Hollywood (United States) (AFP)

How much does the statuette given to the winners weigh? Which actor has received the most Oscar nominations? Who holds the awards record? How much does the famous red carpet cost?

For movie buffs or those who just want to shine in society, here are some facts and figures about the Oscars before their 92nd ceremony Sunday in Los Angeles.

- Uncle Oscar? -

Hollywood legend has it that the trophy presented by the Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences takes its nickname from its librarian Margaret Herrick (who ends up director of this venerable institution). After seeing the statuette for the first time, it would have strangely reminded him of his uncle Oscar by his "austere" air.

Another film legend, Bette Davis also claimed maternity of the nickname, saying that the trophy, seen from the back, reminded her of her first husband, the musician Harmon Oscar Nelson Jr, coming out of the shower ...

Whatever its origin, it was in 1939 that the Academy officially named its "Oscar" prize.

- Heavy weights -

The Oscar statuette is made of solid bronze plated with 24 carat gold. It measures 34 centimeters high and weighs approximately 3.8 kg.

In total, more than 3,140 golden trophies have been awarded to the winners since 1929.

The statuette represents a stylized knight holding a sword, standing on a reel of film whose five branches refer to the five trades that the Academy brought together in its beginnings: actors, directors, producers, technicians and scriptwriters.

Its cost is estimated at around 400 dollars by the financial site WalletHub.

- Records -

Meryl Streep holds the record for the highest number of comedians nominations, with 21 selections in total. In men, it's Jack Nicholson, with 12 nominations. They each received two Oscars for a main role and another for a second role.

The champion of all Oscar categories remains Walt Disney, with 22 awards received, not counting four "Honor Oscars".

Among the actors, the record holder is Katharine Hepburn, with four Oscars. But Daniel Day-Lewis remains to this day the only one in the profession to have received three statuettes for a main role.

- Beginners -

The youngest Oscar winner was six years old in 1935 and was named Shirley Temple. The little actress had, however, had to settle for an Oscar of honor, miniature, intended for children.

In 1974 Tatum O'Neal was only ten years old when she received an Oscar "for real", for her supporting role in "Cotton Candy", by Peter Bogdanovich.

Conversely, Christopher Plummer had to wait until the venerable age of 82 to win his first Oscar. It was in 2012, for her second role alongside Ewan McGregor and the Frenchwoman Mélanie Laurent in a film called "Beginners".

- Figures and sub -

The overall cost of the Oscars is estimated at $ 44 million by the financial site WalletHub, including $ 24,700 for the red carpet alone. With a total surface of more than 1,500 m2, this carpet requires 900 hours of work and a team of 18 people for its installation. It will be partly recycled, for another donated to a humanitarian association.

In the large ballroom of the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, more than 6 km of electric cables and 2 km of shantung (wild silk) will be unrolled for the needs of the gala evening, which will also require 32,000 staples, 12,000 flowers and more than 55 liters of paint.

The film industry spends over a hundred million dollars each year to promote Oscar-winning films. The return on investment? An increase in average revenues of $ 15 million for the Oscar for best film, the flagship award, and an inflated fee of 20% on average for the next film for best actor and best actress.

The big winner is still the city of Los Angeles, with some $ 130 million in economic spinoffs.

© 2020 AFP