Mick Jagger is just about the last person that anyone thought they would see on the Dolby Theatre stage at the 97th Academy Awards. But the Rolling Stones' electrifying frontman was indeed there. He presented the award for Best Original Song to "El Mal" from the film Emilia Perez. His appearance brought the glittering celebrity crowd to their feet in delight and genuine awe.
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Per Billboard, Jagger said graciously , "You're so kind. I'm greatly honored to be invited to give this award. Much as I love doing it, I wasn't the first choice. The producers really wanted Bob Dylan to do this. But Bob Dylan won't do it because he said the best songs in a movie this year were in A Complete Unknown," he joshed.
Jagger even launched into a Dylan impersonation for a moment, saying, "Bob said, 'You should find somebody younger." He added, "Hey, I'm younger than Bob Dylan." But only by two years. Both men are in their 80s. Jagger is 81, Dylan is 83.
Accepting the honor for "El Mal" were composer Camille, director Jacques Audiard, and composer Clement Ducol. Camille said, "We wrote 'El Mal' as a song to denounce corruption."
There Were Many Exceptional Songs In The Running For The Best Original Song Award
The other nominees in this category included "Mi Camino" from Emilia Perez, "The Journey" from The Six Triple Eight, "Like A Bird" from Sing Sing, and "Never Too Late" from Elton John: Never Too Late.
Of "El Mal," NPR opined, "'El Mal' does have a fair bit to recommend it. It's the best musical number in the film, fueled by Zoe Saldaña's bracing, physical performance. It's woven deeply into the fabric of Emilia Pérez rather than plopped limply over the closing credits; that's always a huge plus in this category."
Songwriter Diane Warren, who penned 'The Journey," has had 16 Academy Award nominations in her career. She has received an honorary Oscar, plus a veritable slew of other accolades for her remarkable work.
All in all so far, it was yet another amazing evening in the annals of Academy Award history.
