Venturing through the 95-year legacy of the Oscars, that glam fiesta of movie magic, we find ourselves stepping not just on red carpets but also into some eyebrow-raising controversies. Picture the uproar when Will Smith’s slap took center stage in 2022, or recall the quirky Björk’s egg-ceptional moment at the 2001 Oscars. Ever since the curtain first rose at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in 1929, the Oscars have become an annual global spectacle, rife with scandals. All of this continues, despite the Academy’s valiant attempts at rule updates for fairness and transparency.

With the glittering gala on the horizon, let us rewind through the years and revisit the juicy scandals and controversies that have added an extra layer of drama and mystery to the Oscars saga.

#OscarsSoWhite (2015  -2016)

Once upon a tweet on social media, April Reign stirred a digital storm with the birth of #OscarsSoWhite. The spark? A sea of ivory in the acting nominations at the Academy Awards, setting the stage for a digital revolution. Yet, this virtual tempest waited a year for its grand awakening. When the 2016 Oscars echoed the same diversity void, #OscarsSoWhite erupted into a viral sensation. This turned the Academy’s ivory tower into a scrutiny battleground. An alarming 92 percent of nominations were white.

In this epic saga, Hollywood heroes like Spike Lee, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Lupita Nyong’o took center stage, advocating for boycotts and demanding a broader spectrum of tales to be celebrated. Even President Barack Obama donned the cape of change, echoing the importance of inclusive storytelling. It was not just about crafting better art and entertainment; it was about knitting the threads of a united American family. This movement forced the Academy into a soul-searching journey, reevaluating its membership program and voting rituals.

La La Land vs. Moonlight Best Picture mix-up (2017)

The 2017 Oscars were a glitzy, star-studded affair with all the makings of a blockbuster. The grand finale, the Best Picture reveal, starred none other than Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, ready to drop the cinematic bombshell. However, in a plot twist that no one saw coming, Beatty, looking more puzzled than a detective in a noir thriller, accidentally handed Dunaway the wrong envelope. The ensuing chaos was like a scene from a comedy of errors as Dunaway declared La La Land the winner. This created a spectacle that momentarily eclipsed the real champion, Moonlight.

As the La La Land crew basked in the almost-victory glow, pandemonium erupted with the shocking revelation that Moonlight was the true victor. The mix-up, involving an accidental swap of Best Actress envelopes, added a touch of irony to the unfolding Hollywood drama. The ensuing microphone tug-of-war between Moonlight’s deserving winners, La La Land’s producer Jordan Horowitz, and the night’s host, Jimmy Kimmel, turned this Oscar moment into an unforgettable moment.

Kevin Hart’s hosting controversy (2018)

In the Oscar hosting rollercoaster starring Kevin Hart and directed by Ellen DeGeneres, the plot took an unexpected twist. Picture this: Kevin Hart, initially ready to commandeer the Oscars stage in 2019, found himself dodging virtual tomatoes over past homophobic jokes. The uproar led to a dramatic exit in late 2018, with Hart bowing out to ensure the limelight stayed firmly on the celebration of artistic brilliance.

Enter Ellen DeGeneres, the seasoned hostess and a close pal of Hart’s, attempting a Hollywood-worthy plot twist. In a candid on-screen chat, she urged Hart to reconsider, labeling the online critics as a “tiny but loud group“. It was a showdown of wits, portraying both DeGeneres and Hart as leading characters in a saga brimming with accountability, personal growth, and the all-too-familiar influence of social media “trolls.”

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock incident (2022)

The 2022 Oscars proved that even the most legendary award ceremonies cannot escape the allure of dramatic plot twists. Chris Rock, the fearless host, inadvertently ignited a firestorm with a quip about Jada Pinkett Smith’s battle with Alopecia. The air crackled with tension, setting the stage for an unforeseen protagonist – Will Smith. In a cinematic moment, he delivered a resounding slap that echoed through the Dolby Theatre, initially mistaken for scripted theatrics but soon revealing the raw authenticity of the situation.

Amidst gasps and uncertain laughter, the triumphant win of Summer of Soul in the Best Documentary Feature category got lost in the unfolding drama. Smith’s subsequent victory as Best Actor added layers to the unfolding narrative. His emotional acceptance speech painted a thematic masterpiece of protection and love, mirroring the soul of his winning film, King Richard. However, the story did not end there – the Academy dropped a bombshell, slapping Smith with a 10-year ban.

James Franco’s #MeToo Backlash (2018)

The Oscars threw us a curveball in 2018. James Franco, the leading man in The Disaster Artist, found himself MIA on the Best Actor nominee list. Well, it seemed there was more drama behind the scenes. There were allegations of Franco’s misconduct with five women, including his former acting students.

The #MeToo movement seemed to have RSVP’d at the Oscars. Franco, sporting a Time’s Up pin at the Golden Globes, tried to play it cool. However, the Academy’s decision added a twist to the ongoing saga.

Can you list any other controversies? Share in the comments below.