Youth Movement: 'Anora's Near-Sweep at Oscars Signals a Younger Academy Willing to Embrace Daring Indie Fare

Good evening, everyone!

It’s the Monday after the Oscars, and Hollywood has a post-show hangover that only The InSneider can cure.

In case you haven’t seen the ratings yet, 18.1 million people watched ABC’s telecast last night — a 7 percent decrease from last year’s Oscars. Granted, last year’s show benefitted from the “battle” between Oppenheimer and Barbie, but still — not great!

It’s not like there weren’t any blockbusters nominated this year, as Wicked and Dune: Part Two were both up for Best Picture, but neither was seen as having much of a chance to win. In comparison, the big winners like Anora and The Brutalist simply haven’t been seen by that many people.

And while Conan O’Brien did a great job hosting, he was never going to be an audience draw — just a safe choice who wasn’t going to turn audiences off. So I imagine all of those factors had something to do with the ratings.

Plus, ABC’s sister streamer Hulu had its own technical stumbles, though those won’t deter the Academy from embracing its inevitable streaming future now that the network’s exclusive negotiating window has closed.

If you want to read my full analysis of last night’s ceremony and what it means for showbiz, premium subscribers can keep scrolling past the paywall, but if you’d prefer to listen in to a conversation among Oscar-loving pals, check out the Season Finale of For Your Consideration, where Scott Mantz, Perri Nemiroff and I recap the winners, lament the losers, and offer our hopes for next year.

Tonight, you’ll read my final analysis of the Oscars, from Mikey Madison’s big “upset” victory to Conan O’Brien’s hosting stint to the musical numbers and the In Memoriam snubs.

I’ll be back tomorrow night with a newsletter that I expect to be jam-packed, given the number of items that the studios and streamers typically ask the trades to hold until after the Academy Awards.

And again, if you missed my way-too-early Oscar predictions for next year, click here!

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