Los Angeles: Several personalities such as Jaime Lee Curtis, Diane Warren and Yuh-Jung Youn were seen sporting a blue ribbon to support the Ukraine refugees at the 94th Academy Award held at the Dolby Theatre.
At this year’s red carpet, many celebrities showed up sporting blue ribbons provided by the United Nations Refugee Agency. These blue ribbons sport the hashtag #withrefugees, referring to the refugee crisis caused by the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, and in solidarity with all people forced to flee oppression, reports Variety’.
Lee Curtis showcased a blue ribbon tied to her left hand that read “with refugees”.
Curtis is presenting a special tribute to the late Betty White at the Oscars, and is supporting her goddaughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal, who is nominated for best adapted screenplay for ‘The Lost Daughter’.
Musician Diane Warren wore the same blue “with refugees” pin to the red carpet.
Wearing the ribbon “isn’t political,” she told USA Today.
“It’s human and it’s the least we can do.”
‘Minari’ star Yuh-Jung Youn, a refugee from North Korea, wore the blue ribbon atop a dark long-sleeved dress.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, with a series of missiles and airstrikes upon Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kiev.
Over the last month, Russia’s invasion has caused the largest European refugee crisis since World War II, with more than 3.6 million Ukrainians being forced to flee the country. According to Ukraine, at least 3,000 civilians have died as a result of the invasion.
This isn’t the first ceremony this awards season where celebrities have shown support for Ukraine amid the ongoing invasion.
At the Screen Actors Guild Awards in February, many stars, including Tyler Perry, Michael Douglas, Shari Belafonte, Douglas Hodge, Lisa Ann Walter and Jon Bernthal wore the colours of the Ukraine flag on the red carpet. Several actors such as Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have helped raise tens of millions of dollars for Ukraine aid.
This week, it was reported that co-host Amy Schumer had pitched the Oscar producers a segment in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has won widespread praise for his leadership over the course of the crisis, would appear during the ceremony for a pre-taped message or live satellite segment.
According to Schumer, producers ultimately passed on the idea, but the show is acknowledging the war in other ways.
In addition to the blue ribbons, other fashion trends included several attendees whose outfits matched the scarlet carpet.
(IANS)
