This year the Oscars are all about the City of Brotherly Love. No, the awards are not held in Philadelphia. And none of the movies is set in Philly. But there are five significant ways Philadelphia represents at the Oscars this year. Two of them won awards, and one (Bradley Cooper) made a surprise appearance on Abbott Elementary (check out the video below!).

History of the Oscars

In 1927 an organization developed called The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Its goal is to encourage greatness in motion picture production. To do that, organizers gave out awards honoring outstanding achievement.

The MGM art director Cedric Gibbons got to work sketching a man standing on a reel of film, and that statue is still used today. Why is it called “Oscar?” That story is debated, but the story most often shared is that the statue reminded the then Academy librarian of her Uncle Oscar, and the name stuck. That librarian, Margaret Herrick, eventually became the Academy’s executive director.

The Oscar Effect

You do not win money when you win an Academy Award, but you can bet winners see an increase in their bank accounts. Actors who take home an Oscar make an estimated 20 percent more in their next role, and according to AS, that increase could last for years.

The Gift Bag

Every Oscar nominee receives a pretty sweet gift bag. This year it is worth six figures! Each year, the gift bag changes to feature small businesses that can get a tremendous amount of publicity if their product is used by or featured on the social media account of a celebrity. That’s according to Lash Fary, founder of Distinctive Assets, the company that puts the bags together:

“Just as any A-list actor doesn’t ‘need’ millions of dollars to walk onto a film set, these gifts are given based on the invaluable stardust these nominees can bestow upon a brand.”

This year, a Philadelphia company’s product will be in the bag. Danucera‘s award-winning Cerabalm and D22 Tonic are in the bag, in addition to a Swiss getaway for 10, a seven-day wellness retreat, a three-night stay in Saint Barth, and luxury kitchen appliances, just to name a few.

Here’s how Philly Wins the Oscars this year:

• 1. Da'Vine Joy Randolph - WINNER

  Da’Vine Joy Randolph won the hearts of the Academy with her performance as Mary Lamb in the nominated film The Holdovers.

  Da’Vine (pronounced Day-Vine) grew up outside of Philadelphia. She graduated from Hershey High School and received her bachelor’s from Temple University. She is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as Mary Lamb in The Holdovers. Earlier this awards season, Da’Vine was awarded the Golden Globe for her performance. (She is also in the movie Rustin …)

• 2. Coleman Domingo

  Coleman Domingo is nominated for an Oscar for his leading role in the movie Rustin.

  Coleman Domingo was raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from Overbook High School and Temple University before moving to California to pursue his acting career. Rustin is the story of Bayard Rustin, an activist from West Chester, Pennsylvania who worked with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A high school in West Chester is named in his honor.

• 3. Bradley Cooper

  Fan favorite Bradley Cooper is also nominated in the Best Actor category for his role as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro.

  By now you know the Bradley Cooper story. Raised in Jenkintown, Bradley is a graduate of Germantown Academy, Georgetown University, and The New School. While studying at The New School, Bradley attended Sean Penn’s episode of Inside the Actor’s Studio. Check this out …

  @the_cinema_group

  A Young Bradley Cooper asking Sean Penn a question on Inside the Actors Studio‼️ Now aspiring actors are asking him❕ bbradleycoopersseanpenniinsidetheactorsstudiobbeforetheywerefamousbbradleycoopereditt#trendingnow The Cinema Group™️ Please ❤️, Comment, and Share Follow For More Iconic Cinema 🎬

  ♬ original sound - The Cinema Group

   

• 4. Jennifer Lame - WINNER

  You may not know the name Jennifer Lame, but chances are good you know her work. Jennifer is nominated in the Best Film Editing category for her work on Oppenheimer.

  She is a graduate of Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square and no stranger to performance accolades. Last year, Jennifer was the recipient of the 2023 Episcopal Academy Alumni Award for Achievement in the Arts. She also won a BAFTA for her work on Oppenheimer and was nominated for editing on Tenant, Hereditary, and Marriage Story.

• 5. Abbott Elementary

  Yes, Abbott Elementary is a show, not a movie, therefore is not nominated at the Academy Awards. However, the awards are being pushed up an hour to 7 to make room for a new Abbott Elementary at 10pm.

  Abbott Elementary is the brainchild of Quinta Brunson, who also stars in the award-winning show. Quinta is a Philadelphia native who wrote the sitcom based on the stories her mother told her. Mom used to work in the Philadelphia School District and always had something to share. These memories were etched into young Quinta’s mind and made their way to ABC.

• SURPRISE!

  The Oscars were moved up an hour to leave room for a new Abbott Elementary on ABC. Little did we know that one of the Philly nominated actors would make a cameo! Way to go, Bradley Cooper.

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