Of the twenty nominated actors that year, Sean Penn was the only one not in attendance. Best Actor nominee Will Smith did attend the ceremony with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, but they left after the Honorary Award tribute to Sidney Poitier to take care of their then-infant daughter, Willow Smith, who had to be hospitalized due to a high fever.
To date (2009), this is the longest ever Academy Awards ceremony with a running time of four hours and twenty three minutes.
The oft-nominated Woody Allen made his first-ever appearance at the ceremony, introducing a 9/11 inspired tribute to films set in New York City.
This Academy Awards ceremony was the first to include the category Best Animated Feature, which included three nominated movies: Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001), Monsters, Inc. (2001), and Shrek (2001).