John Cena goes NAKED at the 2024 Oscars! Actor strips off to present Best Costume award in awkward bit with struggling host Jimmy Kimmel

John Cena appeared on the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at Sunday's  96th Academy Awards in a bit with host Jimmy Kimmel.

The WWE star-action film staple, 46, was summoned by Kimmel, who referenced the 50-year anniversary of a streaker named Robert Opel running onto the stage at the ceremony, interrupting late actor-presenter David Niven. 

Kimmel, whose jokes about Robert Downey Jr. earlier in the evening landed flat, sought to summon the squared circle star onto the stage with the line, 'Can you imagine if a nude man ran across the stage today?' 

'I said, can you imagine if - a nude man ran across the stage today? Wouldn't that be crazy?

Cena backstage then said: 'Psst! Psst, Jimmy! Come here.'

John Cena, 46, appeared on the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at Sunday's 96th Academy Awards in a bit with host Jimmy Kimmel, 56 

Kimmel said: 'I can't come there - do the thing! Excuse me for a second. What's going on? You're supposed to run across the stage' as Cena said: 'Yeah, I - changed my mind. I don't want to do the streaker bit.'

'I just don't feel right about it. It's an elegant event, you know, you should feel shame right now for suggesting such a tasteless ...'

Kimmel said: 'You wrestle naked, why not?' as Cena said of his trademark ring attire: 'I don't wrestle naked, I wrestle in jorts!'

Cena walked sideways onto the stage with the envelope for Best Costume Design covering his genitals. He said, 'Costumes - they are so important - maybe the most important thing there is.' 

He acknowledged that he was unable to open the envelope, at which point Kimmel took over. 

Cena - who defended embattled former WWE boss Vince McMahon earlier this month - later covered up with a gold toga to conclude the presentation.  

Kimmel earlier in the evening roasted Robert Downey Jr's manhood and past drug use in his bombshell opening monologue. The host, returning for the fourth time, left the A-listers grinning and cringing in equal measure as he took to the stage.

Downey Jr. 58, who won Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer, was stony-faced as Kimmel made a crass joke at the start of the ceremony - referring to his past addictions.

Oscars 2024 winners: AT A GLANCE

Best Picture: Oppenheimer

Best Actress: Emma Stone - Poor Things

Best Actor: Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer

Best Director: Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer

Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers

Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr. - Oppenheimer

Original Song: Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell - What Was I Made For? from Barbie

Seen left to right: Actor In A Supporting Role - Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer), Actress In A Supporting Role - Da'Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers ), Actress In A Leading Role - Emma Stone (Poor Things), and Actor In A Leading Role - Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)

Original Score - Ludwig Göransson - Oppenheimer

Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema - Oppenheimer

Achievement in Film Editing: Jennifer Lame - Oppenheimer

Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihale - Poor Things

Make-up and Hairstyling: Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston - Poor Things

Achievement in Costume Design: Holly Waddington - Poor Things

Original Screenplay: Justine Triet and Arthur Harari - Anatomy Of A Fall

Adapted Screenplay: Cord Jefferson - American Fiction

International Feature Film - The Zone of Interest from United Kingdom

The WWE star-action film staple was summoned by Kimmel, who referenced the 50-year anniversary of a streaker running onto the stage at the ceremony , interrupting late actor-presenter David Niven 

Cena told Kimmel, 'Yeah, I - changed my mind. I don't want to do the streaker bit'

The two exchanged words as Cena got very shy when the task at hand was in front of him

Cena walked sideways onto the stage with the envelope for Best Costume Design covering his genitals

The sports entertainment superstar played it like he was overwhelmed with the exposing segment 

He said, 'Costumes - they are so important - maybe the most important thing there is'

Cena later covered up with a Wrestlemania 9-worthy gold toga to conclude the presentation 

Poor Things costume designer Holly Waddington accepted the statuette from Cena 

He said: 'And Robert Downey Jr., one of the highest points of his career. But Robert has been' - as RDJ pointed at his face, leading Kimmel to add: 'Was that too on the nose or a drug motion you made?

'But look at him, he's so handsome, so talented, he's won every award there is to win. Is that an acceptance speech in your pocket or do you just have a very rectangular penis?'

The joke fell flat as RDJ looked somber while staring at the camera while fans slammed Kimmel for his 'bottom of the barrel' jokes about substance abuse.

Downey Jr. had previously spent time behind bars in 1999 after a long period of substance abuse which stifled his career.

The 96th Academy Awards honored the best films of 2023 - with the glittering ceremony held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The most hotly anticipated movies of the past year - Barbie and Oppenheimer - lead the nominations. 

Oppenheimer has bagged 13 nods, including best picture and best actor for Cillian Murphy - who is favorite to win the major category after scooping a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and SAG award for his role as physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer.

The impressive total - which also includes best supporting actor and actress for Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt, as well as best director for Christopher Nolan - is just one nomination short of the all-time record set by Titanic in 1998.

Last year's other smash hit movie - Barbie - was nominated for eight awards, but also fell victim to notable snubs from the Academy.

Kimmel roasted panned Madame Web, Barbie's Oscars snubs and Robert Downey Jr. in his bombshell opening monologue on at the 2024 Oscars on Sunday

Downey Jr., 58, who won Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer was stony-faced as Kimmel made a crass joke at the start of the ceremony

The joke fell flat as RDJ looked somber while staring at the camera alongside wife Susan

The resilient film star had the last laugh as he collected his first Oscar for Oppenheimer

Its star Margot Robbie was not nominated for best actress, while Greta Gerwig was not nominated for best director.

Another surprise saw America Ferrera nominated for best supporting actress over her role in Barbie, with pundits saying her character's impassioned speech on feminism had sealed the deal. 

Barbie's other nominations include best picture, best supporting actor for Ryan Gosling and two nods for best song - including Gosling's famed 'I'm Just Ken.' 

The second most-nominated movie was Poor Things, a graphic art house movie starring Emma Stone that has wowed critics but so-far failed to set the box office alight.

Stone plays a sex-crazed young woman, with her performance wowing critics. She previously won best actress in 2017 for her performance in La La Land. 

For best actor in leading role Bradley Cooper and Cillian Murphy are set to duke it out for the award. Colman Domingo, Paul Giamatti and Jeffrey Wright received nominations as well.

Leonardo DiCaprio was not recognized for his acting on Killers Of The Flower Moon.

Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things took home 11 Oscar nominations and Killers of the Flower Moon landed 10. 

Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer was nominated for best director and a host of other awards

What Was I Made For and I'm Just Ken from Barbie received their expected nominations for best original song

Lily Gladstone is the first Native American nominated for best actress, for her performance in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon

Annette Bening, Lily Gladstone, Sandra Huller, Carey Mulligan and Emma Stone have been nominated for best actress in a leading role.

Gladstone is the first Native American nominated for best actress, for her performance in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon - and is the favorite in the category thanks to her wins at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards,

What Was I Made For by Billie Eilish and I'm Just Ken performed by Ryan Gosling from Barbie received their expected nominations for best original song. 

Sterling K. Brown, Robert De Niro, Robert Downey Jr., Ryan Gosling and Mark Ruffalo received nominations for best actor in a supporting role.

Emily Blunt, Danielle Brooks, America Ferrera, Jodie Foster and Da'Vine Joy Randolph received nominations for best actress in a supporting role.

Joy already has  Golden Globe, Bafta, Critics Choice and Screen Actors Guild awards and is favorite for an Oscar for her performance as a bereaved cook in The Holdovers.

Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer were nominated for best directing, snubbing Greta Gerwig's Barbie. 

Gerwig was nominated for best director in 2018 for her solo directorial debut, Lady Bird. Only three women have won Oscars for best director - Kathryn Bigelow, Chloe Zhao and Jane Campion. 

Da'Vine Joy Randolph was nominated for best actress in a supporting role for her part in The Holdovers

Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo were both nominated for their roles in Poor Things

Bradley Cooper was nominated for best actor, but was snubbed of a directing nod for Maestro

Though Nolan is regarded as the big-budget auteur of his era, he's never won an Academy Award, nor have any of his films won best picture. 

Bradley Cooper was not nominated for directing Maestro but he was recognized for his acting in that bio movie.

American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, Barbie, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, Poor Things and The Zone of Interest landed best picture nominations.  

The 96th Academy Awards will be held on March 10 at 7 pm ET/4pm PT live on ABC, hosted for a fourth time by Jimmy Kimmel. 

Oscar winners 2024 full list - see who received trophies for this year's Academy Awards

 Best Picture

American Fiction

Anatomy of a Fall

Barbie

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

Oppenheimer - WINNER

Past Lives

Poor Things 

The Zone of Interest

Oppenheimer was the biggest winner of the night with seven including top honor Best Picture; Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan, and Charles Roven are seen 

 

Best Director 

Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall

Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon 

Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer - WINNER

Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things

Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest

 

Actress in a Leading Role

Annette Bening, Nyad

Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Huller, Anatomy of a Fall

Carey Mulligan, Maestro

Emma Stone, Poor Things - WINNER

Emma Stone earned a shock win in the Actress in a Leading Role category for Poor Things

 

Actor in a Leading Role

Bradley Cooper, Maestro

Colman Domingo, Rustin

Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers

Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer - WINNER

Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

 

Actress in a Supporting Role

Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple

America Ferrera, Barbie

Jodie Foster, Nyad

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers - WINER 

Da’Vine Joy Randolph triumphed in the Actress in a Supporting Role category for The Holdovers 

 

Actor in a Supporting Role

Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction

Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer - WINNER

Ryan Gosling, Barbie

Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things 

 

Animated Feature Film

The Boy and the Heron - WINNER

Elemental

Nimona

Robot Dreams

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

 

Cinematography

El Conde

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro 

Oppenheimer, Hoyte van Hoytema - WINNER

Poor Things

 

Original Screenplay

Anatomy of a Fall, Justine Triet and Arthur Harari - WINNER 

The Holdovers, David Hemingson

Maestro, Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer

May December, Samy Burch (Story b Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik)

Past Lives, Celine Song

 

Adapted Screenplay

American Fiction, Cord Jefferson - WINNER

Barbie, Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach

Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan

Poor Things, Tony McNamara

The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer

Cord Jefferson won Adapted Screenplay for American Fiction

 

Achievement in Production Design

Barbie

Killers of the Flower Moon

Napoleon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things, Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihalek - WINNER

Achievement in Sound

The Creator

Maestro

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

Oppenheimer

The Zone of Interest, Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn - WINNER

 

Original Song 

'The Fire Inside' from Flamin' Hot

'I'm Just Ken' from Barbie

'It Never Went Away' from American Symphony

'Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)' from Killers of the Flower Moon

'What Was I Made For?' from Barbie, Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell - WINNERS

Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell earned Original Song for Barbie's What Was I Made For?

 

Original Score  

American Fiction

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Killers of the Flower Moon

Oppenheimer, Ludwig Göransson - WINNER

Poor Things

 

Live Action Short Film

The After

Invincible

Knight of Fortune

Red, White and Blue

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, Wes Anderson and Steven Rales - WINNER

 

Animated Short Film

Letter to a Pig

95 Senses

Our Uniform

Pachyderme

WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko - WINNER

WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko won Animated Short Film; Dave Mullins and Brad Booker pictured 

 

Documentary Feature Film

Bobi Wine: The People's President

The Eternal Memory

Four Daughters

To Kill a Tiger

20 Days in Mariupol - WINNER

 

Documentary Short Film

The ABCs of Book Banning

The Barber of Little Rock

Island in Between

The Last Repair Shop - WINNER

Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó

 

International Feature Film

Io Capitano, Italy

Perfect Days, Japan

Society of the Snow, Spain

The Teachers' Lounge, Germany

The Zone of Interest, United Kingdom - WINNER

The Zone Of Interest took home two Oscars including International Feature Film; Jonathan Glazer and James Wilson are pictured 

 

Makeup and Hairstyling

Golda

Maestro

Oppenheimer

Poor Things, Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston - WINNER

Society of the Snow 

 

Achievement in Costume Design

Barbie

Killers of the Flower Moon

Napoleon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things, Holly Waddington - WINNER

 

Achievement in Film Editing

Anatomy of a Fall

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon

Oppenheimer, Jennifer Lame - WINNER

Poor Things 

 

Visual Effects

The Creator

Godzilla Minus One, Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima  - WINNER

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

Napoleon

Godzilla Minus One won the Visual Effects award as Masaki Takahashi, Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya and Tatsuji Nojima are pictured