Yahoo News Oscars 2017: La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz hailed ‘a gentleman’ for ‘graceful’ Moonlight handover in Best Picture mix-up
La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz has been hailed ‘a gentleman’ for the way he handled one of the most awkward Oscar gaffes in recent memory.
Horowitz was the first person on the stage to acknowledge that Moonlight had won Best Picture when the award was mistakenly given to La La Land.
“Guys, I’m sorry, no – there’s a mistake,” he said, rushing towards the microphone.
“Moonlight, you guys won Best Picture.
“This is not a joke, come up. This is not a joke, Moonlight has won Best Picture. Moonlight. Best Picture.”
Viewers praised the way Horowitz cleared up the confusion and quickly announced the real winner, with screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith hailing his ‘dignity and grace’.
Actress Jessica Chastain also praised Horowitz on Twitter as a ‘class act’ after the air had cleared.
Not to be overlooked -- @jehorowitz just handled a complete train wreck with dignity and grace on the biggest stage in the world.
— Seth Grahame-Smith (@sethgs) February 27, 2017
You are a real class act @jehorowitz #Oscars
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) February 27, 2017
The La La Land producer who had to announce that Moonlight won best Picture is Jordan Horowitz. What a gentleman.
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) February 27, 2017
Such grace in the midst of confusion from LA LA LAND's @jehorowitz. #Oscars
— Cameron Bailey (@cameron_tiff) February 27, 2017
Huge shoutout to the lovely @jehorowitz, producer of La La Land, for correcting that guff with grace.
— Alicia Malone (@aliciamalone) February 27, 2017
Warren Beatty, who presented the Best Picture award, somehow ended up with the Best Actress in a Leading Role envelope in his hand, which featured Emma Stone as the winner for La La Land.
Speaking in the press room after the ceremony, Moonlight director Barry Jenkins said he has had 'no explanation' for the confusion.
“I will say, I saw two cards, and so things just happen," he said. "I wanted to see the card, to see the card, and Warren refused to show the card to anybody before he showed it to me. And so he did.
“He came upstairs and he walked over to me, and he showed the card. Everyone was asking, ‘Can I see the card?’ And he was like, ‘No, Barry Jenkins has to see the card, I need him to know.’ And I felt better about what had happened.”
Emma Stone has claimed that she was holding her Best Actress card the ‘entire time’ during the Best Picture gaffe – lending further confusion to the incident.
