Oscar’s history of controversy influences new rules for the 2026 edition and generates debate in the industry
The 98th edition of Oscar is scheduled to take place on March 15, 2026, once again occupying Dolby Theatre in This year’s ceremony promises to not only celebrate the best films released in 2025, but also serves as a reflection of the social and technological transformations that are putting pressure on Academia of Artes and Ciências Cinematográficas to review their protocols and eligibility criteria. Especialistas industry players and movie stars are cautiously awaiting the event, aware that the awards show has a history of incidents that have shaped the current rules, from political protests on stage to embarrassing technical errors that have entered pop culture. The event organizers reinforced security and transparency measures, trying to prevent new unforeseen events from overshadowing the shine of the golden statuettes.
Expectations for the gala night are high, especially with the introduction of stricter guidelines on promotional campaigns and the use of new technology in competing productions. The current scenario is a direct result of decades of heated debates about representation, professional ethics and the integrity of the competition.
As nominees prepare for the red carpet, backstage is buzzing with discussions about how the awards show’s tumultuous past continues to dictate the behavior of studios and artists. The story of Oscar proves that, often, what happens outside the planned script ends up having a more lasting cultural impact than the winners of the night themselves.
Activism and historical refusal
One of the most emblematic moments that defined the relationship between politics and entertainment occurred in 1973, when Marlon Brando won the Melhor Ator award for his performance in “O Poderoso Chefão”. Instead of going on stage to receive the statuette, the actor sent activist Sacheen Littlefeather, who declined the award on his behalf as a form of protest against the representation of Native Americans in cinema and television.
The attitude generated a mixture of boos and applause in the audience, marking the ceremony as a potential space for social demands, something that Academia tried to regulate in the following decades. The Littlefeather incident remains a reference point on the limits of political speech during global television broadcasting.
Aggressive campaigns and lobbying changes
The 1999 ceremony is often cited as the year that marketing campaigns for Oscar changed forever, turning the race for statuettes into an intense and costly public relations battle. The victory of “Shakespeare Apaixonado” over the favorite “The Resgate of Soldado Ryan” was attributed to aggressive lobbying orchestrated by producer
This episode forced Academia to implement stricter rules on how studios can interact with voters, limiting parties and lavish gifts. The impact of that year reverberates to this day, with each awards cycle being closely monitored to ensure that artistic merit prevails over the financial power of promotional campaigns.
Technical errors and diversity issues
The organization’s credibility was put to the test in 2017 during the award announcement for Melhor Filme, when “La La Land” was incorrectly declared the winner in place of “Moonlight”. The confusion, caused by the wrong envelope being given to presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, resulted in an embarrassing live correction and a complete review of the responsible audit’s security protocols.
Two years earlier, in 2015, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite dominated social media after the revelation of a list of nominees in the acting categories made up exclusively of white people. The lack of diversity led to massive protests and boycotts, putting pressure on Academia to diversify its guest membership roster.
These events catalyzed a profound internal restructuring, with inclusion goals that aim to expand gender and ethnic representation among voters. The institution’s response has been an ongoing process of adaptation to better reflect global demographics and the variety of talent in the industry.
The legacy of these errors and omissions serves as a constant reminder of the need for vigilance, both in the technical aspects of the show’s production and in the social values that the awards show projects to the world.
Conflicts on stage and presenters
Physical violence invaded the ceremony in 2022, when Will Smith took the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock after a joke about the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The incident shocked a global audience and resulted in Smith being banned from Academia events for a decade, as well as establishing a zero-tolerance policy for assault.
Previously, in 2019, the ceremony faced problems with the choice of host, when Kevin Hart resigned from his post after old tweets considered offensive resurfaced. The situation left the event without a main presenter, forcing a format change that prioritized a rotation of celebrities to announce the categories.
In 2023, Jimmy Kimmel has attempted to address the residual tension of previous years with humor, but Academia remains cautious in the selection of its spokespeople. Safety and decorum have become absolute priorities to avoid any repetition of behavior that diverts the focus from the cinematic celebration.
Current ethical and technological challenges
For the 2026 edition, new controversies emerged involving production ethics and the use of artificial intelligence, topics that dominate behind-the-scenes conversations. The film “Marty Além In addition, the production “Emilia Pérez” brought up discussions about trans representation, with criticism focused on the casting and the authenticity of the narratives presented. Academia finds itself, once again, in the position of cultural arbiter, needing to define clear boundaries about what constitutes human art and how to protect workers’ rights in an increasingly digitalized and politicized environment.
These contemporary issues ensure that Oscar remains a relevant stage not just for glamour, but for debate about the future of cinema.
