From Anthony Hopkins to Ethan Hawke: 10 A-list actors who spoke out against the Oscars

10 notable actors who have dissed the Oscars

Since its inception in 1929, the Academy Awards have been regarded as the most significant night in cinema by many. Not just in Hollywood, but artists and performers across the globe feel it's an honor to get the golden statuette or even receive a nomination. Having said that, all celebrities don't necessarily echo the same sentiments. With the 96th Oscars slated for March 10, here are 10 A-list actors who have spoken out against the long-standing award event. 

1. Glenda Jackson

The late English actress was reportedly not a fan of the Oscars. Despite being the winner of two Academy Awards, Glenda Jackson, who died in June 2023, once shared, "My sardonic view is that they’re not as important as everyone thinks they are. I never went into a film thinking, 'Oh gosh, if I do this slightly differently, I might win something.'"

2. Bradley Cooper

For Bradley Cooper, the Oscars, or for that any other award ceremony is "meaningless." The 49-year-old actor reportedly said in 2020, "That awards season stuff is a real test. It’s set up to foster that mentality. It’s quite a thing to work through, and it’s completely devoid of artistic creation." He further noted, "It’s not why you sacrifice everything to create art, and yet you spend so much time being a part of it if you’re, in quotes, 'lucky enough to be a part of it'," before adding, "It’s ultimately a great thing because it really does make you face ego, vanity, and insecurity. It’s very interesting and utterly meaningless."

3. Woody Allen

Woody Allen, who has bagged four Academy Awards, reportedly once said, "When you see who wins those things – or doesn't win them – you can see how meaningless this Oscar thing is." To date, he has received 24 nominations, 16 of which were in the Best Original Screenplay category. 

4. Katharine Hepburn

In her 66-year acting career, Katharine Hepburn received 12 Oscar nominations and went on to win four of them, but collected none. She once said, "As for me, prizes are nothing. My prize is my work." One of the only times Hepburn attended the Oscars was in 1974 when she presented a lifetime achievement award to Lawrence Weingarten.

5. Katherine Ryan

Katherine Ryan took a dig at the Oscars in March 2023 when she told express.co.uk that for her the Academy Awards is a "ridiculously self-congratulatory" ceremony. However, she did praise the hosting capabilities of Jimmy Kimmel, who will be back to host this years Oscars, and his ability to conduct "celebrity roasts." 

6. George C Scott

George C Scott was so much against the Oscars that even after winning one, he gave it back. The late actor also reportedly called the Academy Awards "a two-hour meat parade, a public display with contrived suspense for economic reasons." Before he won the Oscar for his performance in the film 'Patton', Scott wrote to the Academy, letting them know he didn't wish to be involved. 

7. Ethan Hawke

For Ethan Hawke, the Oscars is not a big deal. He reportedly shared, "If you look at how many forgettable, stupid movies have won Oscars and how many mediocre performers have Oscars above their fireplace. Making a priority of chasing these fake carrots and money and dubious accolades, I think it’s really destructive." Later, in a The Hollywood Reporter interview, Hawke noted, "I think the Oscars do a very good job in representing much of the great work in a given year. Inevitably though, many great films and performances are not recognized and can be overlooked due to the mass marketing and PR machines that march through the awards season."

8. John Gielgud

Despite being an EGOT, the late John Gielgud did not like the Oscars or say any award events. He once said, "I really detest all the mutual congratulation baloney and the invidious comparisons which they evoke," and declined to accept his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for playing Hobson in 'Arthur'. 

9. Anthony Hopkins

In 2012, Anthony Hopkins, a two-time Academy Award winner, remarked, "In a way, I’m sort of relieved that I don’t have to get embroiled in all this publicity face to face. Because A) I can’t do it, and B) It makes no difference. You know, I’ve been around – I’ve got the Oscar myself for Silence of the Lambs – and having to be nice to people and to be charming and flirting with them ... oh, come on! People go out of their way to flatter the nominating body and I think it’s kind of disgusting."

10. Joaquin Phoenix

For Joaquin Phoenix, the awards circuit is the "stupidest thing in the whole world." Calling the selection of the winners "utter bulls**t," the 49-year-old actor once noted, "I don’t want to be a part of it. I don’t believe in it. It’s a carrot, but it’s the worst-tasting carrot I’ve ever tasted in my whole life. I don’t want this carrot." While Phoenix isn't a fan of the commotion surrounding the Oscars, he went on to win in the Best Actor category in 2019 for his performance in 'Joker'.