Oscars ratings climb to almost 20 mn as 'Oppenheimer' reigns

Wins for “Oppenheimer,” live musical performances from “Barbie” and an (almost) naked John Cena helped lift Oscars ratings for a third consecutive year, early viewing figures showed Monday, as 19.5 million tuned in to watch Hollywood’s big night.

Broadcaster ABC’s figure for Sunday night’s well-reviewed gala was nearly double the pandemic-era ratings nadir of 10.4 million, though still historically low for a telecast that regularly topped 40 million just a decade ago.