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The Oscars are perhaps the biggest night of the year for most actors and filmmakers across the globe. The 2023 Oscars saw some glamorous stars and big wins for most. But while most of the A-list crowd was together under the same roof, some celebrities decided to skip the event, both by choice and by circumstances.
Many, including the likes of Tom Cruise and Will Smith, did not make an appearance at the prestigious award ceremony this year. While the ceremony was as glamorous as ever, these stars were immensely missed.
Tom Cruise, James Cameron, and more were missing from the 2023 Oscars
1) Tom Cruise
While most stars who have been invited are expected to attend the glamorous award ceremony, stars whose films have been nominated for an award almost certainly arrive at the event. This was not the case for Top Gun: Maverick star Tom Cruise, who despite attending the PGA Awards, the Golden Globes, and the DGA Awards, did not make an appearance at the Oscars.
According to People, the fan-favorite actor missed the event on Sunday as he was shooting Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part II in the UK. Cruise is yet to receive an Oscar and his film was also not one of the frontrunners at the ceremony, despite the mammoth influence Top Gun: Maverick had on theaters. He was also not nominated for Best Actor at the latest awards.
2) James Cameron
Another big name missing from the roaster was James Cameron, the one behind the Avatar series. With Avatar: The Way of the Water competing for Best Picture, most expected Cameron to make an appearance at the event. But the ace director stated that he could not attend due to "personal reasons."
With Cruise and Cameron not being a part of the audience, host Jimmy Kimmel joked:
"Tom and James Cameron didn’t show up, the two guys who insisted we go to the theatre are not in the theatre."
He also took a dig at Cameron's rather long film and perhaps his disappointment at not getting nominated for Best Director at the 2023 Oscars and said:
"You know a show is too long when even Jim Cameron won’t sit through it...How does the Academy not nominate the guy who directed Avatar? What do they think he is, a woman?"
3) Glenn Close
Another big name missing from the Academy Awards was Glenn Close. The veteran actress was slated to be one of the presenters at the ceremony but had to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19. A representative for Close told People:
"Yes, she has Covid, and she is of course required to bow out. She was very much looking forward to taking part,"
Her absence saw Harrison Ford present the award for Best Picture alone at the ceremony earlier.
4) Will Smith
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith also did not attend the ceremony. This comes after Will slapped host Chris Rock, who attempted to make a joke about Jada at the 2022 Oscars. The Academy banned Will from the event for 10 years, meaning that the Oscar-winning actor will not be present at the ceremony for the foreseeable future.
The Oscars took place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 12, 2023.
