The Oscars return for the 95th time tonight, with stars including Normal People's Paul Mescal, Elvis star Austin Butler and acclaimed director James Cameron all hoping to pick up gongs.
The prestigious Academy Awards have been marred by scandals including awards going missing never to be found again, the wrong winners being announced due to an accidental envelope swap and even a (possibly staged) streaker running across the stage in the middle of the live broadcast.
Here are just a few of the best, worst and most memorable.
Will Smith slaps Chris Rock
Just last year, Will Smith left the audience aghast when he invaded the stage to slap Chris Rock.
Comedian Chris had made a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith, Will’s wife, that likened her to GI Jane.
Will felt that the joke was a dig at his wife’s alopecia and shouted at Chris to “keep my wife’s name out of your f*****g mouth!” before taking to the stage to personally accost the bewildered comedian.
Will later apologised and was banned from attending the awards ceremony for ten years as punishment, but he was allowed to keep the Oscar he won later that night.
Hattie McDaniel’s Oscar vanishes
Hattie McDaniel made film history in 1940 when she became the first black actress to win an Oscar, but her night was marred when her award went missing and the culprit was never caught.
The statue did eventually resurface when it was anonymously donated to a museum after the actress died – but it then vanished again, with the museum speculating that it had been stolen yet again.
As of 2023, no one knows where the award is.
Marlon Brando declines a gong
At the 1973 Oscars awards ceremony, actor Marlon Brando decided he would rather make a political statement than accept his award for Best Actor.
He sent Sacheen Littlefeather on stage in his place to explain that Marlon was declining the honour as a protest of how the industry treated Native Americans.
He was reportedly inspired by the Wounded Knee Occupation, which was a two month long protest in which Native Americans occupied a South Dakota town.
#oscarssowhite
When the list of nominees for the Academy Awards in 2015 was released, it was safe to say a lot of people weren’t best pleased by the lack of diversity.
The nominated actors were 86per cent white and many people felt that deserving stars had been stubbed due to their race.
The hashtag #oscarssowhite began trending on social media as the Academy faced growing pressure to recognise more non-white talent.
La La Land doesn’t win Best Picture
In a mortifying moment, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway were tasked with awarding the gong for Best Picture – the biggest award of the night – but given the wrong envelope.
Instead of the Best Picture envelope, the stars were given the envelope for Best Actress and, after a moment of confusion, decided to read out the film named at the bottom.
It was La La Land but as Jordan Horowitz, one of the film’s Producers, began his acceptance speech he was rudely interrupted and told that it was a mistake.
Jordan had to hand his statue over, but took it well and said he was delighted to award the gong to the actual winner, Moonlight.
A streaker gatecrashes
At the 1974 awards ceremony, it appeared that there had been a breach of security as a streaker ran across stage behind host David Niven.
David was totally unfazed, though, and joked that it was the “only laugh” the man would ever have in his life.
He was so unfazed, in fact, that it launched a litany of conspiracy theories that the gaffe had been staged all along.
Marisa Tomei (probably) wins Best Supporting Actress
Marisa Tomei won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 1993 ceremony – or did she?
Viewers were skeptical that Marisa was supposed to win the award after Jack Palance, who was announcing the award, seemed to take a very lengthy pause before reading her name.
This sparked speculation that the win was an error that the Academy decided to let go as to avoid embarrassment, but the organisation has always denied this.
Angelina Jolie declares her love
Angelina Jolie won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2000 for her turn in Girl, Interrupted – but it was her acceptance speech that really got people’s attention.
Angelina declared that she was “in love” with her brother, who had accompanied her to the awards, and the pair were later spotted locking lips on the red carpet.
This set the rumour mill alight, but the siblings say they’re just close.
Adrien Brody snogs Halle Berry
Clearly overwhelmed by his 2003 Best Actor win for his role in the Pianist, Adrien Brody took Halle Berry, who was presenting the award, into his arms and kissed her on the mouth.
At the time, Halle, who recently adopted a new bold hairstyle, laughed but later said that she wasn’t able to process what was happening and that, in retrospect, didn’t want to do it.
Brody has never publicly addressed the incident, despite receiving considerable criticism.
READ MORE:
- Lauren Goodger and ex Charles Drury look happy together on family day out to safari park with daughter Larose
- EastEnders fans 'work out' who killed in Christmas episode after flashforward clue
- Alison Hammond engaged! Star and boyfriend Ben Hawkins 'proposed to one another'
- Love Island's Sanam 'done dirty' by ITV after close-up camera shot of beauty blunder
- AJ Pritchard fuming with Love Island star after she 'cost him 50k'
Source: Read Full Article
