Here are the deets.
The Best Picture gaffe at this year's Oscars will be a tale told for generations to come. In a plot twist worthy of an Oscar in itself, the wrong film was announced as winner of the Best Picture award by presenter Warren Beatty.
Here's what happened.
Before announcing the award, Beatty seemed to be playing coy, trying to put the audience on edge. Beatty's co presenter Faye Dunaway then announced La La Land as Best Picture winner and presented the award to the producers of the film.
The film's producers, director Damien Chazelle, actors Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling were among the people who trooped on stage to accept the honour. However, three speeches in, their celebrations were came to an abrupt halt with the realisation that there had been a mix-up.
One of the producers, Fred Berger, interrupted himself to say the film had in fact lost. "No, there’s a mistake, Moonlight, you won Best Picture,” said Jordan Horowitz, another producer, holding up the card that read "Best Picture - Moonlight" and inviting the film's makers to come on stage to accept their award.
It took a while for the realisation to spread across the room.
Warren Beatty then stepped forward to explain the confusion.
As he accepted the award, Moonlight director Barry Jenkins said, “Very clearly, even in my dreams this could not be true, but to hell with dreams, I’m done with it, because this is true." Producer Adele Romanski said, “I’m still not sure this is real.”
Here's where the confusion begins. Emma Stone who won her Oscar just before this moment, said backstage that she had the card with her name in her hand. “I also was holding my Best Actress in a Leading Role card that entire time, so whatever story… I don’t mean to start stuff, but whatever story that was, I had that card,” she said.
However, Jenkins later told ABC that Beatty was confused because he seemed to have two cards in his hand, one misplaced and the other with the right name.
Pricewaterhouse Cooper, the accounting firm, handles the envelopes and vote count for the Oscars. The firm has two representatives stand on either of the stage to hand the envelope with the winner's name to the presenter, depending on which side they walk in from. This is where the mix-up seemed to have taken place. Beatty was handed one of the envelope for the winner of the Best Actress award.
Jenkins, for his part, appreciated the graciousness of La La Land producer Horowitz.
Several stars in the audience were elated with Moonlight's win.
M Night Shyamalan had an explanation for the entire kerfuffle.
In a statement released after the ceremony, PWC apologised for the incident.
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