Al Pacino added a twist to the traditional announcement of the Best Picture winner at this year’s Oscars, skipping the nominations altogether and diving straight into the winner: Oppenheimer. Perhaps time constraints played a role, given the significant number of nominees this year.

Allow me to fill in the gaps left by Pacino’s unconventional approach.

Competing against Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer were The Holdovers, American Fiction, The Zone of Interest, Barbie, Poor Things, Past Lives, Anatomy of a Fall, Maestro, and Killers of the Flower Moon.

During the announcement, Pacino seemed more focused on avoiding any errors in declaring the winner, which is understandable. However, even the proclamation of the victor had its quirks. As he opened the envelope, Pacino quipped, “My eyes see Oppenheimer,” before confirming Nolan’s film as the winner.

Social media users didn’t hesitate to comment on Pacino’s eccentric behaviour, finding humour in the chaos of the moment.

“I’m obsessed with the way Al Pacino announced Oppenheimer as Best Picture. couldn’t have been more chaotic or confusing lol,” one user remarked.

“Al Pacino announced Best Picture like this was the first time he had ever heard of a film called Oppenheimer,” another chimed in.

Despite the unconventional announcement, the Oscars ceremony was significant for Oppenheimer, a biopic centered on Robert Oppenheimer’s pivotal role in developing the atom bomb during World War II.

Notably, Christopher Nolan clinched his first Best Director Oscar, Robert Downey Jr. secured his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and Cillian Murphy earned his first Oscar for Best Actor.

Nolan’s film emerged as the clear winner of the night, raking in a total of seven Oscars, including Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing.

Though Pacino’s delivery may have been less than ideal, the recipients of these prestigious awards will likely overlook the hiccup once they proudly display their Oscars on their mantels.