Hollywood’s biggest night doesn’t always have drama, but social media can spin stories whenever something seems off. This year’s Oscars was seemingly free of any beef, but many online users are asking what happened between Michelle Yeoh and Emma Stone on stage. After Michelle, 61, announced that Emma, 35, had won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, some viewers thought that the Everything Everywhere All at Once star snubbed each other Poor Things actress. Others even assumed that both Jennifer Lawrence and Emma were rude to Michelle.
As Emma approached the stage, she pointed to the back of her dress, indicating that it had ripped. The other Oscar winners on stage — which included Jennifer, 33, and Michelle — congratulated Emma. Michelle, who was holding the golden statuette, appeared to give the trophy to Emma but then attempted to hand it off to Jennifer. Jennifer then hugged Emma before the La La Land actress delivered her acceptance speech.
The lady at the corner is stopping Jennifer Lawrence from snatching the trophy from Michelle Yeoh. Yet it has to be a white woman awarding the #Oscar to another white woman. Emma Stone drags the trophy so that she can get it from Jennifer.
Very odd #racist scene. pic.twitter.com/CP90ulBMr9— 할망덕이 (@justhalmi) March 11, 2024
The exchange didn’t last more than a few seconds, but audiences are still wondering whether Michelle and Emma have a problem with each other.
“Still, that doesn’t even out the fact that Oscar is so white and Emma Stone ignored Michelle Yeoh on the stage when accepting the award,” one X user tweeted after the show, adding, “You call it ‘class’ and ‘maturity’ too? Lol [sic].”
Fortunately, the rumors are completely baseless, as Michelle clarified in an Instagram post following the awards ceremony.
“Congratulations Emma!!” the Crazy Rich Asians actress wrote via Instagram, alongside a carousel of photos taken from the stage. “I confused you, but I wanted to share that glorious moment of handing over Oscar to you together with your best friend Jennifer!! She reminded me of my bae Jamie Lee Curtis. always there for each other!!”
During the 2023 Oscars, Michelle won the Best Actress award for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once. She and Jamie, 65, both starred in the film that won for Best Picture last year. They developed a close friendship, which viewers noticed.
The annual awards show garners attention from a wide range of audiences, some of which wonder if any attendees could strike up some drama. The most memorable issue occurred during the March 2022 ceremony when Will Smith clapped Chris Rock for making a joke about Will’s wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith.