The 2018 awards season has been dominated by the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, and while many view this sea change as a step in the right direction, it has made some uncomfortable. Notably, 2017 Academy Award for Best Actor winner Casey Affleck. Affleck was accused of sexual harassment just prior to his Oscar campaign for Manchester By The Sea, with the alleged incidents occuring during the filming of 2010’s I’m Still Here. Due to these allegations, Affleck dropped out of presenting the Best Actress trophy at the 2018 Academy Awards, a role that he traditionally would have filled as the most recent Best Actor winner.
However, Variety reports that this year’s awards ceremony will be a little different. In Affleck’s place, Jennifer Lawrence and Jodie Foster will be presenting instead. Both actresses are Oscar veterans, with Lawrence having four nominations and one win and Foster have four nominations and two wins. However, the Best Actor presentation will also break with tradition, with Helen Mirren (four noms, one win) and Jane Fonda (seven noms, two wins) announcing the winner instead of last year’s Best Actress recipient Emma Stone.
As Variety points out, this year has been referred to as “the year of the woman,” and it looks like Sunday’s Oscar ceremony is going to reflect that.
(Via Variety)
