The Oscars: 10 Times Kisses, Falls, and Jolie's Leg Stole the Show
A look back at the 10 most memorable moments in Oscars history.
Dream Couple
Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford became one of the most beautiful couples in the history of Academy Awards, appearing on the red carpet hand in hand in 1991 — it was their first public appearance as a couple. For the event, Cindy chose a scarlet Versace gown with incredible cleavage that comes on top of the list of Oscars' best outfits.
Jennifer Lawrence's Downfall
In 2012, Jennifer Lawrence won the Best Actress award for her role in Silver Linings Playbook, in which she starred alongside Bradley Cooper. But the reception of the coveted Oscar statuette wasn't too smooth: the actress tripped over the hem of her dress and fell.
Legendary Rejection
Marlon Brando won the Best Actor award in 1973 for his role in The Godfather — but sent a Native American civil rights activist to the stage to decline it on his behalf. This was the actor's protest against Hollywood's portrayal of Native American peoples in film.
Kissing on Stage
One of the most romantic, beautiful, and unexpected surprises took place at the 2003 Awards night.
When Adrien Brody climbed the stage to receive his award for Best Actor in The Pianist, he planted a passionate kiss on Halle Berry, who was presenting him with the statuette.
Over the Seats with Joy
When Roberto Benigni heard his name called out for the Best Foreign Film award at the 1999 Oscars, he was just over the moon with happiness. The director of Life is Beautiful, starring Sophia Loren in the lead, rushed onto the stage, jumping over the audience's seats.
Youngest Laureate
Tatum O'Neal was the youngest Oscar winner: the 10-year-old actress received the Best Supporting Actress award in 1974. Her award-winning role was in Paper Moon, where she starred with her father Ryan O'Neal, another famous actor.
Posthumous Oscar
In 2009, Heath Ledger's family came to accept their son's award for Best Supporting Actor. Ledger's Oscar came for his performance in The Dark Knight. The actor, aged 28, died shortly before the ceremony.
Controversial Award
In 1969, Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn each received 3030 votes from the jury. It was Hepburn's 11th Oscar nomination and she wasn't present at the ceremony, so the award went to Barbra for her role in The Lion in Winter. Streisand was also remembered for her legendary see-through pantsuit, one of the first revealing outfits in the Oscars' history.
Gay Protest
The 1974 Academy Awards ceremony was marked by Robert Opel's nude streak across the stage. Just as Elizabeth Taylor was about to present the award for Best Film, the gay activist crossed the stage completely naked to manifest support for sexual minorities. Opel wasn't arrested, and his appearance at the Oscars became a landmark event for the gay community.
Angelina Jolie's Leg
For the 2012 Oscars, Angelina Jolie wore a stunning Versace velvet dress, which turned the actress (or, more precisely, her leg) into one of the most viral internet memes. Because of the gown's unusual slit, Jolie's leg seemed to have a life of its own — causing the imagination of hundreds of Internet users to go wild and create hundreds of Photoshop jokes.