Movies were big business in 2016, with comScore reporting that ticket sales in North America accounted for $11.4 billion in revenue.  In other words, to quote the President, that’s “Yuuuge!” 

So huge, in fact, that – with an emphasis on the fiscal deets – our pals at WalletHub have released their 2017 Oscar Fun Facts Report, including a fantastic infographic they’ve compiled with fun Oscar factoids; (that we’ve transformed into the slideshow, above), for your enjoyment and edification.

Here are some of my favorite insights:

• La La Land has received 14 nominations; tying All About Eve (1950) and Titanic (1997) for the most Oscar nominations ever.
  
  
• This is the first year in which black actors have been nominated in every acting category.
  
  
• Not coincidentally, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences took on a whopping 683 members, last year; of which 46% are women, and 41% are people of color.
  
  
• It’s been 21 years since Mel Gibson was last nominated for an Oscar; for Best Director and Best Picture, for Braveheart (1996).
  
  
• Actress Isabelle Huppert has received her first Oscar nomination for Elle; after having appeared in more than 100 films.
  
  
• The cost of a 30-second commercial during the 2017 Oscars telecast is $2.1 million (less than half the cost to run the same commercial during the Super Bowl).
  
  
• La La Land is only the third original musical to be nominated for Best Picture; after Anchors Away (1945), and All That Jazz (1979).
  
  
• Manchester by the Sea makes Amazon the first streaming company to have produced a Best Picture-nominated film.
  
  
• Hacksaw Ridge is the 21st nomination for sound mixer Kevin O’Connell; who holds the record for the most nominations without ever winning, making him the Susan Lucci of the Oscars.
  
  
• Meryl Streep has received her 20th Oscar nomination for Florence Foster Jenkins. This is equal to the total number of nominations received by all of the nominees (save Streep) in the Best Actor and Best Actress categories, combined.
  
  
• The Golden Globes have a 50% record of predicting the Academy Award for Best Picture, over the past decade; including Slumdog Millionaire (2008), The King’s Speech (2010), The Artist (2011), Argo (2012), and 12 Years a Slave (2013).

So, go examine the slideshow; enjoy and become edified; and then watch the Jimmy Kimmel-hosted 89th Academy Awards, this Sunday, on ABC.  And don’t forget to check-back, next Monday; for my take on who served the fiercest looks, jewels, and styling, on the big night.

Get into it!
#Oscars2017