Oscars 2025: 5 Biggest Controversial Moments in Academy Awards History; From Jimmy Kimmel’s Blunder to Adrien Brody Kissing Halle Berry

From Marlon Brando’s 1973 protest to the La La Land-Moonlight Best Picture mix-up, here are five of the most controversial moments in Academy Awards history.

Written by Ipshita Chakraborty , Entertainment Journalist

Updated on Mar 01, 2025 | 01:41 PM IST | 7.3K

CC: Getty Images

The Academy Awards is Hollywood's biggest night, but it's far from flawless. As Oscars 2025 approaches, let's revisit the 5 most hilarious or outrageous controversies that have stolen the spotlight from the awards show over the years.

From Marlon Brando's 1973 protest by rejecting an Oscar to Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone's La La Land momentarily stealing Moonlight's Best Picture award, there have been more than enough controversies that shake Oscars history.

Here are 5 biggest controversial moments in Academy Awards history

1. Will Smith slapping Chris Rock for a bad joke

In 2022, Will Smith was on the verge of career victory with a Best Actor nomination for King Richard. But his victory was marred by host Chris Rock joking about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith and her recently announced illness. Smith lost it and smacked Rock hard in the face, saying, "Keep my wife's name out of your f---ing mouth!"

The confrontation led to Smith's 10-year Oscar ban, fueling endless arguments, memes, and continued mentions in pop culture.

2. Marlon Brando refusing an Oscar to protest

Marlon Brando in 1973 declined his Oscar for The Godfather, having activist Sacheen Littlefeather decline it on his behalf in protest of the treatment of Native Americans by Hollywood. She was booed and went on to state that John Wayne tried to take her off stage.

The Academy apologized many years later, although her heritage was subsequently called into question. Littlefeather passed away in 2022 after receiving the apology but the gag is that her own sister reportedly called her a 'fraud' and exposed her true heritage, which is Spanish and not Native American.

3. The kissing Jolie siblings

Angelina Jolie was making headlines in 2000 when she received the Best Supporting Actress award for a weird reason. During the ceremony, Jolie professed her affection for her brother, James Haven, by kissing him on the lips on camera.

The incident sparked rumors and quickly went viral even before social media was a thing. However, it was later explained as innocent sibling love.

4. Adrien Brody sweeping award presenter Halle Berry up

During the 2003 Oscars, Adrien Brody kissed Halle Berry while accepting Best Actor for The Pianist. She acknowledged in hindsight that she was caught by surprise but pretended to go with it at the time.

In 2017, Berry said on Watch What Happens Live that at that moment she remembered "the feeling of being out of your body," adding that she "just f---ing went with it."

5. La La Land vs Moonlight: Best Picture chaos

The 2017 Best Picture gaffe turned into one of the largest mistakes in Oscar history. Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the event later explained what really went down. Bonnie and Clyde's Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway were mistakenly given the incorrect envelope, declaring La La Land the winner over Moonlight.

The correction occurred halfway through their acceptance speech, leaving viewers aghast. La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz announced on stage, "There's been a mistake. Moonlight, you guys won Best Picture. This is not a joke."

These were some of the biggest Oscar controversy. The 97th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on March 2, 2025.