Like any awards show, the Oscars are built on the inherently self-absorbed notion that what happens in the room and who takes home the trophies matters, in what should be a welcome distraction from the outside world.
Occasionally, though, world events have cast such a large shadow that they can’t be ignored. And while the Hollywood maxim is that the show must go on, in a few instances real-world concerns have intruded upon the ceremony in a way that forced organizers to alter its schedule, including last year’s delay due to a global pandemic.
The war in Ukraine has dominated news cycles and prompted statements of solidarity from members of the film and TV industry in the run-up to the Oscars. Through the years, politics and the Oscars have gone hand in hand, and war has frequently been part of the backdrop, from World War II — when the actual statuettes were made of plaster due to metal shortages — to Vietnam, a tumultuous period that on various occasions spilled into the broadcast.
