Just when we thought it was all over... Warren Beatty had to apologise after he and Faye Dunaway managed to read out the wrong winner of the Best Picture Oscar.
Everyone thought ‘La La Land’ had won, but it turned out it hadn’t, it was actually ‘Moonlight’.
Yes, that really happened - just when we were sitting back in our chairs, sipping on some cocoa at 5.40am this morning, after 200 minutes plus of unsurprising Oscar action.
What on earth went wrong, in one of the biggest fails in living memory of the Oscars???
Well, it was all going to plan as screen veterans, ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ co-stars, Warren and Faye stepped out to read out the nominations for the last and most important award of the evening.
But as Warren opened the envelope, he seemed to pause for a while, before handing the envelope to Faye, who announced, ‘La La Land’ to the expected cheers in the hall. Viewers just thought... ‘he’s forgotten his glasses.’
However, soon after the triumphant ‘La La Land’ producers had taken to the stage and started thanking people, there was a kerfuffle, and it emerged the winner was really ‘Moonlight’.
At first, it looked like an ‘Adele Grammys’ moment, a winner thinking someone else was more worthy, as the ‘La La Land’ producer gestured to the ‘Moonlight’ crew and said, “The winner’s ‘Moonlight’.”
But no, he showed the envelope to the audience, and it did really say ‘Moonlight’. Ouch!!!
The ‘La La Land’ people were incredibly dignified, with their producer telling the ‘Moonlight’ people, “I’m delighted to give this to you.”
And Warren Beatty was quick to explain, telling the audience what had happened:
“I opened the envelope and it said, Emma Stone, La La Land, that’s why I took such a long look at Faye.
He sheepishly added: “I wasn’t trying to be funny.”
Full marks to Jimmy Kimmel, who kept his composure, mock-shouted at Warren, “What did you do??” before taking the blame on himself, “I knew I’d screw this up.”
He didn’t, but something did go very wrong. No doubt investigations are ongoing.
Whoops!
It was the final surprise on a night full of unexpected events, including boycotts, tweets and lots and lots of unity.