Disney Sues the Academy Over 1989 Performance
Disney is undoubtedly one of the most successful movie production companies in the world, so it’s understandable that they’re protective of their brand. However, things really blew up in 1989, courtesy of producer Allan Carr and actor Rob Lowe. When Lowe took to the stage to perform a musical number, a then-unknown Eileen Bowman rushed towards the stage dressed as Snow White, only stopping to approach various confused A-listers. The performance included songs like “Proud Mary” and “I Only Have Eyes for You”.
Not only did the performance fall flat on the night, but Disney promptly sued the Academy for copyright infringement over the use of Snow White. Though they came to an agreement, Lowe, Carr, and Bowman’s careers all suffered.
That Time Björk Laid an Egg on the Red Carpet
Countless gorgeous gowns have graced the Oscars red carpet over the years, but none have quite made the impact of Björk’s iconic swan dress. In 2001, she wowed photographers with a poofy, feather-inspired skirt and a faux swan neck draped around her own. It was designed by Marjan Pejoski, who actually didn’t know that the singer wore it to the event until the following morning. Nobody had ever bucked the Oscars’ fashion status quo quite like that.
Initial responses to the dress were negative, with many people criticizing the design. Björk herself took a very relaxed approach, and the dress is now considered to be one of the most iconic red carpet gowns.
The First Female Director Wins - And Doesn't Mention It in Her Speech
One of the biggest criticisms of the Oscars is its lack of representation of female directors. Currently, eight women have ever been nominated for the Best Director prize, and only three have won. However, history was finally made for the first time in 2010 when Kathryn Bigelow, director of Best Picture winner The Hurt Locker, became the first female director to win the category. She beat out Quentin Tarantino, Lee Daniels, and her ex-husband James Cameron.
Despite making history, Bigelow didn’t mention being the first female director to win in her speech. But she was the first of three, with the next female director wins coming consecutively in 2021 and 2022.
An Unexpected Streaker
The Oscars are regarded as one of the classiest events in the movie industry, so it was certainly a shock in 1974 when an unexpected streaker crashed the party! Up until then, everything was going to plan, with host David Niven preparing to welcome Elizabeth Taylor to the stage to present the award for Best Picture. That was when photographer Robert Opel raced across the stage behind Niven, flashing a peace sign and a whole lot more!
Niven burst into unexpected laughter and Taylor was similarly amused. Opel’s antics may have made him famous, but he was actually fired from his teaching job the next day. Regardless, it remains one of the event’s most unforgettable instances.
Heath Ledger’s Posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in The Dark Knight Was Accepted by His Parents and Sister
There have been many worthy Oscar wins over the years, but perhaps none so beloved as Heath Ledger’s posthumous Best Supporting Actor win in 2009. Ledger famously portrayed the Joker in The Dark Knight in 2008, though the movie sadly premiered after his untimely death at the age of 28. Critics and fans alike heaped praise on Ledger’s performance as the iconic Batman villain, so his win was very much deserved. The tragedy was that the actor couldn’t receive it himself.
Instead, his parents and sister accepted the award, praising Ledger’s “quiet determination” and “generous soul”. Audience members rose to their feet in respect, with many actors, including Angelina Jolie and Anne Hathaway, shedding tears.
The Show Axes Its Host
The host has always been an integral part of the Oscars, so it was a huge change of pace when the show axed its host in 2019. Comedian Kevin Hart was selected to host the event that year; however, he stepped down shortly after old homophobic tweets came to light, causing an outcry. Hart’s refusal to apologize made the situation worse, and though he did eventually relent, he also said that he’d never accept a gig like that again.
After axing Hart in 2019, the Oscars went without a host until 2022, when three actresses, Wanda Sykes, Regina Hall, and Amy Schumer, were chosen to share the job. Since then, the Oscars have returned to format.
Native American Activist Rejects Award on Marlon Brando's Behalf
In 1973, the Oscars awarded Marlon Brando for his iconic role as Vito Corleone in The Godfather, but the actor did not show up to accept it. Instead, he sent Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather to reject it on his behalf due to Hollywood’s treatment and portrayal of Native Americans in film. Despite this being Brando’s wish, Littlefeather was booed by the audience and told by a producer that she’d be arrested if she didn’t vacate the stage after 60 seconds.
Littlefeather was even threatened by actor John Wayne, who people recall being restrained by security guards. This incident proved Brando’s point, but it would be almost 50 years before the Academy apologized to Littlefeather for the abuse.
The Viral Slap
Anybody with access to social media has heard of the “Oscars slap”. In 2022, comedian Chris Rock was in the process of presenting the award for Best Documentary when he made a joke at actress Jada Pinkett Smith’s expense. Her husband, Will Smith, was furious, stormed onto the stage, and slapped Rock across the face. He returned to his seat and then shouted at Rock, who attempted to play the incident off with humor.
Smith would later be awarded the Best Actor accolade, resulting in mixed responses due to his angry outburst earlier in the show. He was later slapped with a 10-year ban on attending any Academy events.
The Year That Three A-Listers Got Banned From the Oscars
Many actors have used the Oscars as a platform to draw attention to important political and social issues, but this is often a risky thing to do. In 1993, three famous stars were banned from the Oscars due to their speeches. Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins took to the stage wearing red ribbons and spoke about the poor treatment of Haitians living with HIV, and Richard Gere condemned China’s invasion of Tibet. All three were supposedly banned for life.
However, three years later, Sarandon won Best Actress, and Robbins won Best Supporting Actor in 2003. Both accepted their awards in person. Though Gere has never been nominated, he has since attended the event multiple times, with all three circumventing their bans.
The Year That Two Actresses Shared the "Best Actress" Award
Oscar winners are decided via multiple rounds of voting by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, usually resulting in a sole frontrunner. However, there have been six instances where two nominees got the same number of votes, the most famous of which was in 1969. Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn were simultaneously awarded Best Actress for their respective performances in Funny Girl and The Lion in Winter.
Only Streisand attended the ceremony, so she took to the stage alone to claim the accolade. It was her first win (and Hepburn’s third), and she’d previously played the character multiple times on the Broadway stage.
When the Wrong Winner Was Announced for "Best Picture"
One thing that the Oscars have always got right is the announcements. That is, until the disastrous “Envelopegate” gaffe in 2017. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway took to the stage to present the final award of the night, Best Picture, but Beatty was handed the wrong envelope. He appeared confused and showed Dunaway the envelope. She announced La La Land the winner, but the acceptance speech was quickly interrupted by frantic stagehands trying to fix the mistake.
Moonlight was the actual winner, but Beatty was handed the envelope for Best Actress, which went to La La Land lead Emma Stone. The mistake was incredibly awkward and the first of its kind.
Charlie Chaplin's 12-Minute Standing Ovation From the Audience
Charlie Chaplin is the most famous silent movie star, but most of his iconic work was released before the Oscars existed. He is known for his on-screen persona, The Tramp, one of the most recognizable icons in the history of cinema. In 1972, he was awarded an Honorary Oscar to acknowledge his outstanding contributions to the industry. At age 82, Chaplin finally took the stage and received a 12-minute standing ovation.
Interestingly, this was Chaplin’s second time winning an Honorary Oscar. In 1929, his competitive nominations were rescinded due to fears that he would win multiple categories, and he was instead given an honorary accolade.
The Shortest-Ever Acceptance Speech Was About 3 Words
Alfred Hitchcock was a man of much greatness, but apparently very few words! He was nominated for the Best Director accolade five times before finally being awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, which recognizes consistent industry excellence, in 1968. Hitchcock took his statuette, stepped up to the microphone, and said a simple “thank you”. After a pause, he added, “very much indeed”, though this was pretty much inaudible due to the mic being switched off.
At just five words, with three barely heard by the audience, this is one of the shortest acceptance speeches in Oscars history. But as one of the most legendary directors ever, Hitchcock didn’t need to say anything more.
The First Black Oscar Winner Had to Get Special Permission to Attend a Segregated Academy Awards
Hattie McDaniel is a name that everybody should know. In 1940, she became the first black actor of either gender to be nominated for and win an Academy Award. She played the character Mammy in Gone With the Wind, giving an undeniably masterful performance. However, despite winning Best Supporting Actress, McDaniel was forced to sit separately from her white castmates during the ceremony. She had previously been excluded from the movie’s premiere as it was held at a whites-only theater.
McDaniel made history and fought for social justice in the face of much racial discrimination throughout her career. Though she was treated horribly at the time of her win, it remains an unforgettable landmark moment in Oscars history.
Robin Williams Unforgettable Can-Can Performance at the 2000 Oscars
Both Hollywood and the general public were left devastated by the death of Robin Williams in 2014 because he was such a beloved actor. In 2000, Williams put on a show to remember at the Oscars, performing the song “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut with backup singers and a line of dancers doing the can-can. He even masterfully avoided controversy by loudly gasping any time a profanity was meant to be sung.
Despite Williams’ unique showmanship, “Blame Canada” lost the Oscar for Best Original Song to “You’ll Be in My Heart” from a fellow animated movie, Tarzan. But win or loss, nobody has forgotten Williams’ epic performance.
The Selfie That Broke Twitter
In 2014, Ellen Degeneres hosted the Oscars for the second time, and she broke the Internet with one simple snap. She announced her idea to break the record for “most retweeted photo”, gathering a bevy of A-list stars, including Meryl Streep, Bradley Cooper, Channing Tatum, Jennifer Lawrence, Lupita Nyong’o, and Brad Pitt. Within an hour of posting the selfie to Twitter, Degeneres broke that record, and the amount of retweets it received actually caused the site to temporarily collapse.
It has remained one of the most iconic photos ever taken at the Oscars and is currently the sixth-most retweeted post in the world. It was a light and playful way to open the awards.
When Eminem Boycotted the Oscars and Regretted It 20 Years Later
In 2003, Eminem famously refused to attend the Oscars because he thought his song “Lose Yourself” from the movie 8 Mile, which was nominated for Best Original Song, was going to lose. However, it won, and musician Luis Resto was left to collect the accolade alone. Eminem’s absence also meant that the song was not performed at the 2003 ceremony, so the rapper took to the stage 17 years later to rectify that.
He performed “Lose Yourself” to a delighted crowd, with footage from 8 Mile playing behind him. Many A-listers gave him a standing ovation, proving the enormity of his win almost 20 years later.
Jennifer Lawrence Takes a Tumble
It’s easy to laugh off a fall under any other circumstances, but taking a tumble at the Oscars in front of most of Hollywood and a televised audience of millions is something else! In a gorgeous flowing gown, Jennifer Lawrence approached the stage to accept the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Silver Linings Playbook, but tripped up the stairs. She was likely nervous, but managed to laugh off the incident and joke at her own expense.
Though embarrassing at the time, Lawrence’s fall has now become one of the event’s most infamous funny moments. It also contributed to the actress’s status as a quirky, down-to-earth star.
Michelle Yeoh’s Historic Win - First Asian Actress to Win Best Actress and First Malaysian to Ever Win an Oscar
Though a comedy-drama about a multiverse may not seem like an “Oscar winner” on paper, Everything Everywhere All at Once swept the 2022 Oscars, winning seven awards. However, the most celebrated triumph of the night was Michelle Yeoh’s win for Best Actress. Not only did she become the first Asian actress to win the accolade, but she was also the first Malaysian to ever win an Oscar. After decades in the industry, she was finally recognized by the Academy.
Many fans of Yeoh’s work were thrilled to see her win, and it also set an important precedent for Asian representation in cinema. Her co-star, Ke Huy Quan, also won Best Supporting Actor for the movie.
Greer Garson's Record-Length Speech Led the Academy to Implement a Time Limit on Winners' Speeches
Oscar speeches nowadays may be brief, but that’s due to the strict speaking time slot. This rule was implemented shortly after Greer Garson delivered the event’s longest-ever speech, which lasted for approximately six minutes. She began by thanking the Academy for the award, then said that she was going to expand on that “just a little”. What followed was a very long yet eloquent speech full of references to the industry and the importance of recognition.
But even the best speech can be too long. To prevent speeches from overrunning and disrupting the ceremony's schedule, winners are now only permitted to speak for around 45 seconds.
The Youngest Ever Winner Was 10 Years Old
There have been several child actors nominated by the Oscars, but it’s very rare that they win. That’s why Tatum O’Neal’s Best Supporting Actress win in 1974 is so unforgettable. At just ten years old, she played opposite her father, Ryan O’Neal, in Paper Moon, delivering a solid performance as a recently bereaved young con artist. In 2025, she remains the youngest-ever Oscar winner, with only one nominee being younger than her.
O’Neal was accompanied onto the stage by her grandfather, where she accepted her statuette and gave a short speech, thanking her father and the movie’s director. She went on to take many more acting jobs.
Leonardo DiCaprio's Controversial Win
There aren’t many actors with the massive name and A-list status that Leonardo DiCaprio has, so it’s crazy to think that he didn’t actually win an Oscar until 2016! His roles in movies like Titanic, The Wolf of Wall Street, and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape received much critical praise, yet the Oscar still evaded him. Finally, his moment came after an incredible performance in The Revenant, which won him the Oscar for Best Actor.
His win is still considered to be one of the most overdue, with many feeling he should have already been recognized and that The Revenant actually showcased his least impressive performance yet.
The Second-Ever Female Director and First-Ever Asian Woman to Win Best Director
After Kathryn Bigelow broke the barrier as the first woman to receive the Best Director Oscar, people eagerly anticipated another female win. It came eleven years later in the form of Chloe Zhao, who also became the first Asian woman to win the award. Her movie, Nomadland, also won Best Picture that year, as well as Best Actress. People praised Zhao’s directing style, which extracts very natural performances from her actors.
Zhao’s triumph is even more impressive, considering Nomadland was only the third movie she’d ever directed. She also wrote the screenplay, which received very favorable reviews. Her win proves that hard work does indeed pay off.
In 2002, Halle Berry Became the First Black Woman to Win Best Actress
Though Hattie McDaniel became the first black woman to win an Oscar back in 1940, it wasn’t until 2002 that a black woman would take the Best Actress accolade. Currently, this is a unique feat that only Halle Berry has achieved, thanks to her stellar performance in Monsters Ball. It would take an additional two decades for another woman of color, Michelle Yeoh, to win Best Actress. Though others have been nominated, they’ve never been awarded by the Academy.
Berry’s win was a historic moment, but she has expressed disappointment that no other black woman has won Best Actress since. Many have won Best Supporting Actress, however, indicating a lack of leading roles for women of color.
Ryan Gosling Embodies Ken
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie absolutely dominated cinema in 2023 and became the highest-grossing movie of the year. Ryan Gosling’s standout performance as the Ken to Margot Robbie’s Barbie was one of the most talked-about parts of the movie, especially his performance during the song “I’m Just Ken”. Both Gosling and the song were nominated at the 2024 Oscars, so the actor took to the stage in bright pink clothing and put on a spectacular show.
The performance had everybody on their feet, celebrating one of the biggest movies of the year. And a year later, Gosling still perfectly embodied Ken, bringing the role to life in a way that we won’t forget any time soon.
When Cooper and Gaga's Undeniable Chemistry at the Oscars Caused a Whirlwind of Rumors
Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga’s chemistry in the 2018 version of A Star Is Born was undeniable, but it translated just as well off-screen, too. The duo performed the movie’s hit song “Shallow” at the 2019 Oscars ceremony, sitting closely together at a piano while captivating the audience with their vocals. However, their performance went viral for its intimacy, with many questioning if Cooper and Gaga had feelings for each other in real life.
Both later denied those rumors, but their electric chemistry certainly made for an unforgettable performance. “Shallow” also ended up winning Best Original Song, giving Gaga her first Oscar.
Cher’s Daring Dress Had Everyone Talking in 1988
Cher is known for her unique fashion choices, but one of her most daring looks was on the Oscars red carpet in 1988. The singer believed that the Academy didn’t take her seriously due to her dress sense, so instead of bending to their rules, she went all out in a sheer dress and looked incredible. Even better, she won the award for Best Actress! Both her performance and outfit entered the Oscars Hall of Fame that day.
The dress was such an iconic fashion moment because it was almost completely sheer, exposing her entire abdomen and legs, with a stunning rhinestone fringe. It wasn’t Cher’s first daring look, but it was one of her most famous.
Billy Porter’s Ground-Breaking Gown
Plenty of women regularly take to the red carpet rocking amazing pantsuits, but it’s far less common for men to attend events in dresses. That’s why Billy Porter’s sweeping tuxedo gown at the 2019 Oscars was such a groundbreaking outfit. It seamlessly blended masculine and feminine fashions, which Porter described as a “political piece of art”. It proved that men could challenge typical gender norms through their clothes when attending important events.
Designer Christian Siriano wanted to be the first to put a man in a gown on the Oscars red carpet and make fashion history. Blogs and magazines were talking about it for months afterward, so it worked!
John Travolta’s Awkward Gaffe
It’s one of the funniest moments in recent Oscars history, and it regularly does the rounds on social media, but it was no doubt mortifying at the time! In 2014, actor John Travolta was chosen to introduce Broadway superstar Idina Menzel before she performed her massive Frozen hit “Let It Go”. However, he suffered an awkward gaffe when he mistakenly introduced her as “Adele Dazeem” because he was struggling to read the teleprompter.
Luckily, Menzel was not offended, and she even commemorated the tenth anniversary of the gaffe by jokingly wishing her alter-ego a happy birthday. Travolta has also taken it in stride, so all’s well that ends well.
When a 73-Year-Old Jack Palance Did Pushups On-Stage to Celebrate His Win
When actor Jack Palance took the stage to accept the award for Best Supporting Actor in 1992, the last thing the audience expected the 73-year-old to do was pushups. However, there was a reason for this seemingly random stunt. After briefly speaking about how producers often hesitate to cast older actors due to their physical frailty, Palance got down and did multiple one-armed pushups to prove that he was still very much capable of doing his job.
The audience laughed and applauded, so Palance clearly managed to make his point. He seamlessly continued his speech afterward, and as it was his only Oscar win, it was definitely memorable.
Robin Williams’ Heartfelt Speech for His First - And Last - Oscar
Robin Williams was one of the most delightful actors, so people were absolutely thrilled when he won his first and only Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in Good Will Hunting. Judging by how often it is still spoken about in pop culture, his speech is definitely one of the least forgettable. Every sentence was a heartfelt “thank you” to the people who had helped make his win possible, showcasing his unmatched humility and gratitude.
He even referenced the people of South Boston, where the movie was set, and called them a “can of corn”, which means easygoing. Nobody could fault this heartfelt speech, and everyone was overjoyed to see Williams awarded.
When the South Park Creators Mimicked JLo and Gwyneth Paltrow
As the creators of the controversial animated sitcom South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker were used to making waves in Hollywood. However, their unconventional outfit choices on the red carpet of the 2000 Oscars really stood out. Stone donned an imitation of Gwyneth Paltrow’s popular pink dress that she’d worn to the event the year before, while Parker wore a replica of Jennifer Lopez’s world-famous green Versace dress that she’d worn to the Grammys that same year.
Paltrow and Lopez had recently made statements in the fashion world with those gowns, and Stone and Parker kept the conversation going. They’d originally planned to dress as ducks, but they thought the gowns were the better option.
Angelina Jolie Kisses Her Brother
There have been many kisses captured on camera at the Oscars, but none so crazy as the one between Angelina Jolie and her own brother! In 2000, the actress won her first Oscar for her role in Girl, Interrupted, and she brought her brother, James Haven, to the ceremony with her. During her speech, she said she was “so in love with my brother right now” in reference to his support, then kissed him on the mouth in front of photographers after the event.
Jolie later stated that the kiss was an act of “brotherly love”, though some people felt it went beyond that. The fact that people still cringe at that moment now proves how unforgettable it was.
Sean Penn’s Offensive Joke About Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Immigration Status
In 2015, audiences were delighted to see Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman do so well, scooping four prestigious prizes, including Best Picture. However, before Iñárritu was announced as the winner of the Best Director award, presenter Sean Penn opened the envelope, looked at his name, and joked that somebody had given the director a green card. The joke garnered plenty of backlash, with critics and fans alike branding Penn racist for what he said.
In the aftermath, Iñárritu claimed that he and Penn regularly made “tough jokes” at each other’s expense, and Penn said he had “absolutely no apologies”. The moment is still considered one of the most offensive in recent Oscars history.
John Cena’s Nude Presentation
Though a streaker had already crashed the Oscars back in 1974, wrestler-turned-actor John Cena chose to do the very same thing 50 years later! Cena’s nude presentation was unrelated to the historic flashing, however, and was actually part of a skit about people not being ready for the event. Cena was presenting the award for Best Costume Design, with the envelope strategically positioned to preserve his modesty as he shuffled across the stage to the microphone.
Though he later confirmed that he wasn’t actually fully naked, the moment still ranks as one of the most memorable with viewers and celebrities alike. It also left people wondering which stunts the next Oscars might include.