Gather ’round the settee here at the party and let me respond to your many inquiries. I plan to do this on a semi-regular basis, so if you’ve got a burning question, please send it my way! 

If you were in charge of the Oscars, what's the first change you would make? —Katy B.

I don’t like this system they have in which I am not consulted about what is nominated and what wins. That feels like an egregious oversight that they really should rectify. 

Past that, I would like to change the current producer and network thinking that people watching awards shows don’t . . . want to watch awards shows. Constant threats (sometimes delivered on) to skip categories, play-off music coming way too soon, the cutting of acting clips, and all manner of other needless edits suggest that the powers that be think fans of these things don’t want to see the stuff that makes awards shows awards shows. The Academy seemed to right that ship a little with last year’s sturdy, mostly old-fashioned ceremony, but I want more sturdy and old-fashioned. I want choreographed dance numbers for each nominated score, I want a fashion show of nominated costumes, I want every best song nominee given a full performance. And I’d love to have the honorary Oscar winners speak during the main ceremony. 

But if all that happens, then how will the show still end on time, at 11PM? It won’t. And that used to be okay! 

I have a question about Timothée's recent moves. . . . I'm so curious about your thoughts on the matter - if you experienced him as genuine in his more humble acceptances (CCA and GG) and how you feel about his campaign so far. I know he's never been one to run a traditional campaign, but his apparent nerves at the CCAs gave me whiplash. —Olivia H. 

I had to cut down Olivia’s question some, but essentially she’s asking if the switch between Chalamet’s brash promotion of Marty Supreme and then his humbler posture at awards shows is calculated or genuine. (Right, Olivia?) 

It’s hard to say. When I met Chalamet a couple times years ago, during the Call Me By Your Name year, he seemed like a genuine kid. But that was before he became really famous and Hollywood placed the full weight of its future on his shoulders. I’m sure he’s changed some. He certainly seems a lot more image conscious, which is to be expected. But image conscious enough to fake nervousness on live television? I don’t know.

With regard to Marty promotion vs. acceptance speeches, I think the swagger was in service of selling the movie, rather than winning awards. Now that the movie is out there and doing fine (by some measures, anyway), he can turn his attention to the awards campaign, which requires a bit more tact and humility, especially for young male actors. I suspect that’s what we’re seeing, but also think his mealy-mouthed-ness at CCAs in particular was sincere. His idol, Leonardo DiCaprio, was staring right at him, after all. And perhaps he is cowed or humbled by the fact that he’s probably actually going to win the big prize this year, unlike last time.

What is the wildest "this is the GOAT" claim you have heard someone make about tv/film/other media? —Margaret H.