You can’t see me… oh, but we can! John Cena left little to the imagination at the 96th Academy Awards, embracing a naked bit about a historical streaking incident at the Oscars and reminding everyone that the costume category is “so important.”
The 96th Academy Awards ceremony occurred on Sunday (March 10) at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, and was hosted by comedian Jimmy Kimmel for the fourth time.
One of the most glorious moments of the entire ceremony was the WWE star’s segment au naturel, stunning the entire audience.
John was part of a bit with Jimmy, who shared that it was the 50th anniversary of the historical moment from the 46th Academy Awards in 1974, where photographer Robert Opel executed a notorious prank, sneaking into the ceremony uninvited.
John Cena stole the spotlight at the 96th Academy Awards with a daring naked skit alongside Jimmy Fallon
Image credits: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Image credits: Jimmy Kimmel Live
During the live broadcast, Robert had run on the stage, completely naked, streaking past David Niven, who was in the middle of introducing Elizabeth Taylor.
After sharing the infamous streaking incident, Jimmy quipped: “Can you imagine if a nude man ran across the stage today?” prompting laughter from the spectators.
Jimmy went on to emphasize: “I said, can you imagine if a nude man ran across the stage today? Wouldn’t that be crazy?”
John paid homage to a historic 1974 Oscars streaking incident while highlighting the importance of the costume category
Image credits: Jimmy Kimmel Live
Image credits: Jimmy Kimmel Live
That’s when John peeked out from behind the stage decorations and loudly whispered: “Psst! Psst! Jimmy!” Come here.”
Jimmy replied: “I can’t come there — do the thing!
“What’s going on? You’re supposed to run across the stage?”
Once the nominees were read, John appeared wearing a massive curtain as a dress
Image credits: Jimmy Kimmel Live
The professional wrestler admitted he had changed his mind, adding that he wasn’t as into the “tasteless idea” anymore because “the male body is not a joke.”
Following Jimmy’s dig at John’s signature WWE outfit, saying that wrestling in jorts is worse than being nude, the 46-year-old actor eventually gave in.
John gradually made his way onto the stage, appearing to be unclothed with only the Oscars envelope strategically covering his most private area.
Image credits: Robert Gauthier/Getty Images
“Costumes — they are so important,” John seriously declared, eliciting laughter from the audience. “Maybe the most important thing there is.”
Nevertheless, John was seemingly left in a pickle, as he couldn’t open the envelope to announce the Best Costume Design category without exposing himself, prompting Jimmy to return to the stage and read the nominees himself.
The category’s nominees were Holly Waddington for Poor Things, Jacqueline Durran for Barbie, Jacqueline West for Killers of the Flower Moon, Dave Crossman and Janty Yates for Napoleon, and Ellen Mirojnick for Oppenheimer.
You can watch the segment below:
Once the nominees were read, John appeared wearing a massive curtain as a dress, and Holly went on to take home the Oscar for the category.
Behind-the-scenes photos were later shown to prove that The Suicide Squad actor was, in fact, not completely naked.
The photographs showcased John standing in an Oscars hallway wearing nothing but a modesty pouch to cover his most personal parts, as per People.
The nominees and winners of some of the 96th Academy Awards categories:
Best Picture:
Winner: Oppenheimer
American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall
Barbie
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Past Lives
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest
Best Actress:
Winner: Emma Stone – Poor Things
Annette Bening – Nyad
Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Huller – Anatomy of a Fall
Carey Mulligan – Maestro
Best Actor:
Winner: Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Colman Domingo – Rustin
Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction
Best Supporting Actress:
Winner: Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple
America Ferrera – Barbie
Jodie Foster – Nyad
Best Supporting Actor:
Winner: Robert Downey Jr – Oppenheimer
Sterling K Brown – American Fiction
Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things
Best Director:
Winner: Oppenheimer – Christopher Nolan
Anatomy of a Fall – Justine Triet
Killers of the Flower Moon – Martin Scorsese
Poor Things – Yorgos Lanthimos
The Zone of Interest – Jonathan Glazer
Best Original Song:
What Was I Made For? – Barbie (Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell)
The Fire Inside – Flamin’ Hot (Diane Warren)
I’m Just Ken – Barbie (Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt)
It Never Went Away – American Symphony (Jon Batiste, Dan Wilson)
Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People) – Killers of the Flower Moon (Scott George)
“A loving tribute,” a reader commented
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