New Delhi: Wrestler and actor John Cena brought an unexpected and amusing twist to the 96th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
Cena made a bold entrance onto the Oscars stage, appearing naked as he presented the award for Best Costume Design to 'Poor Things.'
This memorable moment paid homage to one of the most outrageous incidents in Academy Awards history, dating back to 1974. During the 46th Oscars, a naked man ran on stage while David Niven was introducing Elizabeth Taylor.
In the 1970s, streaking became a popular and unconventional form of public disruption, as nude individuals frequently interrupted various events.
Recalling the 1974 incident, Jimmy Kimmel, the host of the 2024 Oscars, addressed the audience, saying, "Can you imagine if a nude man ran across the stage today? Wouldn't that be crazy?"
While planning a humorous stunt involving a streaker for the 2024 ceremony, Kimmel was surprised when John Cena, shirtless and with only a large envelope covering his private parts, emerged from the corner of the stage.
However, Cena had a change of heart and conveyed, "I changed my mind. I don't want to do the streaker bit. I just don't feel right about it. It's an elegant event, you know; you should feel shame right now for suggesting such a tasteless joke."
Kimmel defended the intended humour of the bit, but Cena, in a hilarious response, declared, "The male body is not a joke."
In the end, Cena, maintaining his composure, appeared on stage with a strategically placed envelope, causing laughter among the audience. In a quick cut, he reappeared wearing a golden, curtain-like outfit before proceeding to present the Best Costume Design award to 'Poor Things.'
‘Poor Things’ won four Oscars including Best Actress for Emma Stone. Poor Things' follows Bella Baxter, a distressed pregnant woman, who commits suicide and is brought back to life with the brain of her unborn fetus.