The Oscars has just confirmed its first four presenters for its 2020 ceremony and they’re all last year’s winners.
It’s tradition that the Academy invites back its winners in the Best Actor/Actress and Best Actor/Actress in a Supporting Role categories to pass the baton on to those who are next to be successful and this year we’ll see the likes of Olivia Colman, Regina King, Mahershala Ali and Rami Malek present.
Olivia won Best Actress for her role in The Favourite, Regina snapped up Supporting Actress for If Beale Street Could Talk, Mahershala Ali won his second Best Actor in a Supporting Role Oscar for Green Book and Rami took home the Best Actor trophy for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody.
Speaking to Deadline, a spokesperson for the Oscars said in a statement: ‘We love the tradition of having the previous year’s Oscar-winning actors on stage to celebrate the achievements of their peers and are thrilled to welcome back these four great talents.
This year Leonardo Di Caprio (Once Upon A Time in Hollywood), Adam Driver (Marriage Story), Joaquin Phoenix (Joker), Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes) and Antonia Banderas (Pain and Glory) will be fighting it out for Best Actor.
Brad Pitt (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood) will be taking on Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood), Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes), Al Pacino and Joe Pesci (both for The Irishman) in the Best Actor in a Supporting Role category.
The Oscars managed to narrowly avoid its previous #SoWhite controversy, as Cynthia Erivo landed a nomination for her role in Harriet for Best Actress.
She faces competition from Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story), Saoirse Ronan (Little Women), Charlize Theron (Bombshell) and Renee Zellweger (Judy).
Heading up the Best Actress in a Supporting Role category is Margot Robbie (Bombshell), who joins Florence Pugh (Little Women), Scarlett Johansson (Jojo Rabbit), Laura Dern (Marriage Story) and Kathy Bates (Richard Jewell).
Cynthia’s nod comes after a number of industry figures boycotted the Oscars in 2016 after no black actors were nominated for the second year in a row, in the #OscarsSoWhite controversy – and April Reign, who is behind the movement, says she still thinks it’s just as relevant today.
After all, not a single non-white actor was nominated at the Baftas this year.
Speaking to Variety, she said: ‘Until we see everyone having the opportunity, whether it’s race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, indigenous people in this country.
‘Until we all have an opportunity to see ourselves represented on screen, not just during awards season but all year long, I’ll still continue to talk about #OscarsSoWhite.’
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