Reuniting stars from classic movies has been an Oscar tradition, creating memorable moments like Bonnie and Clyde‘s Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announcing the wrong Best Picture winner at the 2017 ceremony.
This year’s producers took that to another level with four big reunions — The Godfather, Pulp Fiction, White Men Can’t Jump and Juno — among the presenters at the 2022 Academy Awards. While the first two were somewhat overshadowed by Will Smith slapping Chris Rock just moments earlier, the reunions still delivered an emotional punch and multiple standing ovations.
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“I think I feel moments like this should be sincere and brief,” The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola said onstage, flanked by stars Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, as they marked the film’s 50th anniversary. He went on to thank Mario Puzo, on whose book the film was based, and Robert Evans, the Paramount executive who was responsible for getting the movie made.
“Viva Ukraine,” Coppola said in ending his speech.
White Men Can’t Jump‘s Wesley Snipes, Rosie Perez and Woody Harrelson stuck a lighter tone in their reunion.
“Oh my gosh, thank you so much! It’s just hard to believe that it’s been 30 years since White Men Can’t Jump,” Perez said.
“You mean 30 years since I proved they could,” Harrelson quipped.
“I don’t know about that,” Snipes replied. “You still look like a slow, geeky chump to me.”
After more banter, Harrelson had one more quip, “Nominated three times, but this is the most words I’ve ever spoken here,” he said, referring to the fact that he is yet to win an Oscar. “Presenting is where it’s at!”
Pulp Fiction‘s Uma Thurman and John Travolta re-created their signature dance from the movie, flanking Samuel L. Jackson, who was holding a black briefcase. There were more references from the popular film, released in 1994, including “five-dollar milkshake” and “Royale with cheese.”
When Jackson opened the briefcase — whose contents famously never were revealed in the film — it contained the envelope for the presenters’ category.
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J.K. Simmons also quoted from Juno as he reunited with his co-stars Elliot Page and Jennifer Garner on the movie’s 15th anniversary, bringing up memorable phrases like “your egg-o is preggo” and “pork swards.”
While The Godfather franchise was celebrated by its director and two of its stars, the 60th anniversary of the James Bond franchise was marked only with a video package. None of the actors who have played the famous spy made an appearance, with action-sports legends Tony Hawk, Kelly Slater and Shaun White instead introducing the montage. You can watch it below.
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Rosie Perez: "It's just hard to believe that it's been 30 years since 'White Men Can't Jump.'"
Woody Harrelson: "You mean 30 years since I proved they could."https://t.co/E3rcohFylv#oscars pic.twitter.com/FoN8ci4iII
— ABC News (@ABC) March 28, 2022
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