Oscars Rejecting Anthony Hopkins’ Zoom Was a Slap in the Face to This Viewer with Chronic Illness

“For anybody who’s on the downside of advantage and relying purely on courage… it’s possible.”On that closing line of Russell Crowe’s 2001 Best Actor acceptance speech for “Gladiator,” I fell in love with the Oscars.

I was also too sick to leave the house; at 14 years old, I was recovering from double pneumonia.

It was the latest in a string of lung-related health issues that eventually led to a lupus diagnosis.

When I heard these words from an actor I barely knew, it made me feel like I could be a part of Hollywood.This year’s Oscars were critically lambasted and received record-low ratings, but retained their power to inspire dreams and make viewers feel like they’re part of the magic factory.

(Look no further than this viral photo of a young girl cosplaying as Best Director and Best Picture winner Chloe Zhao.) That’s why,

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