According to Marc Snetiker of Entertainment Weekly Best Actress Emma Stone said she had her Best Actress card on her person the entire time. "I also was holding my Best Actress in a leading role card that entire time, so whatever story... I don't mean to start stuff, but whatever story that was, I had that card," she reportedly said backstage after the Oscars.
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A Staged Hollywood publicity stunt to end all publicity stunts. Staging stunts---this is what they do for a living, for God's sake. And never forget these are the world's best actors onstage in front of the cameras they live for ..... pretending they're reading off cards.
Beatty's fake pause...chirpy Dunaway's chiming in act......then the show's producers ready and waiting in the wings to storm in w/ the "right card."
Caustic social critic--Camille Paglia---had it right. The grandeur of the awards is gone. So they had to do something to get attention.
The latest update is that Price-Waterhouse had duplicate cards made in the unlikely event that the heavily guarded originals disappeared or were destroyed. Not explained was how one of the duplicates (for Best Actress) was given to the presenter for Best Picture.