Oscars 2024: How the coveted Academy Award statue is made

Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the companies who craft the awards.

BySandy Kenyon WLS logo
Thursday, February 22, 2024
How the Oscar statue is made in Brooklyn
Sandy Kenyon goes behind the scenes with Dave Epner to discuss the process of making Oscar statues.

BROOKLYN, New York -- It's every actor's dream to win an Oscar in Hollywood, but the ultimate movie trophy is prepped and plated in Brooklyn.



Epner Technology has been "dressing" Oscar Statuette in Laser Gold since 2016.



Polich Tallix in Rock Tavern, NY, about two hours out of New York City, creates the statues, and then Epner Technology suits Oscar in Laser Gold, originally developed Laser Gold for Xerox and later modified the process for NASA Spacecraft.



MORE | See the full list of nominees for the 2024 Oscars

The Academy Awards showered nominations on Christopher Nolan's blockbuster biopic, "Oppenheimer," which came away with a leading 13 noms.


The Oscars chose Epner Technology in 2016 to help return the statues to their original art form and legendary luster.



Deposited by electroplating, Laser Gold is a pure 24 carat gold that is also three times harder than ordinary pure gold.



Dave Epner, president of Epner Technology, says the material of the statue will never wear off.



NASA uses the same gold plating for thermal control of instruments in space.



Watch the video in the media player to see how the Oscar statue is made.



March 10 is Oscar Sunday! Watch the 2024 Oscars live on ABC.

Red carpet coverage starts at 1 p.m. ET 10 a.m. PT with "Countdown to Oscars: On The Red Carpet Live." At 4 p.m. ET 1 p.m. PT, live coverage continues with "On The Red Carpet at the Oscars," hosted by George Pennacchio with Roshumba Williams, Leslie Lopez and Rachel Brown.

Watch all the action on the red carpet live on ABC, streaming live on OnTheRedCarpet.com and on the On the Red Carpet Facebook and YouTube pages.

The 96th Oscars, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, begins at 7 p.m. ET 4 p.m. PT, an hour earlier than past years.

The Oscars are followed by an all-new episode of "Abbott Elementary."

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