The Audience Reaction to the Best Picture Mix-Up Is the Only Oscars Moment You Need to See

You can't make this stuff up.

By Seija Rankin Feb 27, 2017 5:57 AMTags

You couldn't make this stuff up even if you tried.

In what is possibly one of the most bizarre endings to the Academy Awards in history, the wrong Best Picture winner was announced. Halfway through the speeches for La La Land, the producers announced that the winner was in fact Moonlight. Yes, we know, it's crazy. It's awkward. It's so absurd we all must be dreaming. 

And those are the exact thoughts of everyone in the audience at the Dolby Theatre tonight. As it was all going down on stage, Hollywood's biggest stars were simply stunned. The camera panned back and forth between all the stars as they processed what was happening, showing faces that we can only describe as "agape." 

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Ever the most expressive woman in the room, Taraji P. Henson seemed to personify exactly what everyone was feeling. She had her phone out recording the whole thing, and was practically screaming alongside Hidden Figures costar Octavia Spencer

While Octavia could do nothing more than shake her head. 

John Legend, who was onstage with the rest of his La La Land crew, was just leaning over everyone trying to figure out what the heck is going on. 

This is the 'I'm trying to process all of this' face that truly needs no other description. 

Jimmy Kimmel, ever the honest guy, said the only thing he could come up with. 

Then he tried apologizing, even though he wasn't sure what he was apologizing for. 

Once everything was worked out and the correct winners were brought onstage to accept the award that was actually theirs, Moonlight director Berry Jenkins exclaimed that he felt like he was in a dream, which is pretty much what the rest of us are feeling, too. 

Janelle Monae showed that she was convinced that Moonlight was going to win the whole time, and for that she wins the Stoicism Award.