Oscars: Producer Glenn Weiss on Lady Gaga’s Vision for “Meaningful” Performance of “Hold My Hand”

Nobody would fault Glenn Weiss for heading straight dwelling after the ninety fifth Academy Awards telecast.

The reside TV veteran and his White Cherry Leisure accomplice Ricky Kirshner teamed to govt produce Sunday’s Oscars, with Weiss taking over the extra position of directing, for an eighth consecutive yr. Evidently, he had his work lower out for him on Hollywood’s largest evening, and the opinions have largely been glowing up to now for the telecast’s return to kind as celebration of cinema. However Weiss appeared to have slightly left within the tank as The Hollywood Reporter noticed him weaving his means via a crowded afterparty alongside spouse Jan Svendsen.

He granted a request for a quick interview throughout which he shared reward for host Jimmy Kimmel and the way he saved the present transferring, that stripped-down efficiency from Oscar winner Woman Gaga and the way he’s feeling about not having to get up early on Monday for an Oscars-related Zoom assembly.

Initially, it’s 12:30 a.m. How are you feeling?

I’m feeling nice. Actually glad that the present went off the way in which it did. Proud of the winners too, and a few actually nice moments and speeches.

It was an enormous evening and also you had your work lower out for you with a full present; all of the classes have been again. Heading in, what was the imaginative and prescient?

The entire environment, the entire surroundings we wished to create was, “Let’s break this down into what this actually is — a passionate love letter to the flicks.” This present was actually about us saying, “Right here is a good business filled with actually nice storytellers.” We need to inform the story of the storytellers. We took the chance to do this. We additionally wished to maintain the present transferring. We wished to maintain it entertaining, and we hope we completed that.

Talking of entertaining, it should’ve felt like an enormous bonus to have the ability to have performances from all of the Oscar-nominated songs?

It was very nice to have all of the songs, however it was actually nice to have the ability to current 5 very totally different songs so otherwise. It wasn’t similar to, “Right here’s the subsequent singer, let’s do that, let’s do this.” We gave every its personal appear and feel actually put loads into every efficiency. That’s the spine of what Ricky and I do as producers on the Tony Awards, we actually attempt to make the items develop into items unto themselves. I feel we completed that with all the 5 totally different music performances and it turned out nice.

The performances have been very totally different, from the massive “Naatu Naatu” quantity to a stripped-down Woman Gaga efficiency with the digital camera in a good close-up to begin. Was that her selection? How did that come collectively?

Truthfully, when she got here in, we had a dialog about it. She was actually applicable about the truth that it is a significant music to her and she or he wished to essentially strip it down and do it not as an “Oscar efficiency,” however as her. And that’s precisely what we tried to seize.

What different significant moments are you pleased with?

Oh God, the entire evening. Initially, I believed Jimmy did a fantastic job. He saved the present transferring, however he additionally saved it lighthearted and entertaining sufficient that it didn’t really feel all too severe. The winners all through the evening actually took us on a trip. Simply after we thought it was going a technique, then it went one other means. The speeches have been passionate and from the guts.

Sure, I seen a tweet tonight that somebody posted concerning the variety of moms and relations, a few of whom had handed, who have been thanked throughout the present …

Sure, and that made it very human. That’s what we actually hope to do with the present — get folks to not learn lists and that type of factor and get them actually talking passionately from the guts. The Tony Awards are nice for that, and on this world, typically it occurs and typically it doesn’t. However we obtained to a spot this yr the place folks have been actually emotional and so they did communicate from the guts. That makes for such a fantastic present.

Talking of being human, you’re standing right here along with your spouse, Jan, and I do know you latterly obtained married …

Sure, wait, what’s that phrase you used? Spouse. Sure. (Laughs.)

I’m shocked to catch you collectively after following your story over these a few years. [Weiss famously proposed onstage during the 2018 Emmys broadcast.] What occurs now, is there a honeymoon? Do you get to sleep in tomorrow?

No honeymoon but. We’ve been collectively for 150 years now, so we really feel like simply an outdated married couple.

Is there a curfew tonight? How late will you keep out?

Apart from fall flat on my face? (Laughs.) You understand, that is the week to catch my breath. The Oscars have saved us tied up for months, and never in a foul means. However will probably be actually nice to not have a Zoom assembly very first thing within the morning.

The morning will deliver the scores. I hate to deliver that up so late at a celebration, however what’s your angle on that proper now?

You understand what, you may solely hope. What we wished to do was exit and execute a present that individuals would love and a present folks would speak about. We predict we did accomplish that. I certain hope that [Monday] delivers excellent news within the scores entrance, however both means, I feel it was a profitable night.