Top 6 Unexpected Wins in Academy Awards History

Sixth for our unexpected wins Academy Awards history has brought viewers is centered around Driving Miss Daisy. Losing in the best director category, the comedy snags the coveted best picture award over several contenders, including a Vietnam War drama, a coming-of-age period piece, and a biopic based on a memoir. The film chronicles a woman’s journey being chauffeured over 25 years and managed to win in three other categories, including best actress.

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Our next selection for unexpected wins, Academy Awards fans were shocked at the 2017 ceremony when a mistake appeared during the best picture announcement. Most believed that La La Land would claim the prize, and that was the case. Well, at least at first. Faye Dunaway accidentally read the card for best actress instead of best picture, which actually belonged to the LGBTQ drama Moonlight. The mistake was quickly fixed, and Moonlight got their award, but the mess up made headlines and remains once of the most unforgettable moments in Oscars history.

Fourth on our list of unexpected wins Academy Awards, guests were surprised by the result of the 2003 Best Actor recipient. While Adrien Brody’s performance as a Holocaust survivor in The Pianist was unforgettable, the win was unexpected due to his competition. This included heavyweights like Jack Nicholson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Michael Caine, and Nicholas Cage. The film continued to shock that night with wins for best director and adapted screenplay.

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Entering the top three unexpected wins Academy Awards, celebrities and fans were shell-shocked in 2006 when the Best Picture award was given to Crash instead of the widely acclaimed Brokeback Mountain. The sting of Brokeback’s loss is still palpable today, especially since it paved the way in the realm of LGBTQ cinema and the later hit Moonlight. It also underscored biases held by conservative members of the Academy due to the film’s thematic elements.

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Second on our list of unexpected wins in Academy Awards history was when Olivia Colman grabbed the Best Actress award over Glenn Close from her performance in The Favourite. Colman’s win was a delightful surprise, though many insiders anticipated the veteran actress would finally get her long-deserved trophy. Her performance as eccentric Queen Anne captivated viewers, and the win was even more remarkable because The Favourite lost out on all nine of its other nominations.

Last but not least, on our list of unexpected wins Academy Awards fans consider this one of the biggest upsets in Oscar history. In 1998, Shakespeare in Love and Saving Private Ryan were both nominated for best picture. Despite critical acclaim, Saving Private Ryan fell short, and the romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love snagged the award. The film by John Madden also pulled off a major upset in the best supporting actress category, with Judi Dench winning over presumed favorite Lynn Redgrave in Gods and Monsters.

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