Oscar History: Iconic Images–They Got the Wrong Envelope! Best Picture is “Moonlight,” not “La La Land” (2017)

They Got the Wrong Envelope! Moonlight, not La La Land (2017)

Standing in the wings, Los Angeles Times photographer Al Seib captured the astonished expressions of the front rows of Oscar attendees — among them Meryl Streep, Dwayne Johnson and Matt Damon — as well as Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and a slew of other luminaries when it became apparent that La La Land had not, in fact, won best picture (it was Moonlight), despite Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway’s announcement. It later was dicovered that the mistake was not the presenters’ but that of a distracted and starstruck PwC accountant, Brian Cullinan.

Al Seib captured the astonished expressions of the front rows of Oscar attendees — among them Meryl Streep, Dwayne Johnson and Matt Damon — as well as Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and other luminaries when it became apparent that La La Land had not won best picture (it was Moonlight!), despite Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway’s announcement. The mistake was not the presenters’ but that of distracted accountant, Brian Cullinan.

My Oscar Book:

Oscar History: Iconic Images–They Got the Wrong Envelope! Best Picture is “Moonlight,” not “La La Land” (2017)

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