The Oscars have given us plenty of culture-shifting moments—some that made us stand up with pride, and others that had us squinting at the screen like, “Now why would they do that?” From Halle Berry’s tearful win to Will Smith’s unforgettable slap, these Oscars moments had audiences celebrating one second and side-eyeing the next!
Halle Berry Made History—And We Felt That
At the 2002 Oscars, Halle Berry delivered one of the most emotional speeches the ceremony has ever seen after winning Best Actress for ‘Monster’s Ball.’ She became the first Black woman ever to win the category, and the room felt the weight of that moment as she dedicated the win to women of color everywhere trying to break through in Hollywood. The pride? Absolutely unmatched. But the side-eye? Also very real. Because more than two decades later, Berry still stands as the only Black woman to take home that specific award at the Oscars. A groundbreaking moment that was supposed to open doors… yet somehow the hallway still looks pretty empty.
The Night Will Smith Slapped The Internet Into Silence
The 2022 Oscars gave us a moment nobody saw coming. While presenting, host Chris Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, referencing ‘G.I. Jane.’ Jada—who has been open about living with Alopecia—was clearly not amused. Moments later, Will Smith walked onstage and slapped Rock in front of millions of viewers before returning to his seat and shouting, “Keep my wife’s name out your f*ing mouth!” Rock tried to keep things moving, calling it “the greatest night in the history of television,” while the audience sat stunned. And in a twist nobody could’ve scripted, Smith won Best Actor about 40 minutes later for King Richard. One minute the Oscars were celebrating a career milestone… the next minute the entire internet was arguing about it for the next year.
#1
When Moonlight Won Like “Oh, You Thought?”
The 2017 Oscars gave us what might be the most chaotic Best Picture moment in Academy history. Presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway accidentally announced La La Land as the winner—only for producers to realize the envelope was wrong. While the ‘La La Land’ team was mid-speech, producer Jordan Horowitz stepped in to reveal the real winner: ‘Moonlight.’ The room froze, the internet exploded, and the cast of ‘Moonlight’ walked up to accept their moment in the most awkward correction ever broadcast live. It was historic for a deeply personal Black coming-of-age story to win Best Picture—but the messy reveal had folks watching like, “Now why y’all do that to them?” Even Jay-Z later referenced the moment in his music. The culture never forgot.
#2
Three 6 Mafia Turned The Oscars All The Way Up
Back in 2006, hip-hop kicked down the Oscars’ front door when Memphis legends Three 6 Mafia won Best Original Song for ‘It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp’ from the film ‘Hustle & Flow.’ Watching the group run to the stage in disbelief felt like seeing the hood win in real time. The Oscars crowd looked a little stunned, but the culture was celebrating hard. Their speech was raw, joyful, and completely unfiltered—exactly the kind of energy the usually buttoned-up ceremony rarely sees. And let’s be real… nearly two decades later, that song title still hits different. Especially in this economy.
#3
Spike Lee Tells The Oscars Clock To Relax
When Spike Lee won Best Adapted Screenplay for ‘BlacKkKlansman’ in 2019, he made sure the moment stayed very… Spike. Dressed in a purple suit honoring Prince, he celebrated by literally jumping into the arms of presenter Samuel L. Jackson before hitting the mic. But things got extra real when Lee noticed the speech timer creeping in. His first words—bleeped on the broadcast—reportedly told producers not to turn on that “motherf—— clock.” Honestly? The internet kind of loved it. Because if anyone earned the right to take their time at the Oscars, it was the filmmaker who had been shaping the culture for decades.
#4
The Year “I’m Rooting For Everybody Black” Was The Mood
The 2019 Oscars felt like a full-on cultural moment. That year, seven Black winners took home awards—setting a record and making timelines everywhere light up with celebration. Among the standouts: Regina King won for ‘If Beale Street Could Talk,’ while Mahershala Ali added another trophy to his collection for ‘Green Book.’ Spike Lee finally earned his first competitive Oscar for co-writing ‘BlacKkKlansman,’ alongside Kevin Willmott. Behind the scenes of Wakanda’s brilliance, Hannah Beachler and Ruth E. Carter made history with their wins for ‘Black Panther.’ And over in animation, Peter Ramsey helped bring home Best Animated Feature for ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.’ For one night at least, the Oscars stage looked a lot more like the culture.
