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In a shocking twist, it was Moonlight that shone on Oscar nigh.: Barry Jenkins’ powerful coming-of-age story has won Best Picture after La La Land was mistakenly named the night’s big winner by presenter Warren Beatty, who’d been handed the wrong upset.
Damien Chazelle’s La La Land had been expected to win Best Picture — and came in with 14 nominations, tied for the most ever, to Moonlight‘s eight — but Moonlight ultimately walked away with the top prize.
The organisers of the 89th Academy Awards were left red-faced after ‘La La Land’ was mistakenly announced as Best Motion Picture instead of ‘Moonlight’.
After the cast and crew from ‘La La Land’ went up to accept the honour, ‘La La land’ producer Jordan Horowitz interrupted and said the rightful winner of the award was the film ‘Moonlight’.
“There’s been a mistake. Moonlight won,” he said.
Beatty explained afterwards that he was handed the wrongful card, and he was given the card for Best Actress instead (which went to Emma Stone).
“I want to tell you what happened,” Beatty said, retaking the stage. “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.”
After the Moonlight cast took the stage, host Jimmy Kimmel told the shocked crowd at the Dolby Theatre, “Well I don’t know what happened. I blame myself for this. Let’s remember, it’s just an awards show.”
See below for the exact moment.
Based on Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue and adapted for the screen by him and Jenkins, Moonlight unfolds over three chapters in the life of a young, gay black man growing up in a rough Miami neighbourhood.
A version of this article originally appeared on PEOPLE.com
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