5 biggest Oscar moments, from historic to shocking

Steven Spielberg presents Martin Scorsese his Best Director Oscar in 2007.

From Will Smith smacking Chris Rock in the face to the Moonlight-La La Land Best Picture mix-up and Martin Scorsese's first Oscar, the Academy Award ceremonies have produced many extraordinary moments over the years. Ahead of this year's event on March 13, here is a recap of five of them.

1) Sidney Poitier's Oscar

In 1963, Sidney Poitier became the first-ever Black actor to win the Best Actor Oscar -- a defining moment in the career of one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Poitier won for his lead role in Lilies Of The Field. 

2) Martin Scorsese win Best Director

The iconic director of films like Taxi Driver and Goodfellas finally won an Oscar in 2007, after being nominated in the Best Director category five times. What made the moment even more memorable was that he received the award from Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas.

Scorsese won that year for The Departed.

3) Marlon Brando refuses Oscar

The Godfather star sent Native American actor and activist Sacheen Littlefeather to decline the Best Actor Award on his behalf in 1973. His refusal of the award was a protest against Hollywood's treatment of Native American artistes.

Racist attitudes were on display that day too as Littlefeather was booed off stage at the ceremony and offered no apology for the mistreatment. It was only decades later -- in August, 2022, less than a month before her death -- that the Academy offered her an apology.

4) La La Land...no, Moonlight!

In 2017, presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty mistakenly announced La La Land as the Best Picture winner, instead of Moonlight. They wrongly read out from the envelope that mentioned La La Land star Emma Stone as Best Actress.

Watch the chaotic moment below:

5) Will Smith slaps Chris Rock

Actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscar awards, angered by the jokes about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith. The slap overshadowed the whole ceremony, even Smith's Best Actor win, and resulted in him being banned from the Academy Awards for 10 years.

The incident has led to the Academy setting up a crisis team to handle any unexpected events at this year's ceremony.

Also read: 

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