John Cena’s naked stage appearance at the Oscars took the audience by surprise. Fans shared their reactions to the unexpected comedy skit online, while producers offered insights into the behind-the-scenes process of orchestrating the entire performance.
The 96th Annual Academy Awards, held on March 10, was filled with surprises. From Emma Stone receiving her Oscar in a broken dress to Billie Eilish winning her second Oscar at the age of 22, the night was packed with memorable moments.
One such moment was a tribute to the 46th Oscar Awards when a naked man suddenly ran up on stage while David Nien was introducing Elizabeth Taylor.
“Can you imagine if a nude man ran out across the stage today?” comedian Jimmy Kimmel, this year’s Oscars host, asked, and an intriguing silence fell over the audience.
Unlike the 70th Oscar ceremony, there was no random naked man. At this year’s awards show, it was, in fact, a very famous naked man who appeared with nothing but an envelope in his hands.
John Cena, in all his glory and physique, awkwardly walked on stage and looked over the audience.
“Costumes… They are so important…” he started off his speech.
The sight of a naked man at the Oscars not only startled the audience in the theater but also caught the attention of viewers glued to their TV screens. The internet buzzed with varied reactions to Cena’s unexpected appearance.
One fan posted, “Wow… 😳”, noting that John was still in great shape and thinking his performance was the best part of the show.”Loving Cena more and more!” another user wrote.
However, not everyone was in love with the idea of the naked Cena on stage.“Embarrassing. This the best they could do,” posted a user.
A fan attempted to defend the actor by commenting, “Guys, it was funny and kids would have giggled also. He did nothing offensive but wear what God gave him.” Another user agreed, writing, “He’s used to it as a wrestler. With a bod like that, why not.”
The hilarious skit that will go down in the history of the Oscars was not easy to sneak past the Oscar committee. Behind the scenes, the air was thick with tension as producers and the network’s legal team could not agree on just how much skin they could show without sparking outrage or getting a fine.
Looking back at the costume approval process, the executive producer of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Molly McNearney, remarked on how tricky it was to come to an agreement with the legal team.
“They were sweating,” she said. “I think in the end, we all got to a spot where we were comfortable, S&P was comfortable, and it didn’t compromise the comedy a bit. I was very thankful that we didn’t have to send him out there in tighty-whities, which I’m sure legal would have preferred.”
The compromises all paid off for the sake of the show. As the audience settled down, Cena had to acknowledge that he couldn’t open the envelope to announce the nominees without exposing himself to the public. Therefore, Kimmel had to return to assist him.
While the nominees for the best costume rolled on the screen for the TV audience, Oscar staff rushed onto the stage to swiftly dress Cena.
When the lights turned back on and the Oscar stage appeared on the viewers’ screens, Cena was already wearing a lush golden robe and holding the envelope in his hand.
At that moment, the Oscars legal team could breathe again as the ceremony moved on from the iconic nude skit without offending anyone. John Cena’s performance will go down in Oscar history as one of the most creative winner announcements.
