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Bob Dylan turned down invite to present and perform at Oscars - report

Bob Dylan reportedly turned down the opportunity to present an award and perform at the Academy Awards on Sunday.

The Like a Rolling Stone singer was reportedly invited to the ceremony as his biopic, A Complete Unknown, was up for eight awards, including Best Picture. However, the reclusive musician declined the opportunity, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The report backs up Mick Jagger's claim that Dylan was the first choice to present the Best Original Song prize.

"I'm greatly honoured to be invited to give this award for the Best Original Song tonight, and much as I love doing it, I wasn't the first choice to give this award out," the 81-year-old Rolling Stones rocker said. "The producers wanted Bob Dylan to do it. Bob didn't want to do it because he's had the best songs this year, well, obviously, in the movie A Complete Unknown. Bob said, 'You should find somebody younger.' I said, 'OK, I'm younger.' So here I am."

Dylan, 83, was also the subject of a joke by Oscars host Conan O'Brien during his opening monologue.

"To play Bob Dylan, Timothée Chalamet learned how to sing. In fact, the singing was so good he almost lost the part," the comedian quipped. "Dylan wanted to be here tonight, but not that badly."

Chalamet was nominated for Best Actor for his portrayal of Dylan in A Complete Unknown but lost out to Adrien Brody for The Brutalist. The film, directed by James Mangold, left the show empty-handed despite eight nominations.

The ceremony opened with a performance by Wicked's Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande and featured a James Bond tribute medley by RAYE, BLACKPINK's Lisa and Doja Cat and a Quincy Jones tribute by Queen Latifah.

Photo: Cover Media
Source: Cover Media
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