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Now that the Oscar nominees have finally been announced, we have a much better idea of which films the social media world adores. And, based on what just happened at the Grammys, we also know what types of performers and acts are going to resonate with social media users. So here’s what to expect from social media during the Oscars.
#1: An incredible number of Ryan Gosling “Hey Girl” memes
According to a survey of social media mentions when the Oscars nominations came out, the most buzzed about film was easily “La La Land.” In fact, this one film starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone picked up more social media mentions than all the other films combined. If you haven’t already, it’s time to get your Ryan Gosling “Hey Girl” memes ready for Oscar night, especially when it comes time to award Ryan Gosling “Best Actor.”
#2: Charges of racism at the Academy if “Fences,” “Moonlight” or “Hidden Figures” doesn’t win a major award
Did you see what happened at the Grammys, when Adele beat out Beyonce for Best Album of the Year? The Internet unleashed its collective wrath on the Grammys, accusing the Recording Academy of #racism. So be prepared this year at the Oscars, which has been skewered in the past for not giving major awards to men and women of color. This year, the films that are getting a lot of buzz are “Hidden Figures,” “Moonlight” and “Fences,” all with very talented African-American casts. But will they actually win?
#3: Animated GIFs featuring Carrie Fisher and Gene Wilder
As we saw with the Grammys, two of the most talked-about performances were the memorial dedications to George Michael (from Adele) and Prince (from Bruno Mars). At the Oscars this year, two of the iconic Hollywood stars that we’ll be mourning will include Gene Wilder and Carrie Fisher. Expect to see plenty of memes featuring both of them. Let’s just hope that the social media team at Cinnabon has learned its lesson with its Cinnabon-inspired “best buns in the galaxy” tweet about Princess Leia…
#4: Social media indignation if “Passengers” wins anything
Every year, it seems, there’s a film that people love to hate, and this year it’s “Passengers.” When nominations came out in late January, the one film that took the hardest hits on social media was “Passengers” – the intergalactic love story featuring Chris Pratt and the divinely beautiful Jennifer Lawrence that the Academy clearly sees as a new “Titanic” — but that critics largely panned.
#5: #JimmyKimmel trending in your newsfeeds
Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has been playing up the Brooklyn connection in his Oscar ads, so #Brooklyn is almost certainly going to feature in his comic monologue. And, just as James Corden recreated Carpool Karaoke during the broadcast of the Grammys, expect Jimmy Kimmel to recreate some of his more memorable Internet moments on stage — like his Twitter feud with Kanye West or his “Twerking #FAIL” video (which now has over 22 million views).
And, of course, it will be impossible to ignore some of the big musical acts – Justin Timberlake, Sting and John Legend – set to appear during the Oscars. It’s hard to imagine any act overshadowing the epic Beyonce performance from the Grammys, but when it comes to the Oscars, the Academy has always embraced the big cinematic spectacle, so who knows? One thing is certain, though: this is going to be one TV event that’s going to be impossible to watch without following along simultaneously on social media.
