If you think the Academy Awards has only been about Hollywood stars and the glitterati, you’ll be quite surprised with what you’ll learn next. Just when you think you have seen it all on the red carpet or at the Dolby Theatre™ (formerly the Kodak Theatre) at Hollywood and Highland Center® where the gala ceremony is being held since 2022, there have been many instances that have left fans as well as the organizers of the biggest awards show in the world sometimes flabbergasted, stupefied, and/or dumbfounded. With millions tuning every year and the 95th Academy Awards right set to take place on March 12, we look back at some of the weirdest scandalous moments in Oscars history where there have times where there have been eyebrow-raising fashion choices, celebrities taking their stand, nominee snubs, and hosting disasters to name a notable few.
Screenwriter Dudley Nichols rejected his Oscar (1936)
Screenwriter Dudley Nichols turned down his Oscar, the Best Screenwriter award for The Informer, in 1936 in support of the Writers Guild, which had been on strike at the time.
Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn tied for Best Actress (1969)
It came down to the wire and ended on a draw when both Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn garnered 3,030 votes each. Hepburn was decided the winner for her performance in The Lion in Winter, while Streisand won in her debut role in Funny Girl. However, since Hepburn didn’t attend the ceremony nor did anyone show up on her behalf, it was Streisand’s big day.
George C. Scott refused his Best Actor award (1971)
A performance so good that the Academy decided to overlook his request to not be nominated for his portrayal of Gen. George S. Patton in Patton. George C. Scott eventually got nominated and won, but declined his Oscar solely for the reason of not wanting creative performances to be compared and instead spent the night at his New York residence during that year.
Streaking phenomenon (1974)
Artist and photographer Robert Opel certainly grabbed eyeballs when he decided to make a run for it naked on the stage at the 1974 Oscars.
Edy Williams has quite a lot to share (1986)
Actress Edy Williams showed more than her talents at the ceremony for her outrageous outfit.
Angelina Jolie and her brother’s PDA (2000)
Angelina Jolie was quite mischievous before she became a mother and activist and the one occasion that will remain etched in everyone’s memory is when she and her brother James Haven shared some serious public display of affection on the red carpet at the 2000 Academy Awards.
Matt Stone and Trey Parker dress like Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow (2000)
They couldn’t have been more expressive in making their statement when South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker were nominated for Best Original Song, but caught everyone’s attention wearing their own version of the costumes worn by Jennifer Lopez for the Grammys and Gwyneth Paltrow during her 1999 Oscars appearance.
Björk’s swan song (2001)
This certainly caught everyone’s attention instantly when Björk appeared wearing a swan-type dress, while also pretending to lay an egg on the red carpet.
Adrien Brody smooches Halle Berry unexpectedly (2003)
Adrien Brody won the Best Actor award for his role in The Pianist and also managed to steal a kiss from presenter Halle Berry, who later admitted that it wasn’t scripted, but instead went along with it.
More than an Oops, I made a mistake moment (2017)
If there’s one thing about the 2017 Oscars that stays fresh in everyone’s mind, it’s when Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty announced the wrong nominee for the Best Picture. After announcing La La Land as the winner, the duo had inform to the world that was watching that it was Moonlight that had won the honor.
Slapgate (2022)
Perhaps the most infamous incident at any Oscar ceremony to date, the Will Smith–Chris Rock slapping incident otherwise known as Slapgate or The Slap, at the 94th Academy Awards March 27, 2022, continues to stir debate.
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