Look, we don’t know why they wouldn’t allow Everything Everywhere All at Once star Raccacoonie to attend this year’s Academy Awards. It’s not as if they weren’t letting animals into the event; The Banshees of Inisherin donkey Jenny (allegedly) appeared onstage with host Jimmy Kimmel. Harry Shum Jr. could have easily worn a big hat and hid him underneath. Maybe Raccacoonie is an anti-(rabies)-vaxxer? Anyway, the lovable hibachi raccoon’s song “Now We’re Cookin’” may not have been nominated for Best Original Song, but another original track from EEAAO, “This Is a Life,” was. For the song’s live performance, Supporting Actress nominee Stephanie Hsu filled in for original artist Mitski, who skipped the Oscars because she may or may not had other plans with Raccacoonie. Along with David Byrne and Son Lux, Hsu put her Broadway-honed theatricality into a performance that had it all: martial-arts choreography, googly-eyed backup dancers, Byrne revealing hot dog fingers, and, most important, a brief video appearance by Raccacoonie. Like the movie the song was written for, it must be seen to be believed.
