LOS ANGELES — The world's most famous skateboarder surprised fans when he showed up to the Oscars using a cane.
Tony Hawk took to the red carpet with his wife just weeks after breaking his femur, which he revealed on Instagram last week after being invited to be a presenter at the 94th Academy Awards.
"I have been invited to present an Oscar at the Academy Awards, greatly expediting my wishful timeline for walking unaided," Hawk wrote. "In other words, I don’t plan to crutch my way across the stage. Hopefully you’re not watching the 4K feed so you won’t see me grimacing with each step."
During the Oscars broadcast, Hawk ditched the cane when he joined surfer Kelly Slater and snowboarder Shaun White to help pay tribute to 60 years of James Bond films.
This isn't the first time that the 53-year-old skateboarding legend has made headlines in recent days, after defending his inclusion as a presenter at Sunday's Academy Awards by showing off his movie resume.
There was a bit of lighthearted criticism last week when the Oscars revealed that it was adding presenters with little or no connection to the movie industry. They included Hawk, DJ Khaled, Slater and three-time Olympic gold medal snowboarder Shaun White.
Hawk responded on social media, listing several movies he's been in.
"If being in every Jackass movie, xXx, Police Academy 4 and Sharknado 5 doesn’t qualify me to present at the Oscars, then your taste in movies needs readjusting,” he tweeted."
Hawk put a stamp on it by tweeting out the closing credits of "Police Academy 4," where he is seen at the very end of a line of skateboarders.
The criticism of the presenter lineup followed outrage when "West Side Story" star Rachel Zegler said on social media that she hadn't even been invited to the ceremony. Zegler was later invited to be a presenter.
The Steven Spielberg film is nominated for seven Academy Awards, including best picture, director and supporting actress for Ariana DeBose, who won the in the first award shown on the TV broadcast.
The situation involving Zegler drew a lot of attention online as many couldn’t fathom why the lead of a best picture nominee wouldn’t have been invited to the ceremony or at least been asked to present an award.
Best picture nominees are allotted a certain number of tickets by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which the film’s studio then doles out as they see fit. Presenters and individual nominees get a pair of tickets. And other spots in the room go to the broadcaster, sponsors and academy members, who can enter a lottery.
Zegler is not nominated, but her next big role is as Snow White, which she is currently filming in London. Some wondered why The Walt Disney Co., which owns Oscars broadcaster ABC, wouldn’t want their new Snow White there in some capacity, like presenting or performing. Others saw it as a missed opportunity to have a rising young Latina star represented at the show.
Other presenters announced by the Academy include Stephanie Beatriz, Jennifer Garner, H.E.R., Tiffany Haddish, Bill Murray and Elliot Page.