Fairytales Crash the Oscars

I wasn’t sure if the Oscars would be too easy of a target for this blog, but then again we are looking for fairytale references that just pop up in life and where better to look than the epitome/showcase of the Hollywood dream. I may have missed some, but the fairytale allusions I picked up were in the opening number (Neil Patrick Harris sings, “Can’t imagine Cinderella without the ball”), the announcement of the nominees for Best Animated Feature Film (“Once Upon A Dream” from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty played in the background), and, of course, Oprah’s detailed and dramatic introduction to Gabourey Sidibe’s nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Oprah told the story of how Gabourey’s new life began over a three day period in which she auditioned for a role in the film “Precious” and was selected for the part, and she gives her the ultimate aspired-to label of success when she calls Gabourey a “true American Cinderella” and says, “If that ain’t a Hollywood fairytale, what is?”

In the general sense of the words, there seemed to be quite a few “fairytale endings” at the 82nd Academy Awards. Once could see this in the amount of “firsts” emphasized: Kathryn Bigelow as the first woman to win Best Director, Sandra Bullock’s first Oscar nomination and award, and countless others who received their first Oscars after having been nominated in past years. It is interesting how much we focus on the rise element of the Cinderella-story with a special emphasis on the fact that it can happen to anyone from any background. Once again it becomes obvious how so many people in society devote their lives to achieving their seemingly unattainable dreams and how they find solace and hope in witnessing the success of others. Many Oscar winners’ speeches included messages about doing what you love, doing what is right in the face of adversity, and never giving up on your dreams. In the face of songs such as TSwift’s “Today Was A Fairytale,” which doesn’t venture past stereotypical ideas on teenage dating, fairytale references such as those seen at the Oscars, while admittedly overused and rather cliché, seem to somehow manage to give the idea of the fairytale a bit more respect and dignity in that they are about passions and the culmination of years of working hard on a vision that got those winners where they are today.