How much do you really know about the Oscars?
The ceremony has a long, illustrious history of awarding some of the best achievements in the world of filmmaking. Here are some fun facts you should know before this weekend’s telecast.
The Nomination & Voting Process
Members from each branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences vote to determine the nominees.
For example, actors can nominate actors while directors nominate directors, and so on. For the best picture category, all members can nominate their top 10 films of the year. Once the nominations have been finalized, the members cast their favorites on the ballots. The ballots are then gathered and placed into separate piles based on the voters’ first choices. The one with the largest stack determines which one takes home the gold.There’s A First Time for Everything
The first ceremony was held on May 16, 1929 at the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California with 270 guests in attendance. It was first televised in black and white in 1953 and in color in 1966. It first aired on the ABC Network in 1976 and is now seen live in more than 200 countries.
The Birth of “Oscar”
Want to know how the eight and a half pound, 13-inch golden statuette got its nickname? There have been several stories about how the statue obtained its name. The most popular legend is that Academy librarian, Margaret Herrick, came up with the name after exclaiming that the statue looked like her Uncle Oscar. Whatever the truth behind it is, the Academy officially dubbed the statue “Oscar” in 1939.
The Most Oscar Nods Go To…
Meryl Streep holds the record for the most nominated actress with 18 nominations and three wins while Jack Nicholson is the most nominated actor coming in with 12 nominations and three wins. However, the individual who has been awarded the most Oscars is none other than Walt Disney with a total of 26 awards.
Most Nominated Actors & Actresses… Who Didn’t Win.
While it is an honor to be nominated, there are actors and actresses who have showed up on that ballot numerous times, but just can’t seem to take the cake. For actresses, Glenn Close tops the list with six nominations. The actor that has the most nominations without a win is Leonardo DiCaprio. His supporters have generated plenty of outrage for being snubbed by the five Academy. He has even been the center of many Internet memes. Don’t worry, Leo, you’ll get what you deserve one of these days.
If you plan on throwing an Oscar watch party, use your newfound knowledge to amaze your friends. Click here for the full list of nominees.
Tune in Saturday, February 22, 2015 on ABC beginning at 8:30 p.m. EST.
Feature Photo via We Heart It