Elizabeth Banks shared the stage with one of Hollywood’s hottest characters when she presented the Oscar for best visual effects at the 95th Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday night.
Banks, who directed this year’s box office smash “Cocaine Bear,” announced the nominees alongside a co-presenter dressed as a full-fledged bear. The true story of a 175-pound black bear in Georgia 40 years ago that ingested a massive dose of cocaine apparently dropped from a plane piloted by a convicted drug smuggler inspired Banks’ new thriller, which has earned $65 million globally since it opened in theaters just weeks ago.
“I recently directed the film ‘Cocaine Bear,'” Banks revealed at the Academy Awards. “And this is how the bear would appear in the absence of visual effects. It’s frightening.”
“What exactly are you doing? Put a stop to it, “Banks informed the mascot. “Are you currently attempting to score? You must, like everyone else, attend the after-party.”
Banks then emphasized the significance of visual effects in bringing stories to life onscreen.
“The coke is a forgery. It’s all about the visual effects “Before moving on to a creative introduction for each of this year’s nominees, she said: The film “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “Maverick” from “Top Gun.” “Wakanda Forever: The Black Panther,” The eventual winner, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” and “The Batman,”
“The term ‘Avatar’ refers to visual effects. ‘All Quiet on the Western Front,’ perhaps? That is a visual effect. It was a real war with genuine visual effects. Batman flying around isn’t real. “Tom Cruise flying around is real, but there are visual effects as well,” she said of the “Maverick” star “The actor is well-known for performing his own stunts.
“Wakanda? Wakanda is totally real,” Banks continued, adding, “Visual effects can enhance any story and are an incredible tool for a filmmaker like me. Without the visual effects, ‘Cocaine Bear’ would have been just an actor in a bear suit… most likely high on cocaine.”
The award for best visual effects was the night’s first for “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which was nominated in four categories this year, including best picture.
