Here’s A Look At The 5 Most Controversial Moments In Oscars History
Here’s A Look At The 5 Most Controversial Moments In Oscars History (Photo Credit – YouTube)

As the 97th Academy Awards draw near, it is finally time to walk down Hollywood’s most scandalous red carpet, unveiling five of the most controversial moments in Oscars history. The world will watch as the film industry crowns its finest on Sunday, March 2, 2025, but whispers of snubbed masterpieces and overlooked performances are already setting the internet ablaze.

Yet, beyond the golden glow of Oscar night lies moments marked by controversies, some of which are tied to debatable wins while others to incidents that had nothing to do with the golden statuette itself. So, let’s pull back the velvet curtain and revisit the most talked-about moments in the history of this grand spectacle.

5. Angelina Jolie’s Passionate Kiss With Her Brother (2000)

Let’s begin with Angelina Jolie, who, despite getting widespread acclaim for her latest film, Maria, was notably snubbed from this year’s nominations. Some speculate this decision may be due to her ongoing legal battle with her ex-husband Brad Pitt.

But this isn’t the first time Jolie has made headlines concerning Hollywood’s biggest night. Rewind to 2000, when a single kiss sparked one of the most talked-about moments in Academy Awards history. While she was only 24, Jolie arrived at the ceremony alongside her brother, James Haven, to celebrate her nomination for Girl, Interrupted.

Though still an emerging name in the industry, she had already garnered critical praise, winning a Golden Globe and earning an Emmy nomination for Gia. That night, she cemented her status as a Hollywood force, taking home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

While standing before a room filled with Hollywood legends such as Russell Crowe, Denzel Washington, Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep, and Tom Cruise, Jolie opened her acceptance speech with a touch of humor, “I’m surprised nobody’s ever fainted up here.”

However, she turned her attention to Haven, declaring, “I’m in shock, and I’m so in love with my brother right now.” The statement, paired with a heartfelt acknowledgment of his support, might have gone unnoticed if not for what followed.

Later that evening, at the Vanity Fair afterparty, Jolie and Haven posed for photographers, her golden statuette in one hand and her brother by her side. In a fleeting moment, the siblings shared a kiss on the lips, a gesture that sent tabloids into a frenzy and became an instant pop culture phenomenon.

In June 2000, Jolie addressed her eyebrow-raising night out with Haven, telling Entertainment Weekly that they had nothing “more than brotherly” love for each other.

4. The Envelopegate Incident (2017)

The 89th Academy Awards in 2017 will forever be remembered for one of the most shocking blunders in Oscars history, the mistaken announcement of La La Land as Best Picture instead of the rightful winner, Moonlight.

As the grand finale approached, veteran actors Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway took the stage to present the most coveted award of the night. Beatty hesitated upon opening the envelope, seemingly puzzled, before handing it to Dunaway, who confidently declared La La Land the winner.

The team behind the dazzling musical took to the stage, basking in what they believed was their crowning achievement. Speeches were well underway when confusion rippled through the production crew. One of La La Land’s producers, Jordan Horowitz, was discreetly shown an envelope by a stagehand. The envelope bore an entirely different title: Moonlight.

“There’s a mistake,” Horowitz told the audience as his confused crew members looked on. “Moonlight, you guys won Best Picture. This is not a joke,” he repeated, taking the correct envelope from Beatty and showing the camera its inscription.

The mistake stemmed from a mix-up in envelopes. Beatty had unknowingly been handed a duplicate of the Best Actress card, which bore the name of La La Land’s Emma Stone, whose victory had been announced moments earlier.

3. Marlon Brando Turns Down His Oscar Award (1973)

In 1973, the Academy Awards witnessed one of its most unforgettable moments. Marlon Brando, a frontrunner for Best Actor due to his powerful performance in The Godfather, was declared the winner.

Yet, instead of stepping onto the stage to accept his Oscar, he orchestrated an unexpected protest. Unlike George C. Scott, who had outright refused his award a few years earlier, Brando took a more dramatic approach. He sent Apache actress and activist Sacheen Littlefeather in his place.

Brando’s decision wasn’t just an act of defiance against Hollywood. By the early ’70s, he had become deeply involved in the American Indian Movement, and his refusal was meant to bring attention to a brewing crisis: the Wounded Knee incident.

Just a month before the Oscars, around 200 Oglala Lakota and AIM activists had occupied the town of Wounded Knee, holding their ground for 71 tense days. With the FBI imposing a media blackout, Brando saw the Oscars as an opportunity to break the silence.

After reaching out to AIM leaders, it was decided that Littlefeather would deliver Brando’s message. Stepping onto the stage in a traditional dress, she carried a lengthy fifteen-page speech penned by Brando himself.

But the moment she began, the atmosphere turned tense. A producer allegedly warned her that she would be forcefully removed and possibly arrested if she exceeded a minute. With no choice but to improvise, she made a brief yet impactful statement, politely declining the golden statuette.

Meanwhile, Roger Moore, who had presented the award, found himself holding onto Brando’s Oscar. The statue remained in his possession for years until the Academy eventually sent an armed guard to retrieve it.

2. Will Smith And Chris Rock’s Infamous Oscars Slap Incident (2022)

The 2022 Academy Awards witnessed a moment so shocking that it quickly became one of the most talked-about incidents in Oscar history, an event now widely referred to as “the slap.”

The unexpected altercation unfolded when comedian Chris Rock took the stage to present the award for Best Documentary Feature. He joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head in his introduction, suggesting she could star in a sequel to G.I. Jane. While the audience laughed, Jada’s reaction was markedly different with her eyes rolled in visible displeasure.

Initially, Will Smith appeared amused, but within moments, the atmosphere changed. Rising from his seat, he strode onto the stage and struck Rock across the face, leaving both the audience and viewers at home in stunned silence. Many questioned whether the confrontation was staged or an unscripted moment of raw emotion.

Rock, visibly surprised, acknowledged the slap in disbelief, while Smith, now back at his seat, erupted in anger, repeatedly demanding that Rock refrain from mentioning his wife. The surreal exchange left a lasting mark on the awards show, sparking intense debate and discussion that would continue long after the night had ended.

1. The Infamous Adrien Brody & Halle Berry Kiss (2003)

More than two decades after their unforgettable Academy Awards attendance, Adrien Brody and Halle Berry are set to attend the 2025 Oscars. Brody arrives as the Best Actor nominee for The Brutalist, while Berry takes the stage as one of the night’s presenters.

Though they likely won’t cross paths under the spotlight, their presence at the ceremony inevitably stirs memories of Brody’s unexpected kiss with Berry at the 2003 Oscars.

Fresh off her historic Best Actress win for Monster’s Ball in 2002, Berry returned the following year to present the Best Actor award, per tradition. She playfully hinted at the prestige awaiting the next honoree as she introduced a montage of past winners. Moments later, she called Brody’s name, making him, at just 29, the youngest actor to ever win in the category for his role in The Pianist.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Brody embraced his mother before bounding onto the stage, but then came the moment that still lingers in Oscar lore: sweeping Berry into a dramatic dip, he planted a long, unexpected kiss on her lips.

The broadcast briefly cut to Berry, who appeared momentarily stunned as she discreetly wiped her lips, while Brody lightheartedly quipped about the surprise gesture as he launched into his speech.

Years later, in 2009, Berry seemingly turned the tables when Jamie Foxx presented her with the “Decade of Hotness” award at Spike TV’s Guys Choice Awards while playfully locking lips with him in a move some interpreted as a nod to the Brody incident.

However, as time passed, criticism of the 2003 kiss grew, with many pointing out the apparent lack of consent. In a 2017 interview, Berry finally addressed the moment candidly, admitting she had no idea it was coming. In her words, she was simply caught in the moment, thinking, “What the f— is happening right now?” yet ultimately choosing to go with it, given the chaos of the night. Even after all these years, that Oscar kiss remains one of the ceremony’s most talked-about moments.

For more such stories, check out Hollywood News

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