Extravagance is as much a part of awards season as the awards themselves, a lavish procession of parties, campaigning and red carpet opportunities leading to a ceremony that’s rumoured to cost more than $40m. But as this year’s Oscars approaches, there’s been a noticeable shift, from plant-based menus to “repeat tuxedos”, a culture of more trying to grapple with the need for less.
It’s not the first year that the climate crisis has affected Hollywood’s most indulgent period (since 2013, the Oscars ceremony has had a net zero carbon imprint) but, as alarmed discourse about the environment has increased outside the industry, a more pronounced change was needed inside. After best actor favourite Joaquin Phoenix lobbied the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to implement a vegan menu at the Golden Globes, other ceremonies followed suit and on 27 January, the Academy announced that for the first time all pre-show food would be entirely plant-based while the post-show Governors Ball menu would be 70% vegan.
“We would have liked to have seen the Oscars commit to a 100% plant-based menu,” said Matt Turner of The Vegan Society. “But it’s an important step in the right direction. People are starting to realise that their individual actions as part of a collective movement can make a tangible difference.” Celebrity caterer Kathleen Schaffer has said that while many of her clients have embraced similar menus, “the omnivore is alive and well in Los Angeles”.
Phoenix has also closely aligned himself with Extinction Rebellion, starring in Guardians of Life, a short film made by the activists intended to bring more awareness to the climate crisis. The group also intends to protest near the Hollywood sign on the eve of the Oscars. “Some stars of Hollywood are aware of the scale of the climate crisis, and some have started to take action,” a statement read. “But we do not believe that Hollywood as a whole has taken an acceptable stance on the climate crisis.”
The week’s festivities also include gifting suites, produced by third party companies who match stars with high-end products provided by a range of companies. Nathalie Dubois, whose established lounge has previously welcomed guests such as Charlize Theron and Scarlett Johansson, says there’s been an increased attempt to include eco-conscious products and experiences, such as sponsoring coral which will then be replanted.
Since 2003, marketing company Distinctive Assets has been providing nominees from the four acting categories and those up for best director with extravagant goody bags. This year’s is estimated to be worth around $215,000, with gifts including a $78,000 fully-inclusive 12-day cruise on a luxury yacht. Distinctive Assets founder Lash Fary, who has been putting the bags together for 18 years, said that eco-consciousness is “certainly” on his mind and so a plant-based meal delivery service and a DIY candle kit that encourages re-use of holders have both been included.
While the Academy has released a list of the ways in which they are working towards their goal of becoming carbon neutral, campaigners are still raising the alarm on one of the most damaging components of a season that brings together talent from across the globe: air travel.
Anna Hughes, director of the Flight Free UK campaign, believes that more recognition is needed by the Academy and the entertainment industry in general, of the impact that such a “highly polluting” form of travel has on the environment.
“In terms of emissions, the savings from providing plant-based food are likely to be overshadowed many times over by air travel to the ceremony,” she said. While it’s difficult to calculate exactly, Hughes estimates that if an attendee is flying to Los Angeles from New York or further in business class or on a private or chartered plane, they will be emitting more carbon than the average Brit does in a whole year. “At the very least, the Academy awards needs to acknowledge this, not ignore it,” she said.
