Hyderabad: The coveted Academy Awards is all set to be held on March 11. The Oscars will formally end Hollywood's award season for the year after a flurry of award ceremonies, including the Grammys, the Golden Globes, and the Emmys. As all eyes are focused on the prize, which is the much sought-after Oscar trophy, we bring to you the details of the nearly 4-kilogram award.
The official Academy website states that the mantle of honour, which is golden in colour, is 13 1⁄2 inches tall. At 8 1⁄2 pounds, the award is fairly heavy too. This translates to over 4 kg in metric units. Up until 1945, the statuette's form and design stayed the same, but the base's dimensions kept changing over time.
According to the Academy, the Oscar trophy depicts a knight brandishing a crusader's sword. The crusader is depicted as standing atop five spokes, which signify the five founding branches of the Academy—actors, directors, producers, technicians, and writers—are represented by the spoke. The design makes it standout, making it one of the most recognisable statuettes worldwide.
Although Oscar is used as a causal reference for the gold cloak, this is not the official name for the prize. The official name of the Oscars is Academy Award of Merit. However, the moniker Oscar has gained not only national but international recognition.
There is a fascinating backstory as to how the award got it name Oscars. According to the Academy's official website, "a popular story has it that upon seeing the trophy for the first time, Academy librarian (and eventual executive director) Margaret Herrick remarked that it resembled her Uncle Oscar." However, at first, the name was not accepted. Only in 1939, when a columnist chose to use Audrey Hepburn's Oscar win rather than the full category name, did the name receive approval.
The esteemed prize represents the countless years and millions of dollars of labour. The statue is made of solid bronze with a 24-karat gold plating. According to the Academy, "For three years, Oscars were manufactured of painted plaster due to a scarcity of metal during World War II. The Academy invited winners to exchange their plaster miniatures for metal ones that were coated in gold after the war."
The trophy, which features a knight on a crusader, was created by MGM art director Cedric Gibbons. According to the Academy website, the production of fifty trophies takes about three months.
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