Wes Studi, Reads Tribute to American Military Films at Oscars to Silence

Wes Studi, who starred in the new film Hostiles, was the first Native-American to present at the Oscars and introduced a segment paying tribute to the military. Studi’s montage about American military films included clips from recent films, American Sniper, Saving Private Ryan and Zero Dark Thirty among others.

Studi spoke about his time serving in the army during the Vietnam War before a video montage of military films played.

The topic was personal, as Studi served as a soldier in the Vietnam War. “I’m proud to have served there for 12 months with Alpha Company of the 39th Infantry. Anyone else?” Studi asked, to silence. “As a veteran, I am always appreciative when filmmakers bring to the screen stories of those who have served. Over 90 years of the Academy Awards, a number of movies with military themes have been honored at the Oscars. Let’s take a moment to pay tribute to these powerful films that shine a great spotlight on those who have fought for freedom around the world.”

The audience reaction not surprisingly was virtually non-existent, with few polite handclaps and not much else. On a night with standing ovations for seemingly, everything and everybody, the montage to celebrate the American fighting men and women get bored looks and silence?

While hardly surprising, it does speak to the “out of touch” vibe many people feel that the mainstream Hollywood types are today. Until the opportunity to make the next big blockbuster and millions of dollars from rolls along.

To read the entire article from EW, click here:

Photo courtesy Wikipedia