Which Celebrities Were Absent from the 2024 Academy Awards? Discover Why These Top Names Missed Out

Who Skipped the 2024 Oscars

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Hollywood's most anticipated event, the Oscars, happened on March 10th, but some of the biggest stars were missing this year.

Before the 96th Academy Awards, it was revealed that Michelle Pfeiffer would be appearing at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to present. Many were hoping for a Scarface reunion with Al Pacino, who was also announced as a presenter. However, when it was time to announce the Best Picture winner, Pacino, 83, appeared on stage alone.

Deadline revealed on Sunday evening that Pfeiffer, who is 65 years old, was unable to attend the ceremony because of "personal family reasons" that required her to stay on the East Coast.

Rather than celebrating a 40-year Scarface reunion at the Oscars, Pacino's appearance was actually in honor of the 50th anniversary of The Godfather Part II, which was released in 1974. (Pacino's co-star from the film, Robert De Niro, was present in the audience and stood up when Pacino entered.)

Eva Mendes

Eva Mendes was one of the notable names who seemed to skip out on the Oscars ceremony.

Eva Mendes Who Skipped the 2024 Oscars

Eva Mendes Donato Sardella/Getty Images for New York & Company

Despite her partner, Ryan Gosling, being nominated and even performing at the Oscars, Eva Mendes was not in the audience. Gosling was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and performed the Best Original Song nominee for "Barbie."

However, Mendes did make an appearance backstage, as seen in various social media posts she shared from the show. In one Instagram post from what seemed to be Gosling's dressing room, she wrote, "You took Ken all the way to the Oscars, RG. Now come home, we need to put the kids to bed."

Warren Beatty

Annette Bening was nominated in the Best Actress category for her role as Diana Nyad in Nyad, but her famous Oscar-winning husband was not there to show his support.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio Who Skipped the 2024 Oscars

Leonardo DiCaprio was the standout in Killers of the Flower Moon, a film that won 10 awards. However, he was absent from the ceremony, where he could have supported his director Martin Scorsese and costar Lily Gladstone. Unfortunately, DiCaprio did not receive a Best Actor nomination for his performance.

Matt Damon

Matt Damon Who Skipped the 2024 Oscars

Matt Damon was not seen at the Oscars ceremony, but he did show up at the Vanity Fair afterparty. Host Jimmy Kimmel had already mentioned to CNN that Damon would not be present at the awards show.

Jimmy Kimmel joked about what happened, saying, "He couldn't get a ticket. It's one of the saddest things I've ever heard. He asked if he could come and they told him, 'Sorry - nominees only.'"

Despite not being nominated, Matt Damon's film Oppenheimer received 13 nominations and won Best Picture.

Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson won his first Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film with "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar." Although he was not at the ceremony to receive the award, Entertainment Weekly revealed that he was busy working on his new film which began production on March 11.

Gigi Hadid

Gigi Hadid Who Skipped the 2024 Oscars

Gigi Hadid chose not to attend the Oscars even though her partner, Bradley Cooper, received a Best Actor nomination for his performance in Maestro. Cooper directed and produced the biopic, which unfortunately did not win any of its seven nominations. It's not surprising that Gigi opted out of the event, considering the couple's low-key relationship. Despite this, fans can hope for a red carpet debut in the future.

Joshua Jackson

Joshua Jackson Who Skipped the 2024 Oscars

Another potential couple missed their chance to make their relationship public at the Oscars red carpet. Lupita Nyong’o attended the event with her A Quiet Place: Day One costar Joseph Quinn instead of Joshua Jackson. (Just days before the Academy Awards, Nyong'o and Jackson were seen showing affection during a trip to Mexico.)

Michelle Pfeiffer

Deadline reported on Sunday that Pfeiffer skipped out on her presenting gig following “personal family reasons.”

Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki

Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki, the Japanese filmmakers behind "The Boy and the Heron," decided not to attend the Oscars even though they won for Best Animated Feature. They cited their age as the reason for their absence, with Miyazaki being 83 years old and Suzuki being 75 years old, according to a statement to USA Today.

"I am grateful that the work we created despite facing challenges has been recognized by people worldwide," said Kiyofumi Nakajima, Studio Ghibli's chief operating officer. "Hayao and I have both grown older, and I appreciate receiving this honor at my age. It motivates me to keep doing what I love."

Editor's P/S:

While the Oscars celebrated cinematic excellence, the absence of several notable stars left a void on the red carpet. Michelle Pfeiffer's last-minute withdrawal due to family reasons and Wes Anderson's absence for his new film's production highlighted the personal commitments that sometimes take precedence over industry events. Eva Mendes' backstage presence, despite her partner Ryan Gosling's performance, and Gigi Hadid's decision to forgo the event in favor of her private relationship with Bradley Cooper demonstrated the varied ways celebrities navigate the balance between public appearances and personal priorities.

The Oscars also marked a poignant moment for the legendary Japanese filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki. Their decision to skip the ceremony, citing their advanced age, served as a reminder of the physical and emotional toll that attending such demanding events can take on individuals. Their absence, while understandable, underscored the importance of recognizing and respecting the limits of human experience, even in the glamorous world of cinema.