The 2023 Oscars Will Televise The Presentation Of All 23 Awards Categories
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is reportedly reversing its controversial decision to exclude some categories from its telecast, according to Variety. The 2022 ceremony left eight categories out of the festivities, voting for best original score, sound, film editing, production design, makeup and hairstyling, and documentary and live-action short but not actually giving any screen time to the categories during the telecast. The 2023 ceremony apparently won't make that mistake again.
The announcement comes via AMPAS CEO Bill Kramer, who today told Variety, "I can confirm that all categories will be included in the live telecast." Kramer was appointed in his current position via a unanimous vote in June, taking over for Dawn Hudson who announced the end of her term in October 2021, before this year's chaotic and low-rated telecast, according to Variety. It's been a period of change for the institution, as longtime producer Janet Yang was also recently elected the Academy's new president, replacing the outgoing president David Rubin.
A much-needed reversal
"We are committed to having a show that celebrates the artisans, the arts and sciences and the collaborative nature of moviemaking," Kramer told Variety. "This is very much what the mission of the Academy is, and I am very hopeful that we can do a show that celebrates all components of moviemaking in an entertaining and engaging way." In recent years, no number of gimmicks has been able to bring viewers back to the Oscars; the 2022 telecast saw a slight increase in viewership over the abysmal previous year's numbers, but the telecast has yet to come close to its pre-2020 audience.
While honoring the technical and short-form categories in the telecast may not be the key to engaging broader audiences at the Oscars – which, judging by last year's slate of random celebrity presenters, seemed to be the goal – it's an important correction for a standard-setting institution whose move last year many saw as disrespectful. The omitted categories not only implied a hierarchy among film crews that simply isn't accurate (what would a movie be with no score or editing?), but also denied several artists a chance to be recognized for their hard work.
The category cuts were a constant topic of conversation last award season as plans for the telecast seemed to change often, but it sounds like the reversal is a done deal. "We are thrilled to be in a position to execute that," Kramer says of the plan to restore the categories. The 95th Annual Academy Awards telecast is set for March 12, 2023.