The Biggest Upsets in Cinema History
Uncover the most shocking victories, unexpected snubs, and legendary upsets that shocked the film industry and movie fans worldwide.
Shakespeare in Love over Saving Private Ryan
What Happened: The lighthearted romantic period comedy Shakespeare in Love snatched the Best Picture trophy away from Steven Spielberg’s monumental war epic Saving Private Ryan.
Why It Happened: Miramax launched an aggressive, expensive Oscar campaign led by Harvey Weinstein, combined with late-breaking voter fatigue toward Spielberg’s gritty opening war sequences.
When It Happened: March 21, 1999 (71st Academy Awards).
La La Land vs. Moonlight (Best Picture Mix-up)
What Happened: La La Land was mistakenly announced as the Best Picture winner, and the producers even gave their acceptance speeches before the crew realized and corrected it live on stage, giving the award to Moonlight.
Why It Happened: Presenter Faye Dunaway was handed the wrong envelope (Best Actress in a Leading Role for Emma Stone instead of Best Picture) by mistake backstage, leading to the most infamous live television blunder in Oscar history.
When It Happened: February 26, 2017 (89th Academy Awards).
Crash over Brokeback Mountain (Best Picture Upset)
What Happened: The small-scale social drama Crash won the Oscar for Best Picture, defeating Ang Lee’s frontrunner romantic drama Brokeback Mountain.
Why It Happened: Many Academy voters, historically leaning older and more conservative at the time, were reportedly hesitant to embrace a groundbreaking frontier romance, while Crash dealt with direct, topical social issues inside Los Angeles.
When It Happened: March 5, 2006 (78th Academy Awards).
Citizen Kane Losing Best Picture to How Green Was My Valley
What Happened: Orson Welles’ revolutionary masterpiece Citizen Kane—widely regarded today as the greatest film ever made—lost the Best Picture award to John Ford’s family drama How Green Was My Valley.
Why It Happened: William Randolph Hearst (the powerful newspaper tycoon on whom Kane was heavily based) launched a massive campaign to suppress and smear the film, while Hollywood studios heavily resented the young Welles.
When It Happened: February 26, 1942 (14th Academy Awards).
Parasite Winning Best Picture over 1917 and The Irishman
What Happened: Bong Joon-ho’s South Korean dark comedy thriller Parasite made history by becoming the first non-English-language film to win Best Picture, upsetting major Hollywood favorites like 1917.
Why It Happened: The film achieved unprecedented critical adoration, perfectly captured modern class anxieties, and caught a wave of momentum as the preferential voting system favored films universally loved across all branches of the Academy.
When It Happened: February 9, 2020 (92nd Academy Awards).
Martin Scorsese Losing Best Director to Robert Redford (Ordinary People vs. Raging Bull)
What Happened: Martin Scorsese’s gritty masterpiece Raging Bull was heavily favored, but first-time director Robert Redford took home the Best Director Oscar for his family drama Ordinary People.
Why It Happened: The Academy was often cautious regarding dark, violent character studies like Raging Bull, while Redford was a beloved Hollywood icon stepping successfully behind the camera.
When It Happened: March 31, 1981 (53rd Academy Awards).
Rocky Beating Taxi Driver and All the President's Men for Best Picture
What Happened: The low-budget boxing underdog story Rocky pulled off a massive upset against critically acclaimed gritty masterpieces of the 1970s like Taxi Driver and All the President’s Men.
Why It Happened: America was in the mood for an uplifting, patriotic, feel-good narrative right around the country’s bicentennial, making Sylvester Stallone’s emotional sports drama impossible to ignore.
When It Happened: March 28, 1977 (49th Academy Awards).
Roberto Benigni Winning Best Actor over Tom Hanks and Ian McKellen
What Happened: Italian actor/director Roberto Benigni won the Best Actor Oscar for Life Is Beautiful, beating heavy frontrunners like Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan) and Ian McKellen (Gods and Monsters).
Why It Happened: Benigni’s effervescent, deeply emotional, and joyful campaigning style charmed voters, combined with the massive international affection for his Holocaust tragicomedy.
When It Happened: March 21, 1999 (71st Academy Awards).
Coda Winning Best Picture over The Power of the Dog
What Happened: The crowd-pleasing indie drama CODA surged late in the voting season to snatch the Best Picture prize away from Jane Campion’s frontrunning psychological western The Power of the Dog.
Why It Happened: While The Power of the Dog led in nominations early on, some voters found it emotionally cold, whereas CODA offered immense heart, powerful representation of the deaf community, and broad emotional resonance.
When It Happened: March 27, 2024 (94th Academy Awards).
Marisa Tomei Winning Best Supporting Actress (My Cousin Vinny)
What Happened: Relative newcomer Marisa Tomei won Best Supporting Actress for a broad comedy performance in My Cousin Vinny, beating established dramatic veterans like Vanessa Redgrave and Judy Davis.
Why It Happened: A persistent Hollywood urban legend claimed presenter Jack Palance read the wrong name off the card, though it was later confirmed she legitimately won due to her incredible comic timing and breakout popularity.
When It Happened: March 29, 1993 (65th Academy Awards).
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