Oscars 2017 Gaffe Sees Photo Of Living Woman Used During 'In Memoriam' Segment

The monumental cock-up that saw the wrong film awarded Best Picture may have dominated this year’s Oscars, but it wasn’t the only gaffe during the ceremony.

A photo of a living woman was accidentally used during Sunday (26 February) night’s ‘In Memoriam’ segment, where Hollywood legends who have died in the last 12 months are remembered.

Janet Patterson - an Australian costume designer and four-time Oscar nominee - was remembered in the montage, but producers mistakenly used an image of Jan Chapman, an Australian film producer who is still very much alive.

Jan said she was “devastated” about the gaffe, especially as she was great friends with the late Janet. 

In an email to Vanity Fair, she said: “I was devastated by the use of my image in place of my great friend and long-time collaborator Janet Patterson.

“I had urged her agency to check any photograph which might be used and understand that they were told that the Academy had it covered.

“Janet was a great beauty and four-time Oscar nominee and it is very disappointing that the error was not picked up.”

She added: “I am alive and well and an active producer.”

Janet, who passed away in October 2015, worked on films including ‘Portrait of a Lady’, ‘Oscar And Lucinda’, ‘Bright Star’ and ‘The Piano’, which she worked on with Jan. 

Jan’s other film credits include ‘Lantana’, ‘Holy Smoke’, and ‘The Last Days Of Chez Nous’. 

The ‘In Memoriam’ segment saw singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles tasked with performing a cover of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Both Sides Now’, as stars including Carrie Fisher and Gene Wilder were remembered. 

It was preceded by an introduction from Jennifer Aniston, who became emotional while paying tribute to Bill Paxton, who had died less than 24 hours before the ceremony.