Al Pacino’s Blunder and Emma Stone’s Dress Mishap: The Most Awkward Moments at the Oscars 2024

• The 96th Academy Awards, held at the Dolby Theatre, was a night of cinematic celebration marked by “Oppenheimer” sweeping the Best Picture award and notable wins in the acting categories.
• However, the Oscars were not without their share of awkward moments, with Al Pacino’s unconventional presentation of the Best Picture award and Emma Stone’s dress mishap during her Best Actress acceptance.
• These unexpected events, alongside Messi the Dog’s surprise appearance and Vanessa Hudgens’ unexpected announcement, added a memorable spontaneity to the evening’s proceedings.

On March 10, 2024, the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood was abuzz with the excitement of the 96th Academy Awards. This annual event, which honors films released in the previous year, is a highlight of the Hollywood calendar and a celebration of cinematic achievement.

The night was filled with the usual mix of anticipation, joy, and surprise as awards were handed out in various categories. The big winner of the night was “Oppenheimer,” which took home the coveted Best Picture award. The film’s cast and crew were recognized for their outstanding work.

In the acting categories, Cillian Murphy won the Best Actor award for his role in “Oppenheimer,” while Emma Stone was named Best Actress for her performance in “Poor Things.” Robert Downey Jr. and Da’Vine Joy Randolph took home the awards for Best Supporting Actor and Actress, respectively, for their roles in “Oppenheimer” and “The Holdovers.”

Certainly, the Oscars are more than just a ceremony for award distribution. They’re also about the spontaneous, unscripted moments that occur amidst the ceremony – the unexpected incidents, the surprises, and yes, the awkward moments. This year, two episodes particularly caught the public’s attention: Al Pacino’s faux pas and Emma Stone’s wardrobe malfunction.

Al Pacino, a seasoned actor and a familiar face at the Oscars, was tasked with presenting the Best Picture award. Veering from the traditional script of listing all the nominees or saying the customary “And the Oscar goes to,” Pacino took a different approach. He simply stated, “Here it comes,” before slowly opening the envelope.

The audience held its breath as he announced, “And my eyes see ‘Oppenheimer,'” leaving the room in a moment of suspense. The subsequent applause was somewhat restrained, as the audience was uncertain if Pacino had just declared the winner of the night’s most prestigious award.

The 83-year-old actor, confirmed, “Yes, yes,” referring to “Oppenheimer,” the film that was the frontrunner for Best Picture and ultimately clinched a night-best seven awards.

As the celebratory music started playing and cheers erupted from the crowd, the camera panned to Christopher Nolan, the film’s director, and Emma Thomas, one of its producers, as they rose and proceeded to the stage.

After the ceremony, Bill Kramer, the chief executive of the academy, expressed his satisfaction with Pacino’s performance, stating, “Everything went beautifully. He was just having fun up there.” Fans also had their say on the matter.

One fan defended Pacino, saying, “He’s the Godfather, he can do whatever he wants.” Another fan humorously suggested, “Al Pacino is so old, he should be running for president.” Yet another fan empathized with Pacino, writing, “Al Pacino is 83 years old with an infant, leave him alone. Y’all knew he was tired, why would you schedule him as the last presenter? [sic]”

Besides Al Pacino’s unexpected announcement style, another incident that caught the audience’s attention involved Best Actress winner Emma Stone. Just as she was about to ascend the stage to receive her award for her performance in “Poor Things,” she encountered a wardrobe malfunction. Stone seemed to mouth “My dress is broken” as she made her way to the stage.

The malfunction appeared to be a broken zipper or seam on the back of her custom Louis Vuitton gown. Stone, ever the professional, acknowledged the mishap during her acceptance speech. She speculated that the incident might have occurred during her enthusiastic dance moves while Ryan Gosling performed his song “I’m Just Ken” from the “Barbie” movie.

Backstage, Stone shared that she had been fully immersed in Gosling’s performance, which she found mind-blowing. Thankfully, the wardrobe issue was quickly resolved. “They sewed me back in, which was wonderful,” Stone revealed.

Before the hiccup, the two-time Oscar winner had dazzled the red carpet outside the venue in her custom strapless Vuitton look, featuring a flared peplum waist and shell-like detailing. The actor was dressed by top fashion and celebrity stylist Petra Flannery. Actress, Jennifer Lawrence, with other former winners assisted Stone off-stage after the incident.

Another unexpected moment of the night was the appearance of a four-legged guest. Messi the Dog, the breakout star of Justine Triet’s French court drama, “Anatomy of a Fall,” had made the journey from France to Los Angeles to be part of the Academy Awards.

Despite initial rumors of his absence, Messi was spotted enjoying the event from a prime seat near the stage during Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue. Messi’s presence quickly stirred excitement among the attendees. Messi became an internet sensation after the Oscars nominees luncheon earlier in February. A video of Ryan Gosling acknowledging Messi went viral after the event.

Gosling was seen waving and complimenting the canine star in the clip. Kimmel, the host for the night, added to the humor by joking about Robert Downey Jr.’s role in “The Shaggy Dog” and suggested Messi for a role if a remake were to happen.

The camera then showed Messi, comfortably seated and enjoying the event. Messi was again seen applauding when Downey took the stage to accept his Best Supporting Actor award.

Adding to the list of memorable moments at the Oscars was the arrival of Gosling, not with his wife, Eva Mendes, but with his sister, Mandi Gosling. This sparked curiosity among the attendees and viewers alike. Gosling, who has often spoken about his closeness to his sister, once said, “I think like a girl, I think.”

This statement was in response to a question about his childhood, which was spent mostly in the company of his mother and sister after his parents divorced. Gosling was home-schooled for a year due to bullying at school, which was a result of his early TV success. This period of his life meant an even greater female presence around him.

Gosling has often credited his upbringing for shaping his perspective. He said, “I was literally raised by my mother and my sister. And I just feel like I wouldn’t know how to think any other way.” He described his sister as his best friend and hero growing up. His home-schooling experience and his involvement in ballet, which was predominantly attended by girls, further influenced his thinking.

Another highlight of the Oscars 2024 was the radiant Vanessa Hudgens, who used the occasion to announce her pregnancy. The actress, glowing with joy, showcased her baby bump as she walked the red carpet. Dressed in a floor-length black turtleneck dress adorned with silver jewelry, Hudgens was the picture of elegance.

Her hair was styled into a high ponytail, and she posed with her hands over her abdomen, drawing attention to her baby bump. She later graced the Vanity Fair red carpet in a sheer black dress that further highlighted her pregnancy. Hudgens is married to Cole Tucker, a professional baseball player and entrepreneur. The couple tied the knot on December 2, 2023.

In another memorable moment from the night, Cillian Murphy won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of nuclear physicist J Robert Oppenheimer in the film “Oppenheimer.” This marked his first win in this category. His wife, Yvonne McGuinness, and their two sons were there to support him.

During his acceptance speech, Murphy acknowledged his wife, referring to her as his “partner in life.” The Oscars 2024 was indeed a night filled with unexpected moments and memorable highlights. These incidents, even the most awkward, added an element of unpredictability and entertainment to the event, making it an Oscars to remember.