THE OSCARS

And the award for EPIC FAIL goes to... HOLLYWOOD IN LA LA LAND AFTER MIX-UP

THERE was confusion and controversy at the Oscars as Moonlight won the best picture prize after La La Land was mistakenly announced as the winner.

The producers of the musical were already concluding their speeches when it was revealed there had been a mix-up and Moonlight had in fact scored the top prize of the night.

Bonnie and Clyde stars Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway had announced La La Land had taken the best picture prize and the cast and crew had flooded the stage before producer Jordan Horowitz said: “There’s a mistake. Moonlight, you guys won best picture.

“This is no joke. I’m afraid they read the wrong thing. This is not a joke, Moonlight, you won best picture.”

Beatty returned to the microphone to say: “I want to tell you what happened I opened the envelope and it said Emma Stone, La La Land and that is why I took such a long look at Faye and at you.

“I wasn’t trying to be funny. This is Moonlight for best picture.”

Backstage, Stone said she had been holding her winners card in her hand at the time the best picture winner was announced.

The film’s director Barry Jenkins said: “Very clearly even in my dreams this can’t be true. But to hell with dreams because this is true. It’s true, it’s not fake.”

La La Land, which had scored a record-tying 14 nominations, ended up with just six wins, including best actress for Emma Stone and best director for Damien Chazelle, who is the young- est winner of the prize at 32.

Moonlight, which follows the life of a young black boy dealing with his sexuality, scooped three prizes.

The film’s producer Dede Gardner said: “I’m still not sure this is real. It’s very humbling to be up here and I hope it’s inspiring to little black boys and brown girls who feel marginalised. I hope they take some inspiration from seeing this beautiful group of artists.”

Viola Davis received a standing ovation and cheers as she won the best supporting actress Oscar for her role in Fences.

Davis, who has been nominated twice before for Doubt and The Help, had been the frontrunner for the prize all through awards season.

La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz corrects the confusion after Warren Beatty’s incorrect declaration

The cast of Moonlight crowd the stage to claim their prize - after a false announcement led to huge confusion and controversy

Leonardo di Caprio presented Emma Stone with her Oscar as best female lead in La La Land, while Casey Affleck was leading man for Manchester by the Sea