It was, arguably, one of the most anticlimactic ends to the Oscars.
Finishing the night off with the prestigious Best Actor trophy, the 93rd Academy Awards did not end with the usual tear-filled acceptance speech.
Instead, it closed with a headshot and a quick sentence from last year's category winner, Joaquin Phoenix.
Sir Anthony Hopkins claimed this year's Best Actor trophy, for his stirring performance in drama The Father, but the Welsh star was not in attendance at the Sunday night event.
Instead, after the actor beat out Riz Ahmed and the late Chadwick Boseman for the trophy, a simple portrait appeared on screen, as Phoenix stated: "The Academy congratulates Anthony Hopkins and accepts the Oscar on his behalf."
The show then drew to an abrupt close.
However, hours after his win, Hopkins posted a video to his Instagram account thanking the Academy for the award, and paying tribute to his fellow nominee Boseman.
"Good morning, here I am in my homeland in Wales and at 83 years of age, I did not expect to get that award, I really didn’t," he said, set against the backdrop of the sunny Welsh countryside. "I am very grateful to the Academy.
"I want to pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman who was taken from us far too early, and again, thank you very much. I really did not expect this, so I feel very privileged and honoured, thank you."
In his accompanying caption, he also thanked members of the film's team and his family. "Thank you to The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Sony Pictures Classics, Florian Zeller, UTA, Jeremy Barber, Christine Crais, Mitch Smelkinson, Juan Miguel Arias, Tara Arroyave, my wife and family," he wrote.
At 83, the actor is now the oldest-ever winner of an Academy Award in the acting categories, usurping the late Christopher Plummer, who previously held the title for his 2011 Best Supporting Actor win for Beginners.
In The Father, directed by Florian Zeller, Hopkins put in an acclaimed, heart-wrenching portrayal of a man with dementia.
It is not yet known exactly why Hopkins forewent the glitzy event, but his non-appearance sparked plenty of humorous reactions on social media.
A victory speech had been anticipated to be delivered by Hopkins's The Father co-star, Olivia Colman, who joined the Oscars from a satellite hub in London, but did not materialise.
Hopkins's win was one of the biggest surprises of the 93rd Academy Awards, with Boseman widely expected to win for his performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, after similar success at the Golden Globes and Sag Awards.
The actor, who died last year aged 43 after privately battling colon cancer, was posthumously nominated for Best Actor.
Ahmed, who plays a drummer losing his hearing in Sound of Metal, was also a contender, with his nomination making him the first Muslim actor honoured in the category.
Sunday night's gong marked the second Oscar win for Hopkins, who won Best Actor in 1992 for his performance as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.
The star, who won Best Actor at this month's Baftas, was also absent from the London event. He had earlier declined to attend the ceremony via Zoom and was in a hotel in Wales when his name was announced as the winner. However, he was so immersed while painting in a room next door, he missed giving an acceptance speech.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
Top financial tips for graduates
Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:
1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.
2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.
3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.
4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.
