85th Academy Awards

85th Academy Awards
Official poster featuring Seth Macfarlane promoting the 85th Academy Awards in 2013.
Official poster
DateFebruary 24, 2013
SiteDolby Theatre
Hollywood, Los Angeles, United States
Hosted bySeth MacFarlane[1]
Preshow hostsJess Cagle
Kristin Chenoweth
Kelly Rowland
Robin Roberts
Lara Spencer[2]
Produced byNeil Meron
Craig Zadan[3]
Directed byDon Mischer[4]
Highlights
Best PictureArgo
Most awardsLife of Pi (4)
Most nominationsLincoln (12)
TV in the United States
NetworkABC
Duration3 hours, 35 minutes [5]
Ratings40.38 million
24.47% (Nielsen ratings) [6]

The 85th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2012 and took place on February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time Zone (PST) / 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time Zone (EST). The ceremony was the first in the Academy's 85-year history to adopt the phrase "The Oscars" as the ceremony's official name during the broadcast and marketing.[7] During the ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 24 categories. The ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC, and produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron and directed by Don Mischer.[8][9] Actor Seth MacFarlane hosted the show for the first time.[10]

In related events, the Academy held its 4th annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on December 1, 2012.[11] On February 9, 2013, in a ceremony at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by hosts Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana.[12]

Argo won three awards, including Best Picture, the first film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture without its director nominated since Driving Miss Daisy.[13] Other winners included Life of Pi with four awards, Les Misérables with three, Django Unchained, Lincoln, and Skyfall with two, and Amour, Anna Karenina, Brave, Curfew, Inocente, Paperman, Searching for Sugar Man, Silver Linings Playbook and Zero Dark Thirty with one. The telecast garnered more than 40 million viewers in the United States.

  1. ^ Raczka, Rachel (October 1, 2012). "Seth MacFarlane to host 85th Academy Awards". Boston.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  2. ^ Yahr, Emily (February 22, 2013). "Oscars TV: Where to watch the show, the pre-shows, the fashion". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
  3. ^ Eames, Tom (August 23, 2012). "Oscars 2013 to be produced by 'Chicago's Craig Zadan and Neil Meron". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on April 1, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  4. ^ Sperling, Nicole (September 13, 2012). "Oscars 2013: Don Mischer to direct next year's telecast". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
  5. ^ Lowry, Brian (February 24, 2013). "TV Review: 85th Academy Awards". Variety. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013.
  6. ^ De Moraes, Lisa (February 25, 2013). "TV critics may have hated the Oscars, but 40 million viewers tuned in". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 26, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  7. ^ Pond, Steve (February 19, 2013). "AMPAS Drops '85th Academy Awards' – Now It's Just 'The Oscars'". The Wrap. Archived from the original on February 22, 2013. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  8. ^ Kilday, Greg (August 23, 2012). "Craig Zadan and Neil Meron to Produce Oscars". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 6, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  9. ^ Gallagher, Brian (September 15, 2012). "85th Annual Academy Awards Lands Director Don Mischer". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on September 16, 2012. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  10. ^ "Seth MacFarlane to Host 85th Oscars". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. October 1, 2012. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  11. ^ Alexander, Bryan (December 2, 2012). "Blockbusters left out of the best-picture Oscar race". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 5, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  12. ^ Ford, Rebecca. "Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana to Host AMPAS' Scientific and Technical Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 29, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  13. ^ Horn, John (February 24, 2013). "Oscars 2013: 'Argo' wins best picture". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved October 7, 2013.