Jimmy Kimmel made a triumphant return as the host of the 96th Academy Awards held at the prestigious Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 10th.
This marked the fourth time the comedic genius took the stage as the master of ceremonies for the star-studded event.
Among the evening’s standout moments, Oppenheimer emerged as the big winner of the night, clinching multiple coveted awards including Best Picture, Best Director for Christopher Nolan, Best Actor for Cillian Murphy, and Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr.
The atmosphere was electric as Emma Stone snagged the Best Actress award for her stellar performance in “Poor Things.”
However, the celebration took an unexpected turn when Stone encountered a wardrobe malfunction en route to the stage.
Ever the professional, the two-time Oscar winner managed to make light of the situation, joking about the mishap during Ryan Gosling’s rendition of the Barbie song, “I’m Just Ken,” complete with a glittering pink performance that included karaoke.
On the grand stage of the Oscars, Jimmy Kimmel didn’t hold back in his commentary regarding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Reflecting on the couple’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, where they revealed shocking revelations about their treatment within the royal family and life in the UK, Kimmel expressed his thoughts.
While many public figures weighed in on the controversy, with some coming to the defense of the royal family, Kimmel admitted to being part of the 17 million Americans who tuned in to watch the Oprah special, despite his initial lack of interest.
During his opening monologue at the Oscars on March 11th, Kimmel seized the opportunity to highlight the sentiment among Americans regarding Prince Harry’s potential naturalization in the US.
The Duke of Sussex had hinted at the possibility of pursuing US citizenship, stating that it wasn’t a top priority for him at the moment.
However, a significant portion of Americans voiced their opinion that he should not receive any special treatment if he were to become a citizen, emphasizing that he should do so without his royal titles.
In a recent poll conducted by Newsweek, it was revealed that a substantial number of Americans were against altering laws to accommodate Prince Harry’s retention of his titles upon naturalization.
Out of the 1,500 US adults surveyed, 44% opposed the idea, while nearly half were in favor of legislative changes to allow him to keep his titles.
A minority, comprising 23% of the respondents, supported such modifications, with the remaining 32% expressing uncertainty about the matter.
Legal experts suggest that there may be a slim chance for Prince Harry to preserve his titles while becoming a US citizen, although the likelihood of this scenario materializing seems improbable.
Without their royal titles, the couple would be stripped of their regal identities, reduced to mere civilians known simply as Mr. and Mrs. Henry Windsor.
When questioned about his concerns regarding potentially offending individuals during his hosting duties, Kimmel candidly shared his perspective.
Despite his aversion to upsetting anyone, the seasoned 56-year-old acknowledged the varying degrees of sensitivity among people and the need to navigate such nuances gracefully.