The buzz in the air this week is only going to get stronger as we approach the 91st Academy Awards — especially because this is one of the weirdest yet thanks to all the changes the Academy keeps making (and then unmaking). Regardless, this weekend the best and brightest actors will take over the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood in hopes of coming home with one (or more) of the 24 Oscar awards.
While we watch celebs receive their Oscars every year, the statues themselves are shrouded in mystery. We'll probably never get to touch one ourselves (unless my National Treasure-inspired heist pans out the way I'm hoping) but WalletHub released some helpful trivia so we can at least pretend.
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First off, what's it like to actually hold the award? The 24 karat gold-plated Oscar statue is worth $629 and is 13.5 inches tall. At 8.5 pounds, it's no wonder pretty much everyone who receives one is surprised by just how heavy it is.
That's a lot of money and gold for one small statue, but it's nothing compared to the cost of the whole ceremony. The 16,500-square-foot red carpet costs a whopping $30 thousand, which is probably why the show adds up to $42.8 million per year. If you want to attend the after party, it's an additional $119,800 per couple — or $239,600 at once if you're being the generous date.
However, all this fanfare is worth it. There are some standout contenders this year, with Greta Gerwig as the only woman nominated for Best Director thanks to Lady Bird, and Shape Of Water dominating the nominations with 13 nods.
We'll have to wait until Sunday to see if more history will be made, but with such an incredible lineup, how could it not?