Dune 2 Visual Effects Artist Expresses Regret Over Missed Oscars Speech

Rhys Salcombe, a visual effects artist and member of the winning team for best visual effects for Dune: Part Two at the Oscars, expressed his disappointment after being played off before he could deliver his acceptance speech. The event took place during the 97th Academy Awards held on Sunday night.

Dune: Part Two, directed by Denis Villeneuve, was nominated for seven Oscars, including best picture, winning awards for best sound and best visual effects. Salcombe, along with colleagues Paul Lambert, Stephen James, and Gerd Nefzer, accepted the award for best visual effects.

During the acceptance speeches, VFX supervisor Paul Lambert took the lead, thanking Villeneuve and the various visual effects companies involved in the film's production, such as DNEG, Wylie Co., Rodeo, Territory, and the amazing MPC. Unfortunately, due to the strict 45-second speech timer set by the Academy, Salcombe was cut off before he could share his thoughts.

In an interview with BBC Radio Wales Drive, the Welsh-Canadian artist remarked that while it was unfortunate he could not speak, he was grateful that his teammates had the opportunity to express their gratitude.

Social media comments have highlighted the contrast between Salcombe's experience and that of best actor winner Adrien Brody. Brody, who won for his role in The Brutalist, gave a lengthy speech lasting five minutes and forty seconds, officially breaking the Oscars record for the longest acceptance speech.
One Twitter user noted, "Adrien Brody literally stopping the music from being played while the Dune: Part Two winners got cut off just ten seconds in." Another user echoed similar frustrations, writing, "It's still annoying that Dune 2's sound engineers had their microphones muted while Adrien Brody was allowed to speak for so long."

Despite the disappointment, Salcombe reflected on the award’s significance for him personally and for his team. "It's been a bit of a blur, but it's special to represent the work of our nearly 2,000 team members on stage," he stated.

Salcombe also discussed how his upbringing in the countryside shaped his love for film, stating, "Being in nature instills a love for capturing beauty on camera." Currently, he remains hopeful for a Dune 3 but playfully added that he does not expect Villeneuve to film in Wales, joking, "I don't know if the Dune universe would work in Aberystwyth. We'd need to import a lot of sand!"

Dune, Oscars, speech