Glenn Close's 'Da Butt' moment at the Oscars was both planned and 'completely spontaneous'
Glenn Close may have lost Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, but she still managed to win the night.
The Hillbilly Elegy star delivered one of the most memorable moments of Sunday's Academy Awards after hilariously dancing to "Da Butt" while showing off a surprising amount of knowledge about the song. She instantly went viral for it, and on Instagram, Close explained how this all came together, noting the larger bit was pre-planned — while revealing her dance apparently wasn't.
During the bit, Lil Rel Howery went around the room to quiz Oscar nominees on whether certain songs won Academy Awards, and when he got to Close, she was questioned about "Da Butt" from the soundtrack of Spike Lee's School Daze. Unexpectedly, not only did Close identify the song, she seemed to have an encyclopedic knowledge of it. As you might imagine, this portion of the segment was planned.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I knew that Lil Rel was going to quiz me about 'Da Butt' and all three guys helped me run through what I was to say," Close wrote on Instagram, referring to her table mates Chris Terrio, Daniel Kaluuya, and Darrell Britt-Gibson.
But in an almost instantly iconic Oscars moment, Close proceeded to get up and dance to "Da Butt" as well, and that glorious part of the bit, according to Close, actually wasn't planned.
"I had googled 'Da Butt' and watched Spike's music video so when Lil Rel asked if I could do the dance ... you can actually see me think of the video," Close wrote. "That part was completely spontaneous. Daniel, Darrell and Chris egged me on!!! It was ALL their fault."
So there you have it. Can we finally get Close that long-awaited Oscar now? Brendan Morrow
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Swiss bliss: Chenot Palace Weggis takes wellness to the next level
The Blend Heath retreat on Switzerland's Lake Lucerne offers a mid-winter reset
By Felix Bischof Published
-
Earth's mini-moon was the moon all along
Under the radar More lunar rocks are likely floating in space
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: February 4, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published