On Sunday evening, amidst the glamor of the Dolby Theatre, the prestigious Oscar for Best Original Song was awarded by none other than Mick Jagger, who, with a twinkle in his eye, announced the victor: "El Mal," composed by Emilia Pérez. Jagger playfully remarked, "The producers had their hearts set on Bob Dylan for this honor, but he politely declined. They said, 'The finest tunes this year are undoubtedly featured in A Complete Unknown. Perhaps we should seek out someone younger.' Well, I happen to be younger than Bob! So, here I stand, taking up the mantle." Intriguingly, it has been exclusively revealed by The Hollywood Reporter that Dylan was indeed invited to present and serenade at the Academy Awards.
Earlier in the evening, Conan O’Brien, the hosting maven of the Oscars, added a dash of humor to the proceedings by jesting that Dylan, the focal point of the Oscar-nominated A Complete Unknown, had merely given the ceremony a passing glance. O'Brien quipped in his monologue, "Dylan did harbor a desire to be here tonight, but it wasn't a burning one."
Diane Warren, who was nominated for "The Journey" from The Six Triple Eight, stood at the cusp of securing her maiden victory in this category after an unprecedented streak of 16 nominations and eight consecutive nods in the span of eight years. In 2022, she was honored with an Honorary Oscar, a testament to her enduring talent.
The nominees for Best Original Song painted a vivid canvas of musical genres and cinematic narratives. Among the contenders were two masterpieces from Emilia Pérez: "El Mal" and "Mi Camino," the latter beautifully rendered by Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez, respectively. "Never Too Late," extracted from the documentary Elton John: Never Too Late, added another layer of depth. H.E.R.'s soulful rendition of "The Journey" from The Six Triple Eight resonated deeply, while "Like a Bird" from Sing Sing soared with ethereal grace.
Earlier that night, Warren had openly expressed her disheartenment upon learning that the nominees for Best Original Song would not be serenading the audience live at the Oscars.
