
Throughout the long history of the Academy Awards, there have been no hosts, good hosts, bad hosts, and Anne Hathaway and James Franco.
The pair's hosting of the 2011 Oscars ceremony is one of the most memorable ever, and not in a good way. They tanked, spectacularly; bad enough The Hollywood Reporter said the show was "unwatchable".
It's become part of pop culture history, along with a joke used by Hathaway herself in 2019: 'No matter what happens at the Oscars, just remember, it's already been worse'.
Watch: The top five award show fails (excluding the 2011 Oscars, because that would be an unfair contest). Post continues below video.
Hathaway was in peak movie star mode, dancing, singing and changing outfits no less than 10 times. Franco, in contrast, was so low-energy he may as well have been taking a nap on stage.
She was very clearly the one trying, coming across especially over-enthusiastic next to a slow, robotic Franco.
As it turns out, the preparation for that night makes the abysmal result even more awkward.
Oscars show writers David Wild and Jordan Rubin spoke to The Ringer ahead of the 93rd Academy Awards on April 25, 2021, recalling the different work ethics and clash of personalities between Hathaway and Franco.
"It was like the world's most uncomfortable blind date between the cool rocker stoner kid and the adorable theatre camp cheerleader," Wild said, going on to explain the behind-the-scenes tension which was obvious even before they reached the stage.
"This is a memory, but [Hathaway] was like 'Maybe you should try that,' and he was like 'Don't tell me how to be funny,'" he recalled.
Image: Getty.
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