This Sunday, March 27, comes the 94th Oscar Awards, so the euphoria of film buffs has unleashed and the expectation about what will happen at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, keeps the public on tenterfinders.
The famous awards gala will be awarded to great productions and famous stars that stood out last year: The Power of the Dog, by Jane Campion, tops the list with twelve nominations, while figures such as Will Smith - nominated for The Williams Method -; Jessica Chastain, for The Eyes of Tammy Faye; Penelope Cruz, for Parallel Mothers and Javier Bardem, for Being the Ricardos, will decorate the event that will surely be full of memorable moments.
But throughout the history of the iconic ceremony, the first edition of which took place on May 16, 1929, they have highlighted moments that remain in the collective memory, but not necessarily because of their spectacular nature, but because of the embarrassment of the cases. Thus, tension, political discourses and even a nude have been experienced in the 93 previous editions of the range that rewards the highlights of cinema.
The classic tape The Godfather framed one of the moments most remembered for its discomfort at the ceremony. Marlon Brando, who won Best Actor in 1973, did not attend the gala personally and instead chose to give a spotlight to the Native American community. This is how actress Sacheen Littlefeather, an activist with the National Native American Positive Image Committee, came to the venue to give a visibility speech:
“Marlon Brando unfortunately rejects this generous award. And this is due to the mistreatment of American Indians today by the film industry”, however, the moment caused confusion and bewilderment, causing the woman to even be screamed and booed.
British actor David Niven starred in an awkward moment in 1974, because just as he was about to present Elizabeth Taylor, in her role as host of the gala, a naked man crossed the stage making the symbol of “love and peace” with his hands. At that time it became fashionable to practice “streaking”, to walk around a public place without clothes unexpectedly.
Instead of losing his concentration, the actor made a joke: “It's fascinating to think that probably the only laughter that man has ever had in his life has been showing his trifles.” The subject in question was Robert Opel, who had gained admission to the ceremony as a journalist and photographer.
The 1989 edition of the ceremony has been remembered as one of the strangest. The fact is that Broadway veteran, Allan Carr, was hired to produce the gala, but viewers were astonished by the opening number. To date, it is not clear why the theater producer presented a musical of more than 11 minutes by an actress dressed as Snow White, Rob Lowe and a large number of people who performed a disconcerting and unfunny choreographic montage, to the rhythm of Creedence Clearwater Revival. It is known that the Disney house sued the Academy for the use of the character and Allan Carr was immediately fired.
In 2003, Adrien Brody won the statuette for Best Actor for The Pianist. The excitement of the actor was such that, knowing he was the winner in the mouth of Halle Berry, who from the stage presented the short list, took the stand and gave a long kiss on the lips of the star, causing her bewilderment and amazement among the attendees.
In the same year and for the same film, Roman Polanski won the Best Director award. However, the 88-year-old French filmmaker did not come to collect his statuette because in the United States he is a fugitive from justice for his guilt in the case of sexual abuse against a 13-year-old girl in 1977. After the conviction, Polanski fled to Europe and has not returned to US territory. Although the audience cheered the director, his absence became evident causing confusion.
As early as 2015, John Travolta was criticized for changing his name to the prestigious singer Idina Menzel. The actor was summoned to present the musical number of the protagonist of Wicked, however he pronounced something like “Adele Dazeem”, which caused confusion among the audience. In 2016, the Defying Gravity singer “took revenge” on the fact by presenting Travolta as “Glom Gazinga” at the Oscars ceremony.
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