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The one challenge greater than defeating Godzilla? Saying its name just right.
While 2021 showcased Godzilla’s clash with King Kong as the cinematic spectacle of the year, the 2024 Oscars introduced a new legendary face-off: Arnold Schwarzenegger taking on the task of correctly articulating the name of this towering movie legend.
Takashi Yamazaki’s acceptance speech for ‘GODZILLA MINUS ONE’ winning Best Visual Effects at the #Oscars
See the full winners list: https://t.co/IctYZ9WO3B pic.twitter.com/830Hklswwa
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) March 11, 2024
At the Sunday Academy Awards, the former Governator, alongside his “Twins” co-star Danny DeVito, took to the stage to present the “Godzilla Minus One” team with the Best Visual Effects award, a task that brought its own unique hurdles in pronunciation.
“And the Oscar goes to Godzilla!” Schwarzenegger read while opening the card, pronouncing the flick’s name as “gah-zilla.”
Arnold and Danny got to give Yamazaki and team their deserved Oscar for Godzilla.
Beautiful, tears in my eyes, etc. https://t.co/q46wcOQwh7
— ❤️🔥 𝙒𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙨 🧇 (@MON0EYE) March 11, 2024
While the actor was ultimately able to herald the winning team to the stage, the visual effects team hitting the podium with toys in tow, his pronunciation was just strange enough to garner a whole lot of jokes on Twitter.
the godzilla team taking a bunch of godzilla toys onstage….. i love them pic.twitter.com/3ma2Gvf3L0
— zach silberberg (@zachsilberberg) March 11, 2024
“Hearing Arnie say ‘Godzilla’ is gold,” wrote @jaros428, while @TheTumboy argued the rogue pronunciation made the entire milquetoast ceremony worth tuning in.
gahzilla pic.twitter.com/VGr4rHcxtz
— Crisis Core: Key VII Reunion (@key0nline) March 11, 2024
“Watching the Oscars is worth it just to have heard Arnold Schwarzenegger say ‘Godzilla,’” they joked.
Somewhere in the Oscars ether, John Travolta and the ethereal being of Adele Dazeem are weeping tears of pride.