What happened at the Oscars 2022 was nothing like anybody had expected, especially from somebody who is otherwise known for lighting up the room with his extra friendly and playful personality. But what transpired between Will Smith and Chris Rock was unfortunate. The incident, famously termed ‘Slapgate’, sent ripples among the audience attending the Academy Awards that night. Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia made the incident tougher to pick sides on who was completely wrong between the African American Hollywood actors. And netizens converted the shock into detailed analysis and memes of what happened, this one other particular incident gets often overlooked. 

The events that transpired were far worse than the night Smith both won an award for Best Actor for King Richard and faced a ban of 10 years for his assault on stage. Let us travel back to this year and see what went down. 

The fight against hostility: The politics in 1973

The year was 1973, and America was grappling with hostility towards minorities. Race being one of the biggest sources of the world’s biggest political manifestos, America was no stranger to it. And Godfather’s Marlon Brando decided to speak up against it at the Oscars. Sending a self-proclaimed Native American, Sacheen Littlefeather, to receive the award on his behalf, he had other plans in mind. Marlon instructed the actress to refuse the award and give a public statement. 

The report by CBR recalled how Littlefeather highlighted the unfair treatment of American Indians in the industry and addressed incidents like the Battle of Wounded Knee on stage.

The incident was not received very openly. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly actor Clint Eastwood mocked the speech and defended the Cowboys. His attitude was exactly what Brando was talking about, condemning white privilege and ignorance. 

Although the politics of this incident were stark opposite from the Smith-Rock incident, the speech was not where they put a full stop. Events took a turn for the worse and things became uglier. 

The way the event transpired further

The speech by the Reel Injun actress received physical retaliation from the Western movie actor John Wayne. Littlefeather claimed that she was defended from Wayne’s attack by six bodyguards. Later, more controversy bubbled up as the actress’ siblings announced that her Native American claim was an “ethnic fraud.” CBR also reported that the attack by Wayne was not confirmed. But fast forward to June 2022, David Reuben, the Academy President, issued an apology. Littleweather termed the apology a “dream come true,” before passing months later in October after a bout of cancer.

This incident left a mark in the history of the Oscars celebration, with the events transpiring way different from the Slapgate. While Will Smith saw many empathizers cum condemners, we remember his incident way differently than Brando’s.

What do you think about what happened at the 1973 Oscars? Comment below and let us know.