An Oscar statue is seen in the window of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 18, 2022, in Los Angeles. Credit: Robyn Beck | Getty Images (via TNS)
Pull out your sunglasses, Buckeyes. It’s almost time for the film industry’s biggest stars to gather together once more.
The Academy Awards, more commonly known as the Oscars, has been one of the most renowned prize ceremonies in the United States since its first iteration in 1929, according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ website. As the forthcoming 96th Academy Awards — yes, that math is correct, as there were two separate Oscars commemorations in 1930 — continues to dominate news feeds and countless individuals’ TikTok “For You” pages, one may begin to question why exactly these accolades matter so much.
Luckily, Ohio State has a myriad of associate professors with experience in the film industry who can weigh in on the subject.
Kevin McClatchy, an associate professor in the Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts, has been a working actor for roughly 30 years, according to the department’s website. For many actors, McClatchy said the possibility of winning a golden statuette is not necessarily the chief motivation to work on certain projects.
“I just think most actors are more concerned with doing work that they feel good about and that they’re excited about,” McClatchy said. “The other things take care of themselves.”
Lupita Nyong’o accepts the Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role award for ’12 Years a Slave’ onstage during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on March 2, 2014 in Hollywood, Calif. Credit: Kevin Winter | Getty Images (via TNS)
That is not to say the Oscars hold no value on an actor’s life, McClatchy said. After a 1978 Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor in “Deer Hunter,” Christopher Walken said something that sums up this sentiment perfectly, McClatchy said.
“He said, ‘This Oscar, this little thing here, it’s a house,’” McClatchy said. “To be Oscar-nominated changes the trajectory of your career. There’s this unimaginable sort of validation that follows you for the rest of your life. ‘Academy Award nominee,’ ‘Academy Award winner’ follows you wherever you go.”
Regardless of what winning an Oscar means on a personal level, Andy Rose — a senior lecturer in the Department of Theatre, Film and Media Arts who has written and/or produced over two dozen projects, according to the department’s website — said receiving a prestigious award can cement films’ positive receptions and legacies. Plus, one cannot ignore that films are ultimately designed to turn a profit, he said.
“The studios certainly love awards because it helps build the box office,” Rose said. “Movies get nominated for awards, then people think, ‘Oh, it must be good. I’ll try to go see this movie.’”
When it comes to deciding if an Oscar is genuinely indicative of cinematic prowess, the jury seems to be out. In the more recent years, Rose said the Oscars’ artistic value has diminished quite a bit.
With the rise of other ceremonies like the Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards and People’s Choice Awards, Rose said competition for cultural relevance has become more stiff.
“There’s so many different awards now that it kind of dilutes the whole thing,” Rose said. “A lot of [films] that do get nominated, it’s just a popularity contest kind of thing where it’s not like it was a good movie, but the public liked it.”
Additionally, Rose said it can be difficult to definitively rate movies on factors that are “100% subjective.” Rose said the Oscars’ broader categories, as well as the differences between films within those categories, can make the decision of who wins the award semi-arbitrary.
“For one thing, you just can’t say ‘best’ of anything on a subjective thing,” Rose said. “It’s like, here’s a hamburger and here’s a chicken salad sandwich, which is the best? How do you compare someone who was in a comedy to someone who was in an action movie or a heavy drama?”
McClatchy agreed.
“I think, first of all, [the Oscars are] completely made up. The industry came up with it to generate interest in their films, so they would make more money,” McClatchy said. “Is there legitimate prestige now attached to it because we’ve decided as [a] society that Oscar nominee, Oscar winner equates to quality? I mean, I think that line has blurred because it’s such a global phenomenon.”
Even so, McClatchy said the title of “Academy Award-winning” before a film’s name naturally causes media consumers to pay more attention to that creative property; still, he said people shouldn’t feel pressured to see Oscar-nominated flicks just for the sake of them being nominated.
“I’ve seen Oscar-nominated films and I’ve been like, ‘Boy, that’s a two hours I’ll never get back,’” McClatchy said.
Even so, the Oscars consistently amass over 10 million viewers per year, according to a March 2023 Statista survey. Sara Grady, an assistant professor in Ohio State’s School of Communication and an active media psychologist, said a large part of the Oscars’ viewership emerges from the escapism so-called “regular folks” get out of watching celebrities on the big and small screens.
Joaquin Phoenix, winner of the lead actor Oscar for “Joker” during the telecast of the 92nd Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, CA. Credit: Robert Gauthier | Los Angeles Times
“Most of them make vast amounts of money compared to what we do,” Grady said. “They get jet planes, and they travel all over the world and they get to wear amazing million-dollar dresses, right? There’s also this vicarious experience of getting to see a life very different from ours that I think also plays a role in some of these glamorized award situations.”
Matthew Grizzard, also an associate professor in Ohio State’s School of Communication, said many nonfamous people look up to celebrities as inspirations, so getting to see them in an “everyday” setting can be a special treat.
“You got a little bit of a hero worship thing that goes on,” Grizzard said. “They seem like they’re put together, they seem like they are glamorous, and so part of it is seeing them outside of the roles that maybe we have watched them in.”
Grady said a contributing factor to the Oscars’ immense audience could be parasocial relationships, which are one-sided connections between a person and someone they do not know personally.
“If there’s a movie or TV show you’re really attached to and particularly an actor, for example, that you really care about, it’s unsurprising that you would root for them,” Grady said. “You might be more likely to watch the Oscars or the Emmys because you’re hoping for good things to happen for that person.”
No matter all the thoughts and controversies that surround the Oscars, it is hard to imagine that the Academy Awards will be banished into obscurity any time soon due to its long-standing place in the American public’s heart and television sets, McClatchy said.
“It’s both business and prestige because it’s a tradition,” McClatchy said. “It’s a ritual that marks time, that has gained significance and maintained significance, and it’s fun.”
This year’s Oscars are scheduled for Sunday at 7 p.m. ET. According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ website, the ceremony can be viewed on ABC or via streaming services like Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV, AT&T TV and FuboTV.
