As we continue to mull over this year’s crop of 2025 Oscar winners, the entire night’s roster of moments good, bad, and bizarre continue to be talked about. In the category of lighthearted humor, presenter Mick Jagger’s joke about Bob Dylan supposedly being invited to present the award for Best Original Song, but declining, was certainly a standout.
But as it turns out, the running gag suggesting the subject of the nominated film A Complete Unknown not wanting to attend might have been more accurate than we thought. In an exclusive out of THR, the publication was informed that Bob Dylan allegedly was asked to be a part of the 97th Academy Awards, but unfortunately declined for unknown reasons.
Honestly, anyone with a Hulu subscription and a passing knowledge of the music legend would probably tell you that this decision tracks. This revelation also further cements Mick Jagger’s joke on stage about “finding someone younger” to execute those duties as well as a gag in Conan O’Brien’s hysterical Oscar monologue.
With the late night hosting vet making a wisecrack about how the Academy Award winner “wanted to be here tonight, but not that badly,” it was another running thread that helped sew together the night’s festivities with a humor that was hilariously good natured.
Bob Dylan certainly isn’t a stranger to the Oscars, as he has previously appeared on ABC’s awards season lynchpin. On hand to perform the original song “Things Have Changed” from the Curtis Hanson film Wonder Boys, Dylan ended up walking away with the trophy for 2001’s Best Original Song winner.
Truth be told, no one really knows why the music legend opted not to attend this year’s Academy Awards. One could guess that the low-key singer-songwriter might not have been comfortable at an event that indirectly is paying tribute to his legacy. Or maybe he read Timothée Chalamet's reverent strategy on how the actor would try to speak to him, and Bob Dylan didn't want to give his on-screen surrogate more nerves than he needed on the big night.
Our A Complete Unknown review certainly isn’t the only one to highlight that the mysteries of Dylan were paid glorious tribute in James Mangold’s picture. Capturing the mystique that has surrounded the "Like A Rolling Stone" singer's career, it's a movie that some already consider to be a beloved rock 'n roll biopic.
The absence of details surrounding this subject only further enhances it all. It perfectly suits the occasion, as well as the man himself. With A Complete Unknown set to make its Hulu streaming debut at some point in the near future, there will be plenty of time for that to take shape on the pop culture landscape. So don’t be surprised if some are still talking about this in the weeks to come, while also trying to figure out which Dylan song is their favorite.
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