69th Academy Awards - News and Recap

News and Recap

Shortly before the ceremony, two light aircraft flew over the auditorium streaming banners behind them. They first appeared as Larry Flynt, the subject of the Oscar-nominated film The People vs. Larry Flynt, arrived, which read "Columbia Studios Sucks — Larry Flynt". The second banner read "Disney uses sweatshops — 30 cents an hour in Haiti", criticizing Walt Disney Studios about the conditions under which some of its movie merchandise are allegedly produced.

The Awards marked one of the greatest upsets in Oscar history as most had predicted Lauren Bacall would win Best Supporting Actress for The Mirror Has Two Faces. Instead, the Oscar went to Juliette Binoche for The English Patient.

It was the first time ever that a singer sang twice during the Academy Awards. Because Natalie Cole had the flu, Céline Dion not only sang her own song "Because You Loved Me", but also Barbra Streisand's song "I Finally Found Someone", after only a few hours to rehearse.

The ceremony attracted a low 40.83, the lowest audience without dipping below the 40 million mark (later surpassed by the 40.54m who watched in 2002).