Oscar producer Bruce Cohen has claimed
that a kiss between actors Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin not seen by
viewers wasn't censorship.
When the No Country For Old Men
co-stars appeared on the stage at Sunday night's Academy Awards to
present the winners for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original
Screenplay, the men danced, embraced and shared a kiss.
But viewers tuning in to ABC's telecast
saw little of that. Instead the network cut away to an extended shot
of actress Penelope Cruz, who is married to Bardem.
In
a statement released to gay entertainment website AfterElton.com,
Cohen, who is openly gay, denies censoring the kiss, which was
captured in an AP photo.
“It [the kiss] was unscripted, and
the plan in the truck was always to cut to Penelope in the audience
applauding Josh's and Javier's introduction, so that is what
happened, just as they were starting to dance,” Cohen said. “Josh
and Javier's moment (I saw them start to dance, but, to be honest, I
have no idea if they kissed – that's the first I've heard of that)
would have made a great TV moment, but since no one knew it was
coming, we cut to the gorgeous Ms. Cruz as planned. By the time we
cut back from her close-up, Josh and Javier were walking to the
podium.