LOS ANGELES — The motion picture academy’s Governors Awards returned to its November calendar date for the first time since 2019 on Saturday night, with Martinique-born filmmaker Euzhan Palcy, Australian director Peter Weir and songwriter Diane Warren receiving honorary Oscars, and actor Michael J. Fox delivering an emotional, 12-minute speech while accepting the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
In prepandemic times, the untelevised event served as something of an unofficial first campaign stop for contenders trying to capture academy voters’ attention. And that was again the case this year, as actors and filmmakers from just about every movie with Oscar aspirations showed up at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City to make the rounds. Cate Blanchett, Viola Davis, Michelle Yeoh, Michelle Williams and Jennifer Lawrence were there, just to focus on the lead actress contenders. This year’s horror queen Mia Goth appeared too, wearing a billowy red dress with a 6-foot train and an expression that could be read as either sheer delight or abject terror.
But, c’mon, who wouldn’t want to be in this room? Even Cher was there, presenting the Oscar to her longtime pal Warren. And, as Warren notes, Cher never goes east of the 405 for anybody.
