre la inutilidad de los planes narrativos en una ceremonia en directo.
Los artículos sobre "el Oscar que nadie recogió" y "la victoria de Hopkins que sorprendió al mundo" fueron algunos de los más leídos del ciclo de premios 2021. El clip del vídeo de Hopkins en Gales generó tráfico orgánico durante meses en plataformas de contenido editorial.
Transcripción oficial
Ah, man. Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world. Making this film I got to protect Aunjanue Ellis, who was one of the most, the strongest, most delicate people I've ever met. I got to protect Saniyya and Demi, the two actresses that played Venus and Serena. I'm being called on in my life to love people, and to protect people, and to be a river to my people. Now, I know to do what we do you gotta be able to take abuse, you gotta be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business you gotta be able to have people disrespecting you and you gotta smile and you gotta pretend like that's okay. But Richard Williams, and what I loved -- thank you, D. Denzel said to me a few minutes ago, he said: At your highest moment, be careful; that's when the devil comes for you. It's like, I want to be a vessel for love. I want to say thank you to Venus and Serena -- I just spit; I hope they didn't see that on TV. I want to say thank you to Venus and Serena and the entire Williams family for entrusting me with your story. That's what I want to do. I want to be an ambassador of that kind of love and care and concern.
I want to apologize to the Academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees. This is a beautiful moment, and I'm not, I'm not crying for winning an award. It's not about winning an award for me. It's about being able to shine light on all of the people -- Tim and Trevor and Zach and Saniyya and Demi and Aunjanue and the entire cast and crew of "King Richard." And Venus and Serena, the entire Williams family. Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father just like they said... I look like the crazy father just like they said about Richard Williams. But, love will make you do crazy things. To my mother -- a lot of this moment is really complicated for me -- but to my mother, she didn't want to come out. She had her knitting friends. She has a knitting crew that she's in Philly watching with. Being able to love and care for my mother and my family, my wife -- I'm taking up too much time. Thank you for this honor. Thank you for this moment. And thank you on behalf of Richard and Oracene, the entire Williams family. Thank you. I hope the Academy invites me back. Thank you.
[Ed. note: Earlier in the ceremony Smith walked up on stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock in the face after Rock told a joke referencing Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.]