While Conan O’Brien expertly balanced sass with respect for the Academy and its actors, his hosting still received more than a few “yikes” from global viewers. His opening monologue, featuring a bizarre bit where he clawed his way out of Demi Moore’s skin suit in reference to The Substance, left my jaw firmly planted in the ninth circle of hell. Realising he had forgotten his shoe, he proceeded to rummage through Demi Moore’s endless chasm. The gag was obscene, unnecessary, and left me wishing he had better “respected the balance”.
This uncomfortable start to the Oscars set the tone for what would be a disappointing ceremony, not just due to the numerous snubs (Cynthia and Ariana deserved better!), but also the sheer number of cringeworthy, awkward, and downright difficult-to-watch moments that unfolded throughout the night.
During his monologue, O’Brien quipped, “Little fact for you: Anora uses the F-word 479 times. That’s three more than the record set by Karla Sofia Gascón’s publicist—‘You tweeted what?!’” This was a direct poke at the resurfaced controversial tweets by Gascón, which included comments on Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Academy Awards. It was an uncomfortable reminder of the ongoing discourse surrounding the actress.
Another Emilia Perez-related misstep occurred when French composer duo Clément Ducol and Camille won Best Original Song for El Mal. Already an unfavourable win given the film’s surrounding controversy, the moment was made even more awkward when Camille unexpectedly broke into song during their acceptance speech, a final reminder of how undeserved the win had been.
The villain of the Oscars goes to Adrien Brody in his incredibly unlikeable role of terrible boyfriend with the most egregious speech. Upon winning Best Actor, Brody casually tossed his used gum at his girlfriend, Georgina Chapman, before heading to the stage. Despite promising to “keep it brief,” he continued a seven-minute speech delivered at what felt like 0.5x speed. Once the “wrap-it-up” music began to play, he pleaded for it to stop, smugly declaring, “This isn’t my first rodeo.” The moment reeked of entitlement and highlighted a stark contrast between Brody and the other, more gracious winners.
Brody also found himself on the receiving end of an unexpected kiss from Halle Berry. The moment called back to the 2003 Oscars, when Brody infamously kissed Berry without her consent after winning Best Actor for The Pianist, leaving her visibly stunned. This time, Berry returned the uninvited favour, sparking debate over whether it was a bold act of retribution or just another uncomfortable Oscars moment.
Despite the awkward stunts, jokes, and uncomfortable-to-watch moments, the 2025 Oscars remained an incredible celebration of the talented actors, crew, and staff who worked tirelessly to bring this year’s films to life. With that said, these “yikes moments” only added to the spectacle, giving the global audience plenty to talk about.
“1988 Academy Awards, view from my balcony seat” by Alan Light is licensed under CC BY 2.0.