Tom Hanks and Charlize Theron protest Oscars for cutting Parasite's Best Picture speech short

The protest paid off
Megan C. Hills10 February 2020

Awards shows might run to a tight schedule, but at Sunday night's Oscars the audience pushed back.

Oscar winners who run over time often find music playing over their speech - but for the Parasite crew who won Best Picture, the stage lights were abruptly switched off and the cast plunged into darkness.

But the audience, including the likes of Charlize Theron and Tom Hanks, weren’t having it and protested until the lights were turned back on again.

The moment happened after producer Kwak Sin-ae’s moving speech, which called the win a “very opportune moment in history.” Parasite is the first ever non-English film to win Best Picture at the Oscars.

Their win was met with a standing ovation, as well as a very gleeful jump from Killing Eve's Sandra Oh.

After a translator finished speaking for Sin-ae, the lights immediately went dark on stage before producer Miky Lee could say anything.

The abruptness took even Jane Fonda by surprise and the audience booed the Academy for cutting the time short.

Stars including Tom Hanks, Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie were seen on the front row chanting “up, up, up!” in reference to the stage lights, until eventually the Academy relented and turned their lights and microphone back on again.

Miky Lee was then able to say her part, thanking everybody who watched Parasite as well as giving an adorable ode to director Bong Joon-Ho saying, “Thank you for being you. I like everything about him: his crazy hair, the way he talks, the way he walks, and especially the way he directs.”

Joon-Ho ended up winning Best Director that night to the delight and surprise of many, with fellow nominee Sam Mendes being caught on camera looking completely shocked as he raised his eyebrows.

Joon-Ho was later seen at the Governors Ball, where he gazed dreamily at Renee Zellweger as he waited for his Oscar statue to be engraved with his name.

Academy Awards 2020: Oscars Winners - In pictures

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