Arts & Entertainment
‘Moonlight’ is first LGBT film to win Best Picture after ‘La La Land’ mix-up
PricewaterhouseCoopers apologizes for critical mistake
After the biggest mistake in Academy Awards history “Moonlight” won Best Picture, making it the first LGBT film to win the category, after a surprise mix-up that initially gave its awards show rival “La La Land” the honor.
Presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, who were reunited on stage in honor of the 50th anniversary of their film “Bonnie and Clyde,” announced the winner at the end of the more than three-hour long ceremony. Beatty opened the envelope and after checking the envelope twice, causing the crowd to chuckle, handed it over to Dunaway who announced “La La Land.”
While the cast and crew of “La La Land’ began giving their acceptance speeches, a stage hand could be seen running out to check the envelopes. “La La Land” producer Jordan Horowitz then took the correct piece of paper from Beatty’s hands and declared to the “Moonlight” cast, “You guys won Best Picture. This is not a joke.”
Beatty explained to the crowd that when he double-checked the envelope he wasn’t trying to be funny but was confused when he saw Emma Stone and “La La Land” written on the paper.
“I blame myself,” Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the 89th annual Academy Awards, joked to the crowd.
“Very clearly, very clearly, even in my dreams, this could not be true,” Jenkins said after the “La La Land” team left the stage and “Moonlight” finally received its recognition. “āBut to hell with dreams, Iām done with it, because this is true.”
I’m dead at this whole thing ?? #Oscars pic.twitter.com/3qN7Z9zdNL
ā Funny Vines (@FunnyVines) February 27, 2017
U.K.-based accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, which has handled the Oscars’ ballot-counting for 83 years and manages “all aspects” of the voting process, apologized in a statement, CNN reports.
“We sincerely apologize to ‘Moonlight,’ ‘La La Land,’ Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, and Oscar viewers for the error that was made during the award announcement for Best Picture,” the statement reads. “The presenters had mistakenly been given the wrong category envelope and when discovered, was immediately corrected. We are currently investigating how this could have happened, and deeply regret that this occurred.”
“Moonlight” already had a decent winning streak from earlier in the night. Barry Jenkins received Best Adapted Screenplay along withĀ Tarell Alvin McCraney, who penned the screenplay “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue,” for which the film’s script was based. Mahershala Ali also won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Juan making him the first Muslim actor to win an Academy Award.
Other big winners of the night included Best Actor for Casey Affleck’s role in “Manchester by the Sea,” who beat out Ryan Gosling for “La La Land.” Gosling’s co-star Emma Stone took home a golden statue instead for Best Actress.Ā Damien Chazelle also won Best Director for “La La Land” making him the youngest director to win the award at age 32.
Iranian film “The Salesman” won for Best Foreign Film but its director Asghar Farhadi was not present at the ceremony. Farhadi’s opted out of appearing at the show in protest of President Donald Trump’s immigration ban.
For a complete list of winners, visit here.
Best Picture: āMoonlightā
Best Director:Ā Damien Chazelle for āLa La Landā
Best Actor: Casey Affleck for āManchester by the Seaā
Best Actress: Emma Stone for āLa La Landā
Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala AliĀ for āMoonlightā
Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis for āFencesā
Best Adapted Screenplay: āMoonlightā byĀ Barry Jenkins, Tarell Alvin McCraney
Best Original Screenplay: āManchester by the Seaā byĀ Kenneth Lonergan
Best Cinematography: Linus SandgrenĀ for āLa La Landā
Best Foreign Language Film: āThe Salesmanā
Best Animated Feature: āZootopiaā
Best Documentary Feature: āO.J.: Made in Americaā
Best Original Song: “City of Stars” by Justin Hurwitz
Best Original Score: āLa La Landā by Justin Hurwitz
Out & About
Blade Summer Kickoff Party returns to Rehoboth
Politicians slated to speak at annual Blue Moon party
The Washington Bladeās 17th annual Summer Kickoff Party returns Friday, May 17, 5-7 p.m. at the Blue Moon (35 Baltimore Ave.) in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Itās an exciting election year in Delaware, which is poised to elect its first Black woman senator (Lisa Blunt Rochester) and the nationās first transgender member of Congress (Sarah McBride).
McBride is scheduled to speak at the party along with several politicos from the area. With the retirement of longtime state Rep. Peter C. Schwartzkopf, a staunch LGBTQ ally, three strong contenders are running to replace him. All three ā Marty Rendon, Kathy McGuiness, and Claire Snyder-Hall ā are slated to speak at the party. A representative from Blunt Rochesterās campaign is scheduled to speak, along with Kim Leisey, the new executive director of CAMP Rehoboth.
Tax-deductible tickets are $20 and available on Eventbrite or via the Bladeās Facebook page. The party is sponsored by Justin Noble of Sothebyās, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Blue Moon.
Andy Cohen, executive producer of āThe Real Housewivesā franchise and host of āWatch What Happens Live,ā will return to Sixth & I on Wednesday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m.
This event will be his fifth appearance at the venue to celebrate the paperback release of his New York Times bestselling memoir, āThe Daddy Diaries,ā talk about the latest Housewives happenings, and answer audience questions about everyone’s favorite Bravolebrities.
Cohen will be in conversation with Rep. Robert Garcia, who represents California and is the first LGBTQ immigrant to win a congressional seat. Rep. Garcia has also been known to quote from āThe Real Housewivesā in congressional hearings.
Tickets start at $12 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
āHerses- Purse Frist Extravaganzaā will be on Friday, May 3 at 9 p.m. at 1835 14th St. N.W. This will be an evening of dancing and performances, hosted by HAUS of Bambi Award-winning Performance Artist, BUMPER. Refreshments are also available for purchase.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.