La La Land was the favorite to win Best Picture and we thought it did… UNTIL IT DIDN’T. Moonlight was the actual winner of the night after a mix up with the envelopes had the La La Land crew coming up to accept the award. It was a furiously awkward moment that ended the night on a bizarre note.
The moment, not surprisingly, generated thunderous reaction from fans, members of the media, and celebrities.
The moment Warren Beatty failed to read #Oscars #BestPicture! We all thought it was #Lalaland but then @moonlightmov came in for the win! pic.twitter.com/eJI4FwvnWL
— What's Trending (@WhatsTrending) February 27, 2017
This is INSANE #Oscars
Every single person in the Dolby is stunned, STUNNED #Moonlight #Lalaland pic.twitter.com/fditcne7Fs
— jen yamato (@jenyamato) February 27, 2017
I wrote the ending of the academy awards 2017. @jimmykimmel we really got them!
— M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) February 27, 2017
You have to feel bad for Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. Reuniting for the 50th anniversary of Bonnie and Clyde – a phenomenal film that changed the course of cinema – should have been such an enormous sendoff for the event.
Call me Warren Beatty. I can help you get through this! #Oscars
— Steve Harvey (@IAmSteveHarvey) February 27, 2017
The accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers, who famously handle the Oscar balloting and award envelopes, released the following official statement:
We sincerely apologize to Moonlight, La La Land, Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, and Oscar viewers for the error that was made during the award announcement for Best Picture. The presenters had mistakenly been given the wrong category envelope and when discovered, was immediately corrected. We are currently investigating how this could have happened, and deeply regret that this occurred.
More importantly, it’s great to see Moonlight win big! Though hectic, it was a fitting end to a night filled with diverse wins and a celebration of inclusiveness. And if nothing else, it will hopefully get more people out there to see Moonlight.
La La Land got trolled HARD #BGNOscarWatchParty #Oscars
— Black Girl Nerds (@BlackGirlNerds) February 27, 2017
The #Oscars2017 just made the first 30 days of the @realDonaldTrump administration look like a well run machine. #Oscars
— Kelvin Goertzen (@kelvin_goertzen) February 27, 2017
STILL SPEECHLESS pic.twitter.com/qe3NUDWAHM
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) February 27, 2017
But remember, tonight is about celebrating film and how it impacts us all. That’s more important than a silly gaffe by the Academy. When we’ve stopped talking about this goof, we’ll still be talking about Moonlight, La La Land, Arrival, Kubo and the Two Strings, and many of the other films represented tonight. Enjoy the laugh, but savor the cinema.
