For as long as I can remember, I have watched the Oscars. Growing up, I would wait until that exciting Sunday and prop myself up in front of the TV at 5 pm to start watching all of the stars walk down the red carpet. I would get really excited to see an actor I liked, and then I would go on a deep-dive conversation about them with my dad, who would always be sitting right there next to me. As the show began and the awards would be given out, I would sit there wide-eyed (and more often than not crying) at the actors accepting their awards and giving thanks to the many people who got them there. My dad and I would obsess over the films that were nominated and debate who we thought should win. It’s one of those traditions that I will always be grateful for.
Now that I’m older and off at college, our tradition has changed a little bit. We still both watch the Oscars and red carpet, but now instead of sitting side by side, I’ll have him on Facetime with me as we discuss who’s who on the carpet and what they’ve done. It’s funny to think about the fact that when I was younger, my dad would be the one telling me who everyone was or the history behind each movie, but as I’ve learned and watched more as I’ve grown, the tables have turned, and he’ll be asking me questions about the actors or some of the films that have been nominated. The best is when we’re both rooting for the same film, such as Everything, Everywhere, All at Once (2022), which swept this past Oscars. I would not shut up about the movie when I first watched it, and I was finally able to convince him to watch it with me. I will admit at first, he was very confused, but by the end of it, he was thoroughly impressed by the storytelling and overall production value of the film. It was so fun to see that a movie that impacted me could also impact my dad, and the joy that we felt seeing that movie win various Oscars was amazing.
As a performer, my dream is to be on that stage one day, accepting an award. Every time that I shed a tear watching someone accept their award, I envision myself up there doing the same. Hopefully, one day, I’m up there accepting my award, thanking everyone for helping me get to where I am, and shouting out to my dad for being one of the main reasons that I love the arts as much as I do.