Top 10 Shocking Oscar Scandals

The Oscars aren’t just about recognizing iconic stars, but also hidden figures who make filmmaking possible. So, many found it insulting in 2019 when the Academy announced that 4 categories wouldn’t be presented live to shorten the ceremony. In addition to receiving backlash from cinema giants like Guillermo del Toro, this decision inspired the #PresentAll24 movement, courtesy of awards expert Amanda Spears. The Academy relented in this case. Under pressure from ABC, though, they revisited this idea in 2022, announcing that 8 of the now-23 categories would be pre-taped. With disrespectful moves like this, it’s been argued that AMPAS and ABC are chasing a broader audience they’ll never appeal to. The same has been said about the proposed “Popular Film” category and Oscars Fan Favorite.

Even Rob Lowe criticized the “Popular Film” Oscar idea, and this is coming from someone who participated in another Oscar controversy. For the 1989 Oscars, producer Allan Carr enlisted Steve Silver to helm an overly-long, cringe-worthy opening musical number based on his “Beach Blanket Babylon” musical revue. Along with several “Golden Age” stars, the number featured Lowe singing a sendup of “Proud Mary” with Eileen Bowman as Snow White. Julie Andrews, Gregory Peck, and Paul Newman are just some of the names who declared the ceremony an “embarrassment.” Perhaps nobody was more appalled than Walt Disney Company president Frank Wells, resulting in legal action. Disney dropped the lawsuit afer Academy President Richard Kahn apologized, but Lowe’s sex tape scandal wouldn’t help the matter.

It only makes sense to end the Oscars with Best Picture. In 2021, though, the show closed with Best Actress and Best Actor. The producers likely wanted to leave viewers on an emotional high with perceived frontrunner, the late Chadwick Boseman, being honored. Instead, the Oscar went to an absent Anthony Hopkins, who didn’t want to travel from Wales to California. We understand why since Hopkins was in his 80s and the ceremony occurred during a pandemic. Plus, Hopkins already had an Oscar and assumed that Boseman would win. While Hopkins offered to Zoom in, the producers refused. Hopkins later released an Instagram message, paying respects to Boseman. The ceremony, however, ended on an awkward note that demonstrates why you shouldn’t try to force moments.

“Casablanca” remains one of the most deserving Best Picture winners ever. There’s just one thing that soured its victory. Hal B. Wallis, the film’s producer and a “key creative force,” rose up to accept. Before Wallis knew it, studio head Jack L. Warner was already onstage, claiming the Oscar. A “​​humiliated and furious” Wallis tried making his way down the row, only to be blocked by the Warner family. Wallis would depart from Warner Bros. the following month and even 40 years later, hadn’t “recovered from the shock.” It’d be almost another decade until the Academy started crediting producers in Best Picture rather than the studio. Jack Warner eventually won Best Picture for “My Fair Lady,” which saw some controversy in the Best Actress race.

The 2014 Best Original Song nominees had several hits, including “Happy” from “Despicable Me 2” and eventual winner “Let It Go” from “Frozen.” When “Alone yet Not Alone” was announced among the nominees, though, everyone asked the same question: “What the heck is that?” While the Academy has become known for recognizing under-the-radar works, this song and the film it stemmed from were obscure even by Oscar standards. As it turns out, co-writer Bruce Broughton just so happened to be a music branch member and a former Academy governor. Broughton also emailed branch members about his song, which the Academy deemed to be a breach of ethics. The nomination was thus revoked only a couple of weeks later. And then there were four.

People don’t always win Oscars for their most deserving work. Following 3 nominations for “Raintree County,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” and “Suddenly, Last Summer,” Elizabeth Taylor finally won Best Actress for a movie she loathed, “BUtterfield 8.” Although it received mixed reviews, everybody was intrigued by the parallels between “BUtterfield 8” and Taylor’s life. In the film, Taylor plays a promiscuous woman who has an affair with a married man. The media previously portrayed Taylor as a “homewrecker” due to her affair with Eddie Fisher, who was married to Debbie Reynolds. Shortly before the Oscars, Taylor nearly died from pneumonia, which many believe factored into her win. While Taylor graciously accepted, it was for a film that capitalized on a difficult chapter in her life.

Remember when we said that the Academy shouldn’t try forcing moments? The 1999 Oscars is another example. With Harrison Ford announcing Best Picture, it appeared Indiana Jones would present an Oscar to Steven Spielberg for “Saving Private Ryan.” Instead, Ford read off, “Shakespeare in Love.” This shocking upset didn’t come out of nowhere, as “Shakespeare” had more nominations. However, the win can be largely attributed to producer Harvey Weinstein, whose aggressive campaign included spreading negative comments against the competition. “They tried to get everybody to believe that ‘Saving Private Ryan’ was all in the first 15 minutes,” said DreamWorks’ Terry Press. Many think that Weinstein’s mud-throwing tactics undermined the voting process. The win is only made more uncomfortable given what we know about Weinstein now.

We pity anyone who turned off their TV’s right after “La La Land” was declared Best Picture of the year. As the musical’s producers began to wrap up their acceptance speeches, it was announced that there had been a mix-up and “Moonlight” actually won. Suddenly, the delayed response from presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway made much more sense. PricewaterhouseCoopers accountant Brian Cullinan mistakenly gave Beatty the Best Actress envelope instead. Cullinan probably should’ve been more focused on the envelopes and less preoccupied with Twitter. While the “La La Land” producers courteously stepped aside, “Envelopegate” seemed to diminish what should’ve been a triumphant moment for the “Moonlight” team. Beatty and Dunaway returned to present Best Picture the following year, this time with the right envelope.

When the 2014 Oscar nominees were announced, a lot of people noticed the lack of diversity, especially among the acting nominees. One of those individuals was April Reign, who launched the #OscarsSoWhite movement that same day. The hashtag returned the following year when the Academy once again overlooked numerous people of color. These weren’t isolated innocents. Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to win an Oscar, although she had to sit at a segregated table. Fast-forward more than 70 years, McDaniel is still among the select few people of color to win an Oscar. #OscarsSoWhite not only got many to evaluate the Academy’s membership - which was roughly 94% white and 77% male at the time - but also Hollywood’s diversity problem on the whole.



Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Matt Stone & Trey Parker Wearing Gwyneth Paltrow & J.Lo
The “Old Guard” Was Not Pleased


Björk’s Swan Dress
Well Now “I’ve Seen It All” - Hey, That’s the Name of the Song She Got Nominated For!


Robert Opel Goes Streaking
Hey, The Oscar Doesn’t Wear Any Clothes Either


Michael Moore Bowling for Controversy
What’s Next, A Documentary About George W. Bush? Oh Wait…



“Doctor Dolittle” Nominated For Best Picture
Pretty Much Proof That Members Can Be “Wined & Dined” Into Nominating Your Movie

Okay, not really, but come on, Academy. This is free publicity.

Screenwriter Dudley Nichols initially wouldn’t accept his Oscar for “The Informer” due to a SWG dispute. While Nichols eventually accepted the award, the same can’t be said about George C. Scott. The Best Actor winner didn’t believe in the competition, seeing it as a “detriment.” Of all the individuals who declined their Oscars, none was more infamous than Marlon Brando for “The Godfather.” While Brando accepted an Oscar years earlier for “On the Waterfront,” Sacheen Littlefeather took his place at the 1973 ceremony. She announced that Brando wouldn’t accept the award due to the “poor treatment of Native Americans in the film industry.” This moment would shine a much-needed spotlight on the standoff at Wounded Knee. However, the Academy subsequently became stricter with proxy acceptances.