For past 97 years, the Oscars have been the most prestigious accolade that every artist wants to bag.
Every year, celebrities attend the Academy Awards with a wish to be seen and acknowledged for their art at the biggest Hollywood night.
While, the Oscars have witnessed some iconic moments of fashion history and emotional awards acceptance speeches over the years, they have also been the stage for unforgettable controversies and drama.
From a La La Land's envelope mix-up to Will Smith's shocking onstage slap, the controversies have kept the Academy Awards in the headlines till date.
Here is a look at the 6 biggest Oscar controversies fans still talk about
Will Smith’s shocking onstage slap to Chris Rock (2022)
In 2022, the 94th annual Academy Awards ceremony left everyone stunned when Will Smith slapped the host Chris Rock onstage.
It all started when Rock took the stage to introduce the award for Best Documentary, where he made a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head, which was due to a medical condition, alopecia.
"Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see ya,” he quipped.
However, the things quickly took a wild turn when Smith walked on to the stage and slapped him across the face.
"Keep my wife's name out your f---ing mouth!" Smith shouted to the stage after coming back to his seat.
The shocking incident led The Pursuit of Happyness actor to be banned from the Oscars for 10 years.
Angelina Jolie’s steamy smooch with her brother (2000)
Angelina Jolie once heated up the Oscars not with her then-husband Brad Pitt or any of her former flames, but with her brother, James Haven.
At the 72nd Academy Awards in 2000, the Maria actress made headlines when she shared a tender smooch with her older brother at the red carpet ahead of the ceremony.
Later in the ceremony, Angelia took the stage for an award acceptance speech for Girl, Interrupted, where she said, "I'm in shock, and I'm so in love with my brother right now.”
"He just held me and said he loved me and I know he's so happy for me, and thank you for that," she added at the time.
This sparked controversy and rumors of incest. However, Angelina later clarified in an interview with Vogue that the "in love" comment was just “an expression."
La La Land and Moonlight mix-up (2017)
In 2017, the Oscars' highest accolade of Best Picture was accidentally awarded to the wrong film.
The Bonnie and Clyde stars Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty were presenting the award but they were accidentally given the envelope for Best Actress, which had gone to Emma Stone for her role in La La Land.
Due to this mix-up, Beatty announced La La Land as the Best Picture winner.
However, things got cringey when Producer Jordan Horowitz was giving his acceptance speech and someone from backstage yelled, "Oh my God, it's not La La Land, it's Moonlight!"
The cast of Moonlight then stepped up to the stage and Horowitz gently passed off the award to director Barry Jenkins, who then gave the speech.
Robert Opel’s infamous nude Oscar appearance (1974)
In 1974, American photographer and gay rights activist Robert Opel left onlookers gobsmacked when he crashed the Oscars stage naked while host David Niven was introducing Elizabeth Taylor.
The Pink Panther actor burst into laughter as Robert flashed the audience and threw up a peace sign.
“Well, ladies and gentlemen, that was almost bound to happen. But isn't it fascinating to think that probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings?” David jokingly said to attendees.
Adrien Brody and Halle Berry onstage kiss (2003)
Another Oscars moment which kept the tongues wagging was Adrien Brody and Halle Berry’s famous onstage kiss in 2003.
At the 75th Academy Awards, Adrien passionately kissed Halle while accepting the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in The Pianist from her.
"I bet they didn't tell you that was in the gift bag," he joked.
Years later, Halle caught Adrien off guard when she suddenly kissed him on the red-carpet of the 97th Annual Academy Awards in 2025, recreating their famous moment.
John Cena's homage to Robert Opel (2024)
In 2024, John Cena appeared almost naked at the Oscars to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Robert Opel, who ran across the stage during the 1974 ceremony.
The American actor and professional wrestler walked onto the stage with nothing but the Costume Designer award envelope covering his lower half.
However, it was later revealed that John was wearing a nude-coloured brief to protect his modesty.
