We’re preparing ourselves for the inevitability of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar win, right? There’s always a chance that Bryan Cranston’s Trumbo hustle could pay off, or that Michael Fassbender will get off his ass and decide to participate and upset Leo, but I think we’re all resigned to “Academy Award Winner Leonardo DiCaprio” being his new official title. Certainly, DiCaprio is anticipating his moment. He released a statement this morning upon being nominated, as did everyone else, and honestly, it could have been worse:
“I am so grateful to the Academy for their recognition of this film. Making The Revenant was one of the most rewarding and collaborative experiences of my life. None of this would have been possible without Alejandro’s talent, vision and determination. Our dedicated crew also deserves to share in this moment. Together, they have created a truly unique cinematic experience. Congratulations to all of my fellow nominees this season. Thank you to the Academy.”
It’s clearly prepared, but that’s fine. It’s better than some incoherent garbled mess meant to pass for genuine surprise on Nomination Morning (pro tip: They are NEVER surprised, they are NEVER asleep, and they NEVER don’t know what to say). And there’s no mention of The Struggle or The Issues, which is much appreciated, frankly. Leo’s finally done it. He’s beaten the Academy into submission and they’ll give him an Oscar to go the f*ck away for a few years.
