There have been so many incredible Oscar moments that have defined pop culture. Ahead of the 93rd annual Academy Awards, we wanted to take a look at some of those famous moments.
When the Korean film, Parasite took home all the statues:
The movie Parasite is a thrilling masterpiece, and it deserved all the accolades that it received during award season. Over the years, the Academy Awards has received major backlash for its under-representation of minorities, including the Asian community. This made the film’s sweeping victory at the 2020 Oscars even sweeter, as it was the first foreign film to take home the grand prize – Best Picture.
Envelopegate:
This may have been the most memorable moment in Oscar history. In 2017, Moonlight was pegged to win the grand prize, but the Oscar ultimately went to the musical La La Land … or so we thought. Turns out, the coming-of-age drama, Moonlight, was the actual winner. The embarrassing mishap came to be known as “Envelopegate.” Despite the mix-up, this was an incredible moment for People of Colour to be able to see a brilliant black film get its due.
Jennifer Lawrence falling:
At the time, J.Law was a young actress making waves in Hollywood thanks to her incredible performance in Silver linings playbook. On the way to receive her award, the actress tripped on the enormous fabric of her Dior gown. The moment was a small one, but it was her reaction that won the crowd’s heart. “You guys are only standing because you feel bad that I fell, and that’s really embarrassing,” she said.
Halle Berry’s Oscar win:
One small step for women and one giant leap for women of colour. In 2002, Halle Berry won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in Monster’s Ball. Unfortunately, to this day, she remains the only black actress to have won the award, making this a historic but sad moment.
A political protest:
In 1973, legendary actor Marlon Brando chose to decline the golden statuette, choosing instead to protest the racist representation of Native Americans. Actress and activist Sacheen Littlefinger took the stage on Brando’s behalf, stating: “Marlon Brando very regretful cannot accept this very generous award.” Brando became the second-ever performer to decline the prestigious award.
Picture: Cape Town ETC Gallery