Oscars 2019: Higher ratings and after-party fun
Ratings for this year’s Academy Awards were up on last year’s record low, according to data released by US broadcaster ABC.
The broadcast averaged 29.6 million viewers – an 11% increase on last year’s audience of 26.5 million.
Instead of using a host, the Academy had celebrities – among them Daniel Craig, Julia Roberts and Dame Helen Mirren – announce each category.
But don’t get used to it, as a host may be back for next year’s ceremony.
Rob Mills, ABC’s senior vice president said that while the show “works when it’s host-less… a host will be in the conversation for next year”.
“Imagine what would have happened if Envelopegate had happened this year and we didn’t have a host?” he told Variety.
Mills was referring to the moment when La La Land was accidentally named best picture instead of Moonlight in 2017.
“It’s hard to imagine that moment now without Jimmy, who was able to rein in the chaos” he added.
While Hollywood’s stars delight in their victories and nurse their after-party hangovers, here’s a final round-up of this year’s event.
Lady Gaga praises Bradley Cooper (again)
Following their sizzling duet of Shallow during Sunday’s telecast, Gaga has praised her A Star Is Born co-star and director Bradley Cooper as an “artistic genius”.
The pop star, who won best original song for Shallow, posted a picture of the pair on Instagram celebrating their moment on stage together.
It also appears that Gaga has patched things up with the original Queen of Pop.
The pair’s on-off feud began in 2011 after Lady Gaga was accused of copying Madonna’s 1989 hit Express Yourself in her single Born This Way.
Since then the ladies have exchanged not-so-nice comments – but it seems that’s now all water under the bridge.
Queen announce new documentary
Queen and singer Adam Lambert were tasked with opening this year’s ceremony with a powerful performance of the group’s 1977 anthems, We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions.
Brian May and Roger Taylor, the band’s founder members, worked with Lambert during his time on American Idol in 2009 and have since toured together.
Lambert has revealed that a new documentary about the band will air in April.
Titled The Show Must Go On, it will feature concert footage and interviews with the likes of Simon Cowell and Rami Malek, crowned best actor on Sunday for playing Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody.
It has since emerged that Chinese broadcaster Mango TV amended a reference to homosexuality in Malek’s speech on its online transmission of the ceremony.
What’s better than the Oscars? The after-parties of course
With all the hard work done and dusted, the Oscar after-parties were a chance for celebrities to let their hair down.
Melissa McCarthy and husband Ben Falcone decided to keep it casual, while J-Lo and partner A-Rod went the glamorous route.
Rather than donning a standard tuxedo, Pharrell Williams, Chadwick Boseman and Sir Elton John opted for more daring looks.
Meanwhile, Tiffany Haddish, Chrissy Teigen and Lupita Nyong’o showed that birds of a feather party together.
