One of the most viral clips from the night was of course bada-s Mad Max costume designer Jenny Beavan, walking down the aisle to accept her Oscar in a bedazzled faux leather jacket, black jeans and boots as various nominees and industry people sat glaring at her, refusing to clap.
Director Alejandro Inarritu was especially rude-looking and had his arms folded. He did eventually clap, but as you can see from the clip below it’s not like everyone gave this lady her due when she went up on stage. Maybe that’s just how these ceremonies go as people can’t clap the entire time for everyone, but the judging and side-eyeing was obvious.
I really liked how Mark Rylance and Kate Winslet were like “right on” for Jenny when they saw her creative outfit. (Ned Rocknroll couldn’t be bothered to clap though.) Jenny, who is actually a two-time Oscar winner, having first won for Room with a View in 1986, explained during her post-win press conference that her outfit was meant as homage to Mad Max, that she has a bad back and can’t wear heels and that she just wanted to be comfortable.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter she said that she wasn’t offended by people not clapping as she walked to accept her award and that it’s hard to keep up the clapping throughout that interminable ceremony. (My words.) She also had some things to say about the ridiculous policy at Cannes of women being required to wear heels on the red carpet. Remember that?
She wore a biker outfit in homage to Mad Max
I am a real jeans person. I have clothes to dress up in, but [the Oscars] was a really conscious thing of not just doing the plain black suit. I am British with a slightly rebellious character; I always have been. But, actually, in truth, you’ve seen me. I’m short, I’m fat. I really would look ridiculous in a gown. What I was actually wearing at the Oscars was sort of an homage to Mad Max — a kind of biker outfit. I thought, “If I can’t beat them, or if I can’t sort of join them, then why not try doing something a little bit fun?” And George [Miller] loved it. The [vegan] leather jacket had the Immorten Joe symbol on the back and I was just giving a little wink to Mad Max.
She wanted to have fun and she didn’t hear about a dress code
The Academy didn’t say anything about a strict dress code. I think it may have said to wear black tie, but you know nothing about whether you must wear heels, not like in Cannes where apparently any woman who walks down the red carpet has to wear heels. I was furious about that! I mean, come on, it’s crazy. When I was nominated [for an Oscar] for The King’s Speech I just wore a black Chinese jacket and matching trousers that was made for me by Jane Law, who also made Lily James’ Cinderella costume [designed by fellow nominee Sandy Powell]. Jane made me that suit and that was fine. But this year I was trying to do something more fun. All I heard were nice comments as I walked out and, obviously, some people quite liked it. My daughter and son-in-law said the response was absolutely amazing in the room and there was enormous warmth.
On people not clapping for her: ‘I felt the warmth’
I just think I was quite slow. It is so easy to trip, even though I was wearing a sensible pair of boots. I just wanted to take it slowly. And, honestly, I didn’t clap the whole time [during the ceremony] — your hands get tired. We had done a huge amount of clapping by that time. They didn’t have to! I don’t mind in the least if they didn’t clap. I felt really good, I felt the warmth, I was so proud of doing the film for George and it didn’t matter what anyone else thought, really…
The reaction has been slightly frightening, but thank God I don’t do social media. My Oscar is out on the table and we are patting it as we pass by, but I am just having a little moment. By the time I get back to London, hopefully everything will be settled down and I’ll get back to normal.
She wants women to feel good about themselves
I have to say, once the BAFTA furor died down, I can only thank Stephen Fry. He has sent me the most lovely emails and that’s all good. I made a conscious decision that I was going to do the same thing at the Oscars that I had at the BAFTAs [with my outfit]. I was absolutely doing it as an homage to the film — and I don’t have any sense that anyone in the Academy didn’t appreciate it. I really do think things will all calm down, but the only thing I would like is for my outfit to have a positive effect on what women feel about themselves. You don’t actually have to look like a supermodel to be successful. If that could be a takeaway, I think that would be a good thing. It is really good to have a positive feeling about yourself, because then you can do anything. People don’t have to clap for you; they don’t have to like the work.
How awesome is this lady? She’s clever and witty and has so many positive, inspiring things to say about fashion, self image and success. Plus Beavan now has two Oscars. Notice that in her talk with The Hollywood Reporter she didn’t even mention her previous Oscar. She would absolutely have bragging rights to mention her previous Oscar, but she didn’t bring it up except to talk about what she wore on one other occasion and she’s been nominated TEN times. I so would have dropped that into the conversation if I was her.
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