The 94th Academy Awards ceremony is all set to take place on March 27 after a delay owing to the coronavirus pandemic. This is the second time that the awards show has been postponed from its regular late February/early March slot to a later date in March due to the ongoing Covid-19. This year, The Power of the Dog is leading the pack of nominations with an impressive 12 nominations, including a Best Picture nomination.
However, the Oscars, despite being the most prestigious award in the entertainment industry, don’t come without a few goof-ups, mishaps, and laughter-inducing moments. Over the years, this award show has given us moments that are quirky and memorable and significant, the Academy Awards have also seen quite disappointing and embarrassing moments.
So, today we bring to you some of those moments that have left their mark.
The Only Person Named Oscar to Win an Oscar
In 1942, American composer Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II became the first person named Oscar to win an Oscar for his song “The Last Time I Saw Paris”. He won another Academy Award in the year 1946 for his song “It Might as Well Be Spring” from State Fair. One of the most influential composers of his time, Hammerstein’s work includes South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music among many others. He also happens to be the only winner of his namesake award.
When DiCaprio Finally Won and Used His Platform to Talk About Something Important
Leonardo DiCaprio finally winning an Oscar after almost 27 years in the industry and six previous nominations was not just a memorable moment for him, but for his supporters and fans as well. Netizens went crazy with their memes when the guy-next-door from Titanic won the award for his adventures in The Revenant. But that was not the only significant moment as Leo took this as a chance to convey a very important message to a worldwide audience. He spoke about how climate change is real and is happening right now. “It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating. Let us not take this planet for granted,” were his exact words.
Sacha Baron Cohen and the (Fake) Ashes of Kim Jong II
In 2012, Sacha Baron Cohen wanted to dress up in his character from The Dictator to promote his movie. Though hesitant at first, the Academy came through, because when the Supreme Leader of Wadiya wants something, you don’t say no! However, the Academy might still regret this decision because Cohen showed up with an urn which he said contained the (fake) remains of Kim Jong II. He then sprinkled its contents on Ryan Seacrest as it was his “friend’s” dream to “come to the Oscars and be sprinkled over the red carpet and Halle Berry’s chest again”.
Marlon Brando Boycotting Oscars
In 1973, Marlon Brando was nominated for the Best Actor category for one of the most memorable performances in the film The Godfather. There was no doubt that he would win the award, and when he did, he refused it. Brando had sent Sacheen Littlefeather, an actress and activist for Native American rights, on his behalf to attend the ceremony. When he won, Littlefeather informed everyone that he was protesting Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans in films and couldn’t accept the award. This move was met with mixed reactions but went on to be one of the most significant moments in the Oscars’ history.
Jennifer Lawrence Slipping on the Stage
Actress Jennifer Lawrence is known for being a goofy and confident actress who is brave enough to make fun of herself. This is why she joked about her fall during the 2013 Oscars. That year, she won the Oscar for the first time for the film Silver Linings Playbook. She was so excited at the announcement that while walking towards the stage, the actress tripped and fell down. Later, she joked about it and said, “You guys are just standing up because you feel bad that I fell. That’s really embarrassing.”
Best Picture Award Mishap
This list would certainly be incomplete without this comedy of errors. During the 89th Academy Awards, presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty announced La La Land as the winner of the Best Picture Award. As the cast of the film was engrossed in their Oscar acceptance speech, it was revealed that Moonlight had actually won the award. Four years down the line, this moment is still fresh in everyone’s memory and the jokes and memes haven’t stopped. However, the city of stars did shine on team La La Land as they took home six awards.
