WRITERS REVEAL TRUTH BEHIND 2011 'WORST OSCARS' HOSTED BY ANNE HATHAWAY AND JAMES FRANCO
Who can forget the 2011 Oscars ceremony, dubbed "the worst Oscar telecasts in history"?
The 2011 Oscars, hosted by Anne Hathaway and James Franco, received backlash from fans and media. The Hollywood Reporter calling it "spectacularly unwatchable".
Other media outlets, such as Time Magazine, also gave their opinion. They said that it was "clear the experiment had gone bad" and described watching the awards show as "very tiring".
The Independent described the pairing as having "dreadful chemistry. An uneasy mix of Hathaway's cloying perkiness and Franco's disconnected grinning". They added that "early jokes are met with mirthless silence, and a later skit in which Franco dresses in drag goes down like a lead balloon."
However, the writers behind the 2011 Oscars ceremony revealed the inside story behind the "worst oscars ceremony".
Two writers involved in the ceremony, David Wild and Jordan Rubin, opened up about the "disastrous" hosting event. Wild revealed that Franco and Hathaway were not their first choice as hosts. The producers initially asked singer and actor Justin Timberlake, who declined.
Wild said: "[Timberlake] said that he'd love to do it, but he thought it was a year too early for him. He wanted to wait until after The Social Network had gone through an awards season."
However, it is not only the media who described the event as uncomfortable. Wild had a colourful description for the pairing of Franco and Hathaway. He said they were "like the world's most uncomfortable blind date between the cool rocker stoner kid and the adorable theatre camp cheerleader".
But, might the event have gone better if one of the hosts actually went to rehearsal? Rubin revealed that one "red flag" was raised ahead of the ceremony when Franco was frequently unavailability for rehearsals and filming.
"He always seemed to be on a flight and it was very hard for me to get a hold of him. That was a red flag."
Despite the weird pairing, Wild explained seeing the tension between the co-hosts during rehearsals. He witnessed an awkward encounter when Hathaway suggested that Franco read a particular line differently.
"This is a memory, but [Hathaway] was like, 'Maybe you should try that,' and he was like, 'Don't tell me how to be funny.'"
The writing duo also detailed numerous sketches that did not make it to the final broadcast. They claimed that Franco had wanted to dress up as Cher, to perform a duet with the real singer.
The writers also scratched the plan for Franco and Hathaway to sing. They wanted to perform the Grease song "You're the One That I Want", with the lyrics altered to reference the actor's recent role in 127 Hours.
Will Arnett, the Arrested Development star, rehearsed a sketch writer by the two writers, but it was also cut. The sketch would have played out with Arnett running across the stage in a nude bodysuit, referencing the 1974 Oscars when a man streaked on stage.
However, there are some memorable moments from the evening, including when Franco dressed up as Marilyn Monroe. He joked about being Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon separated from presenters Scarlett Johansson and Matthew McConaughey.
Later, Hathaway had a memorable moment of her own, as she sang an ear-shattering rendition of "On My Own" from "Les Misérables". Ironically, she sang it again for the musical's film adaptation a year later.
Hathaway did not stop there, as the star then called Hugh Jackman a "huge Jack-ass" and added how he "stuck his fake retractable claws into my heart" during the show.
This year's Oscars ceremony will happen at the end of April and will be the third consecutive year that the awards show has no host. However, Director Steven Soderbergh will serve as the producer.