Oscars 2017: La La Land, Moonlight Win Big After Major Gaffe

The cast and creative team behind La La Land had taken the stage and begun giving their acceptance speeches when the error came to light.

African-American Steve Harvey went into the books in December 2015 when he hosted the annual Miss Universe pageant. He mistakenly announced Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutiérrez, as Miss Universe 2015. The Family Feud host then came back on stage and corrected the error, giving the crown to the real winner, Miss Philippines, Pia Wurtzbach, as stunned contestants and audiences looked on.

Anyway, Oscars did a Steve Harvey correction.

The La La Land stars, clearly embarrassed, handed over the statuettes and vacated the stage.

“I wanted to tell you what happened. I opened the envelope and it said, ‘Emma Stone, La La Land.’ That’s why I took such a long look at Faye and at you. I wasn’t trying to be funny,” Beatty said, stepping up to the microphone and insisting he had been given Stone’s Best Actress envelope instead of the Best Picture notice.

Holding up another card, he read, “This is Moonlight, the Best Picture.”

Writer-director Barry Jenkins, who earlier won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, then accepted the night’s biggest award.

“Very clearly, even in my dreams, this could not be true. But to hell with dreams. I’m done with it because this is true,” Jenkins said. “Oh, my goodness!”

The film also earned the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Mahershala Ali.

Before the more than 3-hour-long ceremony closed, Jenkins praised the La La Land family he had gotten to know on the awards circuit this season.

“I have to say — and it is true, it’s not fake — we’ve been on the road with these guys for so long and that was so gracious and so generous of them. My love to La La Land. My love to everybody,” the filmmaker concluded.

Despite the night’s awkward ending, La La Land still earned numerous accolades with the 32-year-old man who helmed it, Damien Chazelle, becoming the youngest filmmaker in history to win the Best Director Oscar.

The feel-good flick also picked up the prizes for Best Production Design, Cinematography, Original Score and Original Song for “City of Stars.”

Chazelle first thanked his fellow nominees, as well as stars Stone and her co-star Ryan Gosling.

“I want to thank my family — my parents are in the crowd, my sister Anna — thank you for always believing in me. And finally, I want to thank Olivia, my love, sitting there,” he continued. “This was a movie about love, and I was lucky enough to fall in love while making it. And it means the world to me that you’re here sharing this with me. Thank you. Thank you so much.”

In accepting her own trophy, Stone told Chazelle she appreciated what she called a “once-in-a-lifetime” role.

“I’m so grateful to have been involved in this film. And thank you for your faith and your patience and such a wonderful experience,” she said. “And Ryan Gosling, thank you for making me laugh and for always raising the bar, and for being the greatest partner on this crazy adventure. To our whole crew, everyone that put their heart and souls into this film, I’m gonna find you all individually and I’m gonna thank you, along with my friends who I love so much — I’m gonna hug the hell out of you when the feeling re-enters my body. I still have a lot of growing and learning and work to do, and this guy is a really beautiful symbol to continue on that journey, and I’m so grateful for that.”

The Best Actor honor went to Casey Affleck for the family drama Manchester by the Sea, which won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for writer-director Kenneth Lonergan, as well.

“That means so much to me,” Affleck said as the crowd applauded and he scooped up his prize.

“One of the first people who taught me how to act was Denzel Washington and I just met him tonight for the first time, thank you. And to all the other nominees for your great work, I’m proud to be in your company. You guys are very brave and I admire what you do. I’m only here, really, because of all the talents and good will of so many people, they’re impossible to name. But most of all, Kenneth Lonergan, who made this part and without this part and without his writing, I wouldn’t be here for sure. And he directed it. … Thank you also to Matt Damon for creating this opportunity. … Of course, my mother and my father, for mostly, usually, believing in me, in doing this. Ben, I love you, you ain’t heavy. Thank you all very much, appreciate it.”

Viola Davis won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in Fences.

“O, captain, my captain, Denzel Washington. Thank you for putting two entities in the driving seat: August and God. And they served you well,” Davis said to her director and co-star in the screen adaptation of August Wilson’s classic, stage drama.

Davis and Washington previously won Tony Awards when they starred in the play version of Fences.

The Salesman won for Best Foreign Language Film, O.J.: Made in America was deemed Best Documentary Feature and The White Helmets was declared Best Documentary Short.

The Best Animated Feature title was bestowed on Zootopia and the Best Animated Short statuette went to the team behind Piper.

Here’s the complete list of 2017 Oscar winners:

Picture
Moonlight

Director
Damien Chazelle, La La Land

Actor in a Leading Role
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

Actress in a Leading Role
Emma Stone, La La Land

Actor in a Supporting Role
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Actress in a Supporting Role
Viola Davis, Fences

Original Screenplay
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea

Adapted Screenplay
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

Cinematography
La La Land

Documentary Feature
OJ: Made in America

Documentary Short
The White Helmets

Live-Action Short
Sing

Foreign-Language Film
The Salesman, Iran

Animated Feature Film
Zootopia

Animated Short Film
Piper

Original Score
La La Land

Original Song
“City of Stars,” La La Land

Production Design
La La Land

Visual Effects
The Jungle Book

Costume Design
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Makeup and Hairstyling
Suicide Squad

Film Editing
Hacksaw Ridge

Sound Editing
Sylvain Bellemare, Arrival

Sound Mixing
Hacksaw Ridge

(NAN)