Nudity, hysterics, shock smooches, weird sibling love, politics ... the Oscars certainly isn’t a dull show
STREAKERS, sobbing starlets, surprise smooches, shocking snubs, weird sibling love ... these are the best moments in Academy Awards history.
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HOLLYWOOD’S night of nights celebrates the very best in motion picture achievement, but it’s what happens in the Oscars audience and on stage that makes the spectacle so memorable.
Since the Academy Awards were staged for the first time in 1929, there has been a host of incredible, funny and shocking incidents.
Everyone has a favourite event that sticks in their mind.
For some, it’s Sally Field’s emotional “you really like me!” acceptance speech in 1985, while for others it’s cheeky Sacha Baron Cohen pouring an urn of ash all over Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet in 2012.
From streakers to sobbing, weird sibling love and surprise smooches, these are the 20 best Oscars moments.
HALLE MAKES HISTORY
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Halle Berry took out the Best Actress Academy Award for her role in Monster’s Ball in 2002. Overwhelmed at the significance of the moment — it was the first time a black woman received the honour — she delivered a moving and emotional acceptance speech. “This moment is so much bigger than me. It’s for every nameless, faceless woman of colour that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened.” Unfortunately, as she remarked recently, she didn’t open it too far. There hasn’t been another woman of colour recognised in that category in the 15 years since.
PLAY THEM OFF
Ever wondered why Oscars award recipients are given such a brief time to make a speech before the orchestra plays? It’s got a lot to do with Greer Garson, who won the Best Actress award in 1943. In those days, people didn’t tend to say anything after their name was read out, apart from maybe a brief “thank you” but the Mrs Miniver star had other ideas. She said thanks, but then rambled on for about five minutes. It was the end of a long night, about 1am, and the self-indulgent act gained her an enduring reputation that had organisers rethinking the show’s format.
AN ICON COMES HOME
When Charlie Chaplin received an honorary Oscar in 1972, it was special for many reasons. Most poignantly, it marked the silent era star’s return to the US after some two decades in political exile, for alleged communist ties. When he took to the stage, Chaplin received a stirring 12-minute standing ovation. And when he finished speaking, the audience went wild again.
THANKS, BUT NO THANKS
Hollywood legend Marlon Brando was a regular at the Oscars, except in 1973 when he won the Best Actor gong for The Godfather. He sent an American Indian woman to accept the statue on his behalf, in protest to the treatment of America’s indigenous peoples. She received a mix of boos and cheers. Asked about it later, Brando said: “It was a marvellous opportunity for (her) to voice an opinion to 85 million people.”
NUDIE RUN
When performance artist Robert Opel ran across the stage completely starkers in 1974, he said it was a bid to “launch a career”. It didn’t. But it did give screen siren Elizabeth Taylor a hearty laugh as she came out to present an award. Opel hit the headlines again five years later when he was murdered by an intruder.
OVERWHELMED ANNA
Actress Anna Paquin was just 11 when she nabbed the Best Supporting award for her first-ever role in The Piano. She was so speechless, literally, that she only managed to croak out a few words before nervously skipping back to her seat. Adorable.
HONOURING HEATH
Hollywood was still reeling from the shock passing of Aussie star Heath Ledger when he was awarded a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 2009 for his role in The Dark Knight. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as his still-grieving family took to the stage to accept the honour on behalf of his young daughter Matilda. “This award tonight would have humbly validated Heath’s quiet determination to be truly accepted by you all here, his peers, within an industry he so loved,” his dad Kim said.
SURPRISE PASH
A year after Halle’s historic win, she had another surprise in 2003 while presenting Adrien Brody with his Best Actor win for The Pianist. He rushed onto stage and grabbed Berry in an embrace, planting a kiss firmly on her lips. He copped some criticism for the non-consensual smooch and Berry didn’t say too much about it, other than describing it as “very wet”.
J-LAW FACE PLANTS
Poor Jennifer Lawrence. What should’ve been a joyous moment was a horrific one for the thespian, after she tripped and fell on her face while making her way to the stage to accept the Oscar for Best Actress for Silver Linings Playbook in 2013. She got caught on the hem of her frock while walking up the stairs. Like a true gent, Aussie actor Hugh Jackman rushed to help her. Lawrence later said she was “mortified”.
A MOMENT IN HISTORY
In 1964, Sidney Poitier became the first African-American to win the Best Actor award for his role in Lilies of the Field. He was only the second person of colour ever to be recognised by the category, joining Hattie McDaniel, who won Best Supporting Actress in 1939 for Gone with the Wind. Poitier had consistently refused to play roles he deemed stereotypical or offensive to black people, and managed to carve a path as a celebrated film star.
BEST SELFIE EVER
Oscars host Ellen DeGeneres absolutely nailed her job in 2014, not least for a group selfie with a bunch of A-list stars that instantly went viral. She managed to corral the likes of Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Jared Leto, Kevin Spacey and Angelina Jolie. It was a moment of magic that other award show hosts have tried — and failed — to replicate since with similar stunts.
LOVE THY BROTHER
Before Angelina Jolie was a polished humanitarian, mother and picture of Hollywood perfection, she was an oddball actress who shared an abnormally close bond with her brother. While on stage in 2000 accepting the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in Girl, Interrupted, she declared: “I’m so in love with my brother right now!” Later, she was infamously photographed locking lips with her bro James Haven. Gross.
LIFE INSPIRING ART
When Tom Hanks won the Best Actor gong in 1993 for his stunning work in Philadelphia, about a man with AIDS fighting discrimination, he delivered an incredibly moving speech about those who’d died from the disease. And he also thanked his high school drama teacher, who he described as one of the finest gay men he’d known. Only few knew the guy was gay. But Hanks had spoken to his former mentor and got the OK. What a way to come out. The moment inspired the hit film In And Out a few years later.
BROMANCE GOALS
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the Oscars stage in 1998 after winning Best Original Screenplay for their hit Good Will Hunting was the picture of joy personified. You couldn’t wipe the smiles of their faces, or the audience’s faces either. The two, who were childhood friends in the same Boston neighbourhood, spent their teens dreaming of making it big in Hollywood. With this recognition, they finally had.
FILLING TIME
In live television, there’s padding and then there’s Jerry Lewis’ incredible effort when he hosted the Oscars in 1959. Bizarrely, the show ended 20 minutes earlier than scheduled — something that would never happen today — and Lewis had no choice but to fill the time. So he did, with an improvised monologue followed by a snap finale with a host of stars that proved a smash hit with the audience.
YES, THIS IS HAPPENING
Marisa Tomei winning Best Supporting Actress for My Cousin Vinnie in 1993 was so unexpected and so surprising that a rumour began swirling that it was a mistake. The story went that the wrong name was read from the card and the Academy, out of embarrassment, decided to go with it. So widespread was the speculation that organisers were forced to come out several times after to insist Tomei really did win.
ONE STEP FORWARD
Hattie McDaniel became the first black Oscar winner in 1940, receiving a Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Gone With The Wind, playing the slave Mammy. Yes, 1940. It makes Hollywood sound quite progressive, and it was in some ways. But McDaniel had to sit in the back of the theatre due to segregation. “I sincerely hope I shall always be a credit to my race and to the motion picture industry,” she said. It was 50 years until the next African-American woman won an Oscar, when Whoopi Goldberg was honoured for her role in Ghost.
ADELE WHO?
In 2014, John Travolta had one simple task — take to the stage and introduce a performance by singing sensation Idina Menzel to perform the hit song Let It Go from Frozen. But he completely borked it, calling her Adele Dazeem. The embarrassing error went viral and spawned a meme and even a moniker generator where you could see how Travolta might pronounce your name.
LET’S TALK ABOUT IT
Oscars host Chris Rock faced a tricky situation in 2016. In the months before the ceremony, controversy had erupted about the distinct lack of people of colour among the nominations list. The hashtag #OscarsSoWhite spread like wildfire across Twitter. How could he possibly manage the situation on the night? By tackling it head-on and with humour. His opening monologue broke the ice and a series of clever clips throughout, where he inserted himself into black versions of the Best Film nominees, were hilarious. Well played, Mr Rock.
IT’S A TIE!
There have been a few dual winners in Oscars history, but none more memorable than in 1968 when Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn shared the Best Actress gong for their roles in Funny Girl and The Lion in the Winter respectively. Hepburn wasn’t there so it left Streisand to steal the show, screeching “Hello gorgeous!” at her statue.
Originally published as Nudity, hysterics, shock smooches, weird sibling love, politics ... the Oscars certainly isn’t a dull show
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