Studio 360

The Shape of Oscar

Underrated and overrated performances from this year’s Oscars, and how to make a political acceptance speech that doesn’t get booed.

A few of this year’s Oscar contenders.

Photo illustration by Studio 360. Photos via Merrick Morton/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Laurie Sparham/Focus Features, Merie Wallace, courtesy of A24, Universal Pictures.

Listen to this episode of Studio 360 by clicking the arrow on the audio player below:

Kurt Andersen talks with Doug Jones, the go-to guy to play creatures and monsters in Hollywood, about his performance in The Shape of Water. When it comes to political acceptance speeches at the Academy Awards, it’s a fine line between awe-inspiring and awful, so we check in with some pros, including Barack Obama’s speechwriter, about how to nail them. Why Aisha Harris thinks the Oscars should add a new category: Ensemble Cast. And finally, Kurt makes a case for narrowing the Best Picture category, because he thinks some of this year’s nominees are overrated.

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