Bob Dylan Declined to Present and Perform at the 2025 Oscars

Image via Alberto Cabello / Flickr

Bob Dylan wasn’t interested in making an appearance at the 2025 Academy Awards—despite being personally invited to both perform and present.

During Sunday’s ceremony, Mick Jagger revealed that Oscar producers initially wanted Dylan to present Best Original Song, but the 83-year-old legend declined. The Hollywood Reporter later confirmed that Dylan was also asked to perform but turned down both invitations.

Jagger, who ultimately took on the role, made sure to inject some humor into the situation. “I wasn’t the first choice to give this award out. The producers wanted Bob Dylan to do it, but Bob didn’t want to,” he quipped onstage. “Bob said, ‘You should find somebody younger.’ I said, ‘OK, I’m younger. I’m younger than Bob, I’ll do it.’ So, here I am.”

Dylan was a key figure at this year’s Oscars due to A Complete Unknown, the Timothée Chalamet-led biopic about his early years. Despite earning eight nominations—including Best Picture and Best Actor—the film went home empty-handed.

Chalamet, however, did receive praise from Dylan himself long before awards season began. In a rare post on X (formerly Twitter), Dylan acknowledged the film last year, writing, “Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me.”

While Dylan has largely stepped away from the public eye, his influence remains undeniable—even when he chooses to skip the spotlight.