Ten Jewish Takeaways from the Oscars

1. Reactions to “The Zone of Interest” director Jonathan Glazer’s controversial acceptance speech. 

For David Suissa’s commentary, go here.

For Ryan Torok’s commentary, go here.

2. Celebrities wearing red pins to call for a ceasefire – and its problematic symbolism. 

Several celebrities and nominees were proudly wearing a red pin with a reddish hand and a heart emblazoned on it. The organization that made the pins, Artists4Ceasefire, says that it “symbolizes collective support for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all of the hostages and for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.” At the ceremony, Billie Eilish, Finneas, Mark Ruffalo, Ava DuVernay, Ramy Youssef and Quannah Chasinghorse were all spotted wearing the pins. Israel advocates say that there is a troubling history behind the origins of the symbol. The official Israeli Government X account posted: “Most celebrities wearing red pins don’t know that the image of red hands is associated with one horrific event imprinted on the minds of Israelis and Palestinians. The 2000 Ramallah lynching of Israelis. This symbolism isn’t a coincidence.”

3. Yellow ribbons in support of the release of the hostages held by Hamas. 

There were some attendees at the Dolby Theatre and at the after parties who were wearing yellow ribbons in support of the release of the hostages held in captivity by Hamas. Avi Arad (Marvel Studios founder) and Ram Bergman (producer, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”) wore yellow ribbons to the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre. Former Miss Iraq Sarah Idan attended the Elton John AIDS Foundation party wearing a dress with a giant yellow ribbon and 19 yellow frills to call attention to the 19 female hostages from Israel in Gaza. Also attending was 21-year-old Mia Schem, a former hostage of Hamas from October 7 until being released in November. She still wears a cast on her arm from her bullet wound. Anat Fabrikant, a former Olympic swimmer and wife of Mattel CEO and Israeli-American Ynon Kreiz, wore “Bring Them Home Now” dog tags at the Dolby Theatre.  

Last night at @eltonofficial Oscar’s party. I put this outfit together, carrying the names of the 19 Israeli women hostages to remind the world they’re still in captivity by the terrorist group Hamas. #saytheirnames #bringthemhome #Oscar pic.twitter.com/GeQMkbRvAr

— Sarai (Sarah Idan) Miss Iraq (@RealSarahIdan) March 11, 2024

4. Images of hostages projected on building across the street from Vanity Fair party.

Images of all 134 hostages were projected on the exterior of a four-story building directly across the street from the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, the site of Vanity Fair’s Oscar party. The projection was the work of film producers Matti Leshem and Lynn Harris (“The Survivor”). They wanted to do something to bring awareness to hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza on Hollywood’s biggest night and near the entrance to one of the most exclusive parties. For the full story, go to page 48. 

5. Songwriter Diane Warren’s 15th nomination, still no win. 

Diane Warren received her 15th nomination for Best Original Song, yet still did not get the top honor for writing “The Fire Inside” for the film Flamin’ Hot. Among her other nominations over the years are “How Do I Live?” from the film “Con Air,” “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing” from the film “Armageddon” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” from the film “Mannequin.” Warren did receive an honorary Oscar in 2022. 

6. A French-Israeli film was nominated for Best Animated Short film, and you should go see it. 

Flying under the radar at this year’s Academy Awards is a tense, powerful and beautiful animated short film about a Holocaust survivor recalling how he is only alive because of a pig. The film, “Letter to a Pig,” is written and directed by Israeli animator Tal Kantor. Out of the 92 times that Oscars have been awarded for Best Animated Short, this is the first time ever that there are two films from the Middle East nominated at the same time. The Iranian stop-motion short film “Our Uniform” was also nominated. “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko” ended up winning for the category this year. 

7. “Golda” didn’t win for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, but neither did “Maestro.”

In the late summer and early fall of 2023, there was much dialogue about two different films about influential Jews of the 20th century, Golda Meir and Leonard Bernstein. Actress Helen Mirren, although not Jewish, put on a spectacular performance as Israel’s fourth Prime Minister in Israeli director Guy Nattiv’s film. Bradley Cooper, also not Jewish, played Bernstein while wearing a prosthetic nose—which many found to be offensive and some have derided as “Jew Face.” Cooper even received a Best Actor nomination for the role. Both “Golda” and “Maestro” received nominations for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, but lost to “Poor Things.” In fact, “Maestro” had seven nominations and won zero. 

8. First-time Jewish Oscar winner. 

Jonathan Glazer’s Holocaust film “The Zone of Interest” won for Best International Feature Film, earning him his first oscar. Actor Robert Downey Jr. won his first Oscar for his supporting role in “Oppenheimer” as Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss.

9. Jews Commemorated in the “In Memoriam” Segment.

Singer Harry Belafonte, actor Alan Arkin, screenwriter and playwright Bo Goldman, actor and comedian Paul Reubens, actress Rosetta Jacobs, songwriter Cynthia Weil, singer Robbie Robertson, marketing consultant Michael Latt, filmmaker/photographer Nancy Cohen, actress/casting director Joanna Merlin, entertainment attorney Jake Bloom, producer Lawrence Turman, director William Friedkin, comedian Richard Lewis, producer Daniel Goldberg, comedian Shecky Greene, writer Robert Klane, screenwriter and producer Norman Lear, actor Michael Lerner and screenwriter Norman Steinberg.

“Oppenheimer” is the second biopic to win an Oscar for Best Picture where the lead real-life character, J. Robert Oppenheimer, is Jewish.

10. “Oppenheimer” wins big. 

“Oppenheimer” won seven out of 13 nominations, including Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Score and Best Film Editing. And with a box office gross of nearly $1 billion, “Oppenheimer” is the highest-grossing R-rated film to win Best Picture. “Oppenheimer” is the second biopic to win an Oscar for Best Picture where the titular lead real-life character, J. Robert Oppenheimer, is Jewish.  The last time a biopic won an Oscar for Best Picture and had a real-life Jewish lead character was “Chariots of Fire” in 1981. It featured the story of a Jewish British runner, Harold Abrahams, and his Scottish Christian teammate Eric Liddell.