Oscars 2023: 9 viral moments from Academy Awards you will never forget

The Oscars is the biggest and the most prestigious film awards in Hollywood. Cinema from all around the world gets recognition and international stars take the centre stage at the night celebrating motion pictures and film technicians. Ahead of Oscars 2023, here is a look back at some of the most viral moments from the 94-year-long history of the Academy Awards. 

The unforgettable Oscars moments include moving speeches, the infamous slapgate, on-stage mishaps and more. 

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock for joking about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith

Chris Rock and Will Smith gave us the most viral Oscars moment in the history of the awards ceremony. After Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith's bald head, the Bad Boys star walked up to the stage and slapped him. Smith currently stands banned from the Oscars and Rock has released a stand-up special titled Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, addressing the assault.

When Eminem gave a surprise performance at Oscars

The American rapper surprised fans during the 2020 ceremony. After his song Lose Yourself played from his 2002 film 8 Mile, the rapper joined took the stage without anyone expecting him and gave a breathtaking performance.

The Best Picture mix up

At the Oscars 2017, when La La Land, Moonlight and other films were nominated, presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announced the Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone starrer to be the winner for the Best Picture. When the La La Land cast was on the stage and started with their acceptance speech, it was revealed that Moonlight was the actual winner and that there had been a mix up.

Patricia Arquette gives a moving speech on Hollywood pay disparity

Patricia Arquette won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Richard Linklater's film Boyhood. After she thanked the cast and crew of the film, she addressed the pay disparity in Hollywood. She said, "To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation: We have fought for everybody else’s equal rights. It’s our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America!”

Jennifer Lawrence falls down on stage

Actor Jennifer Lawrence stumbled on the stage as she was making her way up to accept the Oscar award. After getting up, she said, "You guys are just standing up ’cause you feel bad that I fell, and that’s really embarrassing, but thank you.”

Rebel Wilson and James Corden don their Cats costumes

James Corden and Rebel Wilson wore the costumes from their film Cats and referrred to the backlash the CGI of the film received. “As cast members for the motion picture Cats, nobody more than us understands the importance of good visual effects,” said Wilson. 

Joaquin Phoenix speaks out against the dairy industry after Oscar win

After Joaquin Phoenix won the Best Actor award for Joker, he used the Oscars stage to criticise the dairy industry. Phoenix said, “We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable. Then we take her milk that’s intended for her calf and we put it in our coffee and our cereal.” 

Marlon Brando declines his Oscar for The Godfather

Marlon Brando played the role of Vito Corleone in The Godfather and his iconic performance earned him an Oscar. However, civil rights activist Sacheen Littlefeather took the stage instead and shared that Brando has rejected the award for the treatment of American Indians by the film industry.

When Oscars selfie broke the internet

At the 2014 Oscars, host Ellen DeGeneres clicked a selfie with Hollywood's biggest stars and the image went viral in no time. It is one of the best moments in the history of Academy Awards.