Academy Awards 2020: Margaret Pomeranz reveals shock Oscars win that devastated her

Best Picture is the Academy’s top award, but they don’t always get it right. Margaret Pomeranz reveals the worst win in history.

Australian film critic Margaret Pomeranz has been in the biz for a long time.

So when she dubs something an “absolute travesty” – we listen.

The veteran movie buff is gearing up for the 92nd Academy Awards on Monday – which will air live from the red carpet on Foxtel – and has revealed which Best Picture winner left her devastated.

While it won three Academy Awards in 2006, Brokeback Mountain controversially lost Best Picture to Crash, which Pomeranz found particularly heartbreaking.

But topping her list of biggest disappointments for the Academy’s biggest honour was last year’s victor Green Book, which was a surprise winner ahead of Bohemian Rhapsody, Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, Roma, The Favourite, Vice and A Star is Born.

“I think the fact that Green Book won was an absolute travesty,” Pomeranz told Foxtel magazine.

Charles B. Wessler and cast and crew of Green Book accept the Best Picture award onstage during the 91st Annual Academy Awards. Picture: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Green Book with Viggo Mortensen (Tony Lip) and Mahershala Ali (Dr Don Shirley) won the 2019 Oscar for Best Picture.

“My absolute favourite was The Favourite.

“(It) was just superbly choreographed and acted and conceived. Yorgos Lanthimos (director) is such an interesting filmmaker.

“But I also thought A Star is Born was fantastic.

“Bohemian Rhapsody was also very good, but in terms of filmmaking and daring, in taking on an iconic film like A Star is Born, Bradley Cooper was really brave. And he was great in it, as was Lady Gaga.

“Green Book would have been way down the list for me.”

Get a 10-day free trial* Stream Foxtel Now

Margaret Pomeranz is one of Australia’s most celebrated film critics.

News.com.au’s own Wenlei Ma penned a very angry opinion piece at the time, questioning whether members of the Academy were drunk.

And they weren’t the only ones who got fired up about it.

BlacKkKlansman director Spike Lee caused a rather dramatic scene when he waved his arms in disbelief and attempted to storm out of the Dolby Theatre when Green Book was announced.

In a press conference afterwards, Lee was asked about his reaction to which he took his champagne and said, “Let me take another sip … Next question!”

Prodded further, Lee said, “I thought I was courtside at the Garden. The ref made a bad call.”

This year the nominees are 1917, Parasite, Ford v Ferrari, Joker, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, The Irishman, Little Women, Jojo Rabbit and Marriage Story.

The top honour is tipped to go to Sam Mendes’ World War I movie 1917, which won the Golden Globe and the BAFTA.

The 2020 Academy Awards red carpet airs live on Monday February 10 from 5am on E!

Originally published as Academy Awards 2020: Margaret Pomeranz reveals shock Oscars win that devastated her