Wrong calls, falls and tall claims: Five other Oscar moments that shocked the world

In the words of Chris Rock himself, Will Smith slapping him right across the face at the Oscars this year, could well be "the greatest night in the history of television". But it's not to say there haven't been similarly shocking, awkward and downright 'did that just happen?' moments at the Academy Awards.On Sunday night, Oscar-winner Will Smith walked across to the stage and slapped comedian and presenter Chris Rock after the latter made a joke about Will's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's hair-loss. Soon after the incident, Will took his seat and shouted at Rock to keep Jada's name out of his jokes.Rock, appearing to take the slap in his stride, laughed off the apparent assault and went about continuing to present the Oscar for Best Documentary. The incident itself was one among a list of cringe-worthy, shocking and/or awkward moments that have occurred over the years, at the Oscars.La La Land wins best film. Not.Perhaps the most notorious Oscar faux-pas happened in 2017 when 'La la Land' was announced as the winner of the Best Film Oscar — only the film didn't actually win. The mix-up, courtesy of a wrong called by film legends Warren Beaty and Faye Dunaway who were presenting the Oscar in question, saw the entire cast and crew of 'La La Land' joyously make their way to the stage, only for their jubilation to be short-lived. Even as some of the members of the film's crew began saying their thank-yous to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organizers were quick to clarify with the non-winners in the background that they had in fact, not won. Expressions of disbelief were soon writ large on many faces on stage, before 'La La Land' producer Josh Horowitz declared, on the mic: "There's a mistake. 'Moonlight', you guys won best picture." What followed was a mixture of shock, more disbelief and eventual jubilation from the 'Moonlight' camp. The mix-up was later put down to misleading print on the award card.Sam Smith’s tall claimThe year was 2015 and cinema-driven LGBT campaigns were at their peak, especially in the light of 'The Danish Girl', where Eddie Redmayne plays the role of Lili Elbe who was one of the first recipients of gender-reassignment surgery. At the Oscars next year, Redmayne didn't win but well-known LGBT icon Sam Smith did, for his song 'Writing's on the Wall' from the James Bond film, 'Spectre'. Accepting the award, an obviously elated Smith still soaking in the euphoria of the moment said that he felt proud that he was only the first openly gay man to win an Oscar, as he dedicated the award to the LGBT community. He quoted Scottish actor Ian McKellen as the source of his claim.No sooner did the claim hit the airwaves and social media, awkwardness ensued. As it turned out, Sam Smith was factually way off mark. Several notable openly gay personalities have won Oscars in the past including legendary singer Elton John and filmmaker Dustin Lance Black. What Ian McKellen had in fact said to a newspaper, a few months earlier, was that no openly gay man had won an Oscar for 'Best Actor'. In the golden glow and cheer of the moment, Sam Smith had misquoted him.Jennifer Lawrence trips twiceJennifer Lawrence plunged right into the Oscar history books with her twin wins in 2013 and 2014 when she won Oscars for 'Silver Linings Playbook' and 'American Hustle', respectively. However, the Oscar-winner took a plunge of a whole other kind when she tripped just before walking up the stage to accept her Best Actress Oscar in 2013.Some shock and a bit of apprehension over whether Jennifer was okay, was followed by nervous laughter as Hugh Jackman helped her back on her feet. The crowd then got to their feet and gave the actress a rapturous round of applause. "You guys are just standing up because you feel bad that I fell," said Jennifer, rather sheepishly, "That's really embarrassing." The very next year, on the red carpet, even before entering the auditorium, Jennifer Lawrence fell, again. She then went onto win another Oscar for 'American Hustle'. Maybe the fall is her lucky charm, after all.Are they dating, are they not?'A Star is Born' was touted to be the Oscar favourite in 2019, thanks to eight nominations that the film received. However, it mostly flattered to deceive as the big-ticket musical starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper won a solitary Oscar for their hit single, 'Shallow'. Quite aptly, Gaga and Cooper appeared on stage to perform the Oscar-winning song.Almost instantly, the on-screen couple replicated their reel chemistry in real life. Viewers and members of the audience were left spellbound as Cooper and Gaga performed a heartrending and intensely intimate duet on the Oscar stage, as they sat by a piano and sang while staring longingly at each other's eyes.Immediately, the tabloids began asking the obvious question: are Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper dating? Incidentally, neither Lady Gaga nor Cooper addressed these rumours, until as recently as a few months ago in November last year, when Bradley Cooper clarified that the on-stage intimacy was all part of the act, and getting into character helped them perform the song better. So, no… they were friends all along.Marlon Brando rejects his OscarOne of the OG 'most shocking Oscar moments' came way back in 1973 after Marlon Brando was nominated in the ‘Best Actor’ category for his legendary and iconic role as Vito Corleone in 'The Godfather'. On the glitzy night though, Brando was a no-show. As expected, he won the Oscar too. Appearing to accept the Oscar on Brando's behalf was actress and Native American Civil Rights activist Sacheen Littlefeather who seemed to politely decline the award from presenter Roger Moore before she began to speaking. "I'm representing Marlon Brando this evening and he has asked me to tell you… that he very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award," Sacheen said, only to be met with shocked gasps and some boos from the audience."The reasons for this being… are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry, and on television, in movie reruns," Littlefeather continued, "I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening and that we will in the future — our hearts and our understandings — meet with love and generosity."Marlon Brando had rejected his Oscar for Best Actor, to protest the treatment and portrayal of Native Americans in popular culture. Hollywood cinema at the time was notorious for its portrayal of Native Americans as antagonists and in negative roles. While Brando’s rejection was seen by some quarters as reason for the Academy to feel slighted, others praised his commitment to a cause he dearly believed in.

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Wrong calls, falls and tall claims: Five other Oscar moments that shocked the world

By Jude Sannith Mar 29, 2022 8:25:30 AM IST (Published)

On Sunday night, Oscar-winner Will Smith walked across to the stage and slapped comedian and presenter Chris Rock after the latter made a joke about Will's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's hair-loss.

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Wrong calls, falls and tall claims: Five other Oscar moments that shocked the world

By Jude Sannith Mar 29, 2022 8:25:30 AM IST (Published)

On Sunday night, Oscar-winner Will Smith walked across to the stage and slapped comedian and presenter Chris Rock after the latter made a joke about Will's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's hair-loss.

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