Wins for Oppenheimer, live musical performances from Barbie and an (almost) naked John Cena helped lift Oscars ratings for a third consecutive year, early viewing figures showed Monday, as 19.5 million tuned in to watch Hollywood’s big night.
Broadcaster ABC’s figure for Sunday night’s well-reviewed gala was nearly double the pandemic-era ratings nadir of 10.4 million, though still historically low for a telecast that regularly topped 40 million just a decade ago.
Christopher Nolan’s atomic bomb drama Oppenheimer ended the 96th Academy Awards with seven prizes, including best picture, best director and best actor for Cillian Murphy, while Poor Things earned four as its star Emma Stone prevailed in a tense best actress race.
Highlights of the night included Ryan Gosling’s live performance of Barbie ballad “I’m Just Ken,” another accomplished hosting stint by Jimmy Kimmel, and wrestler/actor Cena’s mock-reluctant presentation of the best costume design prize while wearing only his birthday suit. AFP
