The 2020 Oscars were held on February 9th, remember how crazy-early they were that year? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, fresh from their big Sussexit, were still renting a home in Canada and they were not in LA at the time of the 2020 Oscars telecast. Since then, they’ve been in California for three consecutive awards seasons, and this year will be the fourth. They have never attended anything during the awards season – no Golden Globes, no SAG Awards, no Oscars, no Grammys, not even the Vanity Fair Oscar party. My guess is that IF they ever do go to anything around the Oscars, it would be one of the WME events, since Meghan is now represented by WME. Still, we’ve gone through this for the past three years – the British media eagerly suggesting that Meghan and Harry will turn up at the Oscars, oh no wait, the Oscar snubbed them, no wait, they’re D-listers in desperate need of Hollywood connections. Here’s this year’s version:
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle should take a big gamble for the 2024 Oscars, it has been claimed, with it also said that an appearance at the event would be “make-or-break” amid a warning. The nominations for the 96th Academy Award nominations were announced last week, with the ceremony set to take place on March 10 in Hollywood. And according to an expert, the glitzy event could be the perfect opportunity for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
A PR expert has now claimed that the Sussexes’ Hollywood ambitions are “clear”, although noted that the couple integrating into A-List circles “has been slower than anticipated.” Speaking to Newsweek, entertainment expert Mark Boardman from MarkMeets revealed that he believes the couple attending the Oscars could be a “make-or-break” situation for the duo. He said that the ceremony is “a cultural touchstone, sparking conversations, influencing trends, and showcasing the incredible talent and creativity that cinema offers, and everyone who’s anyone will be there”.
He then said: “The Oscars aren’t just about statuettes; they’re a star-studded networking magnet.” Noting how the Sussexes “rubbing shoulders” with Hollywood power players “could open doors for future projects, production deals, and even lucrative endorsements”.
Mark went on to say how if Harry and Meghan attend and get to mingle with industry elites, it “could open doors to lucrative projects and production deals as everyone will be chatting before, during and after the event including at the many after parties”.
He added that Meghan could end up landing a blockbuster role if she attends and “makes the right connections”, with a “well-received appearance” promising to “reposition the Sussexes as cultural influencers”, especially if they presented an award or championed important causes on-stage. And although if the Sussexes do decide to attend, Mark issued the couple a warning when he noted how “one awkward encounter” could risk “derailing their carefully crafted image.”
The biggest “tell” that the Sussexes roll deep with powerful people is that we rarely hear about it, and then suddenly Meghan will pop up in photos taken by Beyonce’s personal photographer, or the Sussexes will be seen with Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez, Ted Sarandos, or, you know, NATO Joint Force Commander General Guglielmo Miglietta. The other biggest tell that the Sussexes already have plenty of connections and powerful friends is that they don’t feel the need to network and pitch at every fakakta Oscar party every year. I mean, Meghan’s good friend Serena Williams had a whole-ass film nominated for Best Picture and Meghan still didn’t leave her house on Oscar night! You know why? Because the Sussexes have cultivated an air of exclusivity.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.