As we count down to the 2026 Oscars, we thought it’d be fun to take a look back at some of the most chaotic moments at the Academy Awards. Let’s face it, over the last near 100 years, we’ve seen our fair share of drama on the prestigious Hollywood stage—whether it was a slap heard around the world or something way more subtle, the ceremony has been home to some of the industries most unforgettable moments.
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So, let’s take a trip down memory lane and get into the events that went completely off-script at the Oscars!
When Are The 2026 Oscars?
Before we get into the list, we want to quickly give a run-down of this year’s Oscars and who’s who in the race. The annual show goes down on March 15 live from Los Angeles. As we previously told you, “Sinners” has already made history by becoming the most-nominated film in Oscars history, snagging 16 total recognitions. So you already know we’re rooting for everybody Black including: Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, Teyana Taylor, Wunmi Mosaku, Raphael Saadiq and more.
Now, let’s get into the messiest moments in Oscars history!
“La La Land” vs “Moonlight” Mishap
In 2016, “La La Land” was announced as the winner for Best Picture at the Oscars. However, in a fumble that many will never forget, it turned out to be an error as presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty were actually handed the wrong envelope. Instead of Best Picture, the letter read “Best Actress- Emma Stone, La La Land” and so that what made Beatty read it off. But once, that movie’s cast and crew went onstage and looked at it, they realized the huge mishap and were eventually brought the real envelope announcing Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” as the true Best Picture winner.
Will Smith, Chris Rock & The Slap Heard Around the World
Now you already know this was going to be in the top two. On the night of the 2022 Oscars, in which Will Smith would later go on to win for Best Actor—he stunned everybody in the building and folks watching at home when he slapped comedian Chris Rock live onstage after he told a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith and her bald hair cut.
While many were confused initially as to whether or not the moment was a bit or done out of legit anger, we all got our answer when Smith yelled “keep my wife’s name out your f*cking mouth.” As a result, the “Fresh Prince” was later banned from the Academy for the next 10 years.
Adrien Brody & Halle Berry’s Startling Kiss
In another slightly disturbing moment, when Adrien Brody went onstage to accept the Best Actor award for “The Pianist,” he randomly grabbed Halle Berry (who presented the award) and dipping her into a clearly unplanned, non-consensual kiss. The move drew backlash from audiences and others who felt the move was extremely inappropriate. However, years later, at the 2025 Oscars, Berry would return the favor and flip the script on Brody on the red carpet.
Eddie Murphy’s Blunt Call Out of the Oscars
Before #OscarsSoWhite became a trending hashtag, Eddie Murphy called out the Academy for its lack of recognition of Black actors and actresses, using his time as the presenter at the 1988 Oscars to draw attention to how few Black winners there had been in the institutions then-60 year history.
Mo’Nique’s Post-Oscars Industry Blackballing
While comedian Mo’Nique may have had a glorious moment after she won the Best Supporting Actress for “Precious” in 2010, what happened afterwards was something none of us saw coming. She was blackballed in Hollywood due to the unfair reputation that she was “difficult” to work with after she refused to go on a non-contractually obligated trip to Cannes Film Festival to promote the film a year prior to her win. Over the years, she’s blamed Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey and Lee Daniels for the alleged part they played in her career downslide.
Angela Bassett’s Dual Oscars Snub Outrage
When Angela Bassett lost the Oscar for Best Actress in 1994 for her role as Tina Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” Black folks everywhere were in an uproar given how phenomenal her performance was. That’s why by the time she was nominated again in 2023 for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” the culture was excited and waiting with bated breath to see her receive the long overdue win.
Unfortunately for us all, we were once again let down as her losing to Jamie Lee Curtis and at the unfair backlash she received for appearing visibly sad and disappointed that she didn’t get the win.
Cuba Gooding Jr. Post-Oscars Career Downslide
Even though Cuba Gooding Jr. made history as the youngest Black actor to win for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Jerry Maguire” and was poised to take over Hollywood, his subsequent career choices to pass on movies that would’ve further cemented his legacy (like “Ray” and others) and his later litany of sexual misconduct allegations would further derail him from success.
Spike Lee’s “Green Book” Crash Out
Per the AP, when “Green Book” was selected as the Best Picture winner at the 2019 Oscars over Spike Lee’s “BlackKklansmen,” the director reportedly tried to leave the building in an upset. Thankfully, he was stopped at the door and eventually came back to his seat. Afterwards, when reporters caught up to him drinking champagne, Lee remarked that it had been 30 years since his movie “Do the Right Thing” was up for the Best Picture category alongside “Driving Miss Daisy.”
He reportedly joked, “I’m snake bit. Every time somebody’s driving somebody, I lose!”
Hattie McDaniel’s Segregated Oscars Win
Although Hattie McDaniel broke barriers in Hollywood by becoming the first Black person to win an Oscar in any category, her experience was less than glamorous. In fact, as we previously told you, she was instead made to sit at a small table in the back of the room with her escort and her agent, segregated from her costars. To make matters even worse, after her win, McDaniel faced criticism from within the Black community from civil rights activists who felt she was wrong for continuing to play into the “mammy,” stereotypical roles.
Sidney Poiter’s History-Making Oscars…Kiss?
We all know by now that Sidney Poitier made history in 1963 as the first Black person to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in “Lilies of the Field.” But what you may not remember is the slight scandal that spread out in the media directly afterwards after his costar Anne Bancroft—who was white woman—kissed him on the cheek as he came onstage to accept his award. Given the still tense racial relations at the time, the moment was seen as controversial for some white viewers.
Samuel L. Jackson’s Slip of the Cuss Word
While Samuel L. Jackson may have made “motherf*cker” an iconic cuss word, he uttered a completely different one after he lost at the 1995 Oscars for his role in “Pulp Fiction.” That moment, while hilariously on-brand for Jackson, just proved that sometimes, losing sucks and you’ve just got to get it out sometimes.
Whoopi Goldberg’s Oscars “High”
When Whoopi Goldberg was announced as the winner for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Ghost,” the moment was historic as she became the second Black woman to win in that category after Hattie McDaniel. However, it may not have been accurately reflected as she was actually high as she gave her acceptance speech. She later confirmed that fact in an interview with TMZ in 2011.
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