‘Moonlight’ nabs first Oscar, Trump and Streep center stage

The wrong envelope fiasco stirred memories of Australia’s Next Top Model 2010 and Miss Universe 2015.

“We deeply regret the mistakes that were made during the presentation of the Best Picture category during last night’s Oscar ceremony”. They announced La La Land was Best Picture and the makers of that film came on stage to accept the statues. Ellen DeGeneres’ 2014 stint as host still holds the highest ratings for an Oscars broadcast in the 21st century, with 43.74 million viewers tuning in.

PricewaterhouseCoopers accountant Brian Cullinan – who tweeted a picture of Best Actress victor Emma Stone moments before he gave the card to Beatty – had been instructed not to use social media during the Academy Awards, People reported.

Director Barry Jenkins said he was “speechless” after his movie “Moonlight” was announced as the victor of best picture on Sunday night, following an unprecedented moment in Oscars history. But it was then revealed they had been given the wrong envelope to open – one naming Emma Stone as best actress – and that Moonlight had actually won the night’s biggest prize.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the famous accountancy firm that has overseen the counting of the Oscars ballots for 83 years, apologized on Monday for the announcement of the wrong best picture victor.

Beatty explained to the crowd that when he double-checked the envelope he wasn’t trying to be amusing but was confused when he saw Emma Stone and “La La Land” written on the paper.

Some fans immediately pointed fingers at DiCaprio, listing revenge against the Academy as motive.

But even Kimmel couldn’t keep the show from approaching the four-hour mark thanks to special featurettes, Matt Damon jokes and song performances.

Declining to speak out further on the debacle, Beatty said: “I feel it would be more appropriate for the president of the Academy, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, to publicly clarify what happened as soon as possible”. “We spent a lot of time together in the last six months and I can’t imagine being in their position and having to do that”.

Since that day, the pair have jokingly sparred back and forth, keeping up the myth of the feud. It took away from the glamour of the Oscars. Affleck truly seemed surprised to beat out the likes of Denzel Washington (“Fences”) and Ryan Gosling (“La La Land”).

The Journal also quoted a person familiar with the matter saying that Cullinan was turned down when he had sought permission to post to social media during the show.

Could it have been Gosling that sabotaged Moonlight? From his controversial travel ban being protested by award winners to Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel taunting the president through tweets.

Accountancy firm PwC has already apologised and accepted the blame.