Hollywood plot twist hits case of stolen Oscar statue

THE plot has thickened in the case of the Oscars party crasher who took off with Frances McDormand’s Best Actress statue earlier this week.

THE plot’s thickened in the case of the Oscars party crasher who swiped Frances McDormand’s statue earlier this week.

Although the Best Actress winner for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri reportedly said, “Let him go,” after a man police identified as Terry Bryant was caught taking her award at the Governors Ball, Bryant is still behind bars with bail set at $US20,000.

Terry Bryant is accused of stealing the statue. (Picture: Reuters/Reuters TV)

It turns out McDormand doesn’t technically own the Oscar — the film academy does — and the organisation’s named on a police report as the wronged party, according to TMZ.

The site says that Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rules dictate that winners have right of possession, but not ownership, of their Oscar statues — a rule that prevents them from being sold.

She may have won it, but she doesn’t own it. Photo credit: MPIFS/Capital Pictures/Mega

Reps for the academy and for McDormand didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Los Angeles County prosecutors said Bryant has been charged with stealing the award, which was retrieved by a photographer at the party.

After Bryant allegedly swiped the Oscar at the party, he bizarrely posted a Facebook video (that’s since been taken down) of himself holding it and exclaiming, “Look at it, baby. My team got this tonight. This is mine ... Who wants to tell me congratulations? This is mine! Where’s the Jimmy Kimmel party at? I can’t believe I got this. It’s for music.”

Bryant, who also goes by DJ Matari online, has also previously posted images of himself holding awards at SAG and MTV ceremonies and pics with Beyoncé and other stars, as well as posted a video from the Golden Globes saying he was reporting live for Access Hollywood.

This story originally appeared in NY Post and is republished here with permission.

Originally published as Hollywood plot twist hits case of stolen Oscar statue