From political statements to sudden stage moments, the Academy Awards have witnessed a few of the most controversial incidents in popular culture historical past
Oscars greatest scandals – from notorious slap to envelope mix-up
The Academy Awards signify the annual gathering of a few of the most influential figures on the social and cultural levels of the trendy world.
Actors, administrators, musicians, composers, activists, comedians and influencers utilise the night to, now and again, make statements, entice media consideration – albeit not all the time essentially the most beneficial type – and specific themselves.
From activism to peculiar public shows of affection, listed here are a few of the most controversial moments in Oscar historical past.
1973: Marlon Brando refuses his Oscar statuette
The primary main political protest in Oscars historical past occurred in 1973, as Marlon Brando declined to attend the ceremony regardless of having a Greatest Actor nomination for his work in The Godfather, experiences the Mirror US.
Sacheen Littlefeather learn Marlon Brando’s assertion (Picture: Getty Photos)
He in the end received the award and, relatively than accepting it, he despatched Sacheen Littlefeather, a Native American activist, to talk on his behalf.
She took the stage sporting conventional Apache costume, and instructed these current: “He very regretfully can’t settle for this very beneficiant award. And the explanations for this being are the remedy of American Indians at present by the movie trade.”
The assertion was met with blended reactions, together with each boos and applause. Subsequently, when questioned concerning the stunt on the Dick Cavett Present, Brando stated: “I felt that it was a marvellous alternative for an Indian to have the ability to voice their opinion to 85 million folks.”
1974: Robert Opel streaks onstage
Only a 12 months later, a extra tumultuous sudden incident occurred when striker Robert Opel dashed bare throughout the stage.
Robert Opel went on stage bare (Picture: AP)
Following the spectacle, host David Niven retorted with humour: “Is not it fascinating to suppose that most likely the one snicker that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and exhibiting his shortcomings?”.
The person was subsequently recognized as a efficiency artist and homosexual rights activist.
1997: Cuba Gooding Jr. ‘s emotional outburst
Cuba Gooding Jr. clinched the Greatest Supporting Actor award for his position in Jerry Maguire on the 1997 Oscars.
As his speech prolonged barely longer than scheduled, the orchestra started to play within the background, a recognised sign for when winners are anticipated to wrap up their speeches.
Cuba Gooding Jr prolonged his speech (Picture: AFP/Getty Photos)
Then, as an alternative of adhering to directions and concluding, Gooding began shouting the names of his co-stars and crew, together with Tom Cruise’s, in an evident show of enthusiasm.
He mirrored on the second when chatting with the American Movie Institute: “I walked on that stage and emotionally misplaced my thoughts. I forgot who I used to be and the place I used to be for a minute as a result of I believe I used to be nearer to that character than every other character [I played] earlier than. I believe the emotional response I gave on that stage was the identical factor [my character] would have given.”
2000: Angelina Jolie’s household second
One of many greatest stars of that period, Angelina Jolie secured the Greatest Supporting Actress Oscar for Lady, Interrupted in 2000. Throughout her acceptance speech, she expressed appreciation in direction of her brother James Haven, declaring she was “so in love” with him – accompanied by a fast kiss on the lips that very same night time.
Jolie later addressed the incident publicly, explaining it was merely an expression of sibling affection, although that did not stop the second from changing into extensively mentioned on the time.
Angelina Jolie and her brother, James Haven (Picture: Ron Galella Assortment through Getty Photos)
2003: Adrien Brody kisses Halle Berry
Following his Greatest Actor Oscar triumph for The Pianist, Adrien Brody demonstrated his enthusiasm by kissing presenter Halle Berry on stage – who appeared caught off guard and spent the remainder of the speech subtly wiping her face – earlier than quipping: “I guess they did not inform you that was within the reward bag.”
The incident instantly grew to become amongst essentially the most mentioned parts of the ceremony, producing international media protection.
What appeared as a jovial second initially was reexamined in 2016, when Slate author Christina Cauterucci cited the incident in an article exploring uninvited kisses as sexual assault.
Berry mirrored on the episode years afterwards, saying: “Since we did not actually kiss, I can not inform you how good he was, however I can inform you this. He was moist.”
Adrien Brody kissed Halle Berry (Picture: AFP)
The pair subsequently recreated the second throughout the 2025 ceremony, this time with Berry initiating the kiss.
2016: Chris Rock addresses #OscarSoWhite
The 2016 Oscars ceremony was a socially and politically charged occasion, with racial variety points being highlighted all through the present.
The principle occasion was when host Chris Rock kicked off with a monologue concerning the absence of non-white nominees in main performing classes – for the second 12 months working.
“I am right here on the Academy Awards, in any other case generally known as the White Individuals’s Alternative Awards,” Rock quipped.
Previous to the ceremony, activist April Reign had already coined the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, igniting discussions about illustration in Hollywood.
Rock delivered an 11-minute monologue to begin the awards present, which was crafted over six weeks with 17 writers, and included express acknowledgements of the Academy’s historical past of excluding folks of color.
Producer David Hill elaborated: “We heard bits and items throughout rehearsals, however I hadn’t heard your entire [speech]. However in fact I wasn’t frightened about [what he would say]. He is a professional.”
2017: Greatest Image envelope mix-up
One of the tumultuous moments in Oscar historical past transpired in 2017 when presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty introduced the inaccurate Greatest Image winner.
The La La Land-Moonlight mix-up was one of many ceremony’s most notorious moments (Picture: Getty Photos)
As a result of an envelope mishap – during which the presenters had been handed the cue card to announce Greatest Actress Emma Stone for La La Land – La La Land was initially declared the victor.
Producers started delivering acceptance speeches earlier than Jordan Horowitz rectified the announcement, stating that Moonlight had in truth triumphed.
2022: Will Smith slaps Chris Rock
The 2022 ceremony featured one of the extensively debated incidents in Oscar historical past when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage.
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock (Picture: Getty Photos) Celeb information and gossip plus chosen gives and competitions Subscribe Invalid e-mail
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Throughout a rehearsed intermission speech between awards, Rock made a joke that referenced Will’s spouse Jada Pinkett Smith – which led to Smith slowly strolling as much as him and placing him throughout the face.
He then returned to his seat and might be seen shouting, “Preserve my spouse’s identify out of your f**king mouth.”
The second rapidly grew to become one of many messiest exchanges between celebrities on stay tv in popular culture historical past.
2025: Karla Sofía Gascón controversy
Karla Sofia Gascon obtained backlash for resurfaced social media posts (Picture: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Jacques Audiard’s progressive musical drama Emilia Perez was nominated for a number of classes on the 2025 Oscars, and made historical past when Karla Sofía Gascón grew to become the primary brazenly transgender actor nominated in a lead performing class.
She was initially praised by audiences, earlier than customers started trawling by way of her social media profiles and found posts containing offensive commentary, together with disparaging remarks about Islam.
After the scandal erupted, she issued a number of statements over a number of days, and insisted she was not a racist, apologised to these offended, and criticised what she known as “cancel tradition.”
Within the run-up to the Academy Awards, Gascón deactivated her account and didn’t attend different high-profile occasions such because the Critics Alternative Awards and BAFTA Awards.
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