EntertainmentukfilmOscarsWarren Beatty

Oscars 2017: PricewaterhouseCoopers Claim Responsibility For Best Film Gaffe, Admitting They Gave Out Wrong Envelope

'We are currently investigating how this could have happened, and deeply regret that this occurred.'
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Entertainment Editor, HuffPost UK

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PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting firm who tally the Oscar ballots, has admitted it is responsible for the almighty gaffe that saw ‘La La Land’ handed the gong for Best Picture. 

In a moment that has already gone down in the history of the Academy Awards, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway mistakenly announced ‘La La Land’ as the winner at Sunday (26 February) night’s ceremony, only for it to be revealed half way through their acceptance speech that ‘Moonlight’ had actually won. 

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'La La Land' was mistakenly handed the Oscar for Best Picture
Image Group LA via Getty Images

PwC has now issued a statement on the debacle, revealing they handed Warren and Faye the wrong envelope to present the award with. 

They also confirmed an investigation is currently underway to establish how the gaffe happened. 

They said: “We sincerely apologize to ‘Moonlight’, ‘La La Land’, Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, and Oscar viewers for the error that was made during the award announcement for Best Picture.

“The presenters had mistakenly been given the wrong category envelope and when discovered, was immediately corrected. We are currently investigating how this could have happened, and deeply regret that this occurred.”

They added: “We appreciate the grace with which the nominees, the Academy, ABC, and Jimmy Kimmel handled the situation.”

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There was a big commotion on stage as bosses tried to sort out the gaffe
Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

Warren made an attempt to explain what had happened while still on stage, telling the audience: “I want to tell you what happened. I opened the envelope and it said Emma Stone, ‘La La Land.’

“That’s why I took such a long look at Faye and at you. I wasn’t trying to be funny.”

After that monumental cock-up was sorted out, ‘Moonlight’ left the ceremony with three Academy Awards, including Best Film, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor.

Meanwhile, ‘La La Land’ went home with six gongs, including one for Damien Chazelle, who became the youngest ever recipient of Best Director gong, as well as Best Actress (Emma Stone), Best Musical Score, Best Song, Best Cinematography and Best Production Design.

Click here to see the full list of 2017 Oscar winners. 

Oscars 2017: All The Pictures From Inside The Ceremony
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Backstage - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Actress Viola Davis carries her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for "Fences". REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (credit:Lucas Jackson / Reuters)
(02 of28)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Jeff Bridges talks to Dev Patel. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Best Foreign Language Film The Salesman Asghar Farhadi (Iran) is accepted by a designated woman reading Farhadi's statement. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Viola Davis accepts the award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "Fences." REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Shirley Maclaine and Charlize Theron present the best foreign language film. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Dev Patel speaks to Andrew Garfield. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Kevin O�?Connell of "Hacksaw Ridge" reacts to winning the Oscar for Achievement in Sound Mixing. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Mark Rylance presents for Best Supporting Actress. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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Nominee for Best Supporting Actor in 'Lion' Dev Patel delivers a speech on stage at the 89th Oscars on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. / AFP / Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:MARK RALSTON via Getty Images)
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THE OSCARS(r) - The 89th Oscars(r) broadcasts live on Oscar(r) SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017, on the ABC Television Network. (Patrick Wymore/ABC via Getty Images)MEL GIBSON (credit:Image Group LA via Getty Images)
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THE OSCARS(r) - The 89th Oscars(r) broadcasts live on Oscar(r) SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017, on the ABC Television Network. (Patrick Wymore/ABC via Getty Images)JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE (credit:Image Group LA via Getty Images)
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US Actor Mahershala Ali delivers a speech on stage after he won the award for Best Supporting Actor in 'Moonlight' at the 89th Oscars on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. / AFP / Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:MARK RALSTON via Getty Images)
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THE OSCARS(r) - The 89th Oscars(r) broadcasts live on Oscar(r) SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017, on the ABC Television Network. (Patrick Wymore/ABC via Getty Images)JANELLE MONAE, KATHERINE JOHNSON, TARAJI P. HENSON, OCTAIVIA SPENCER (credit:Image Group LA via Getty Images)
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HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Musician Sting performs onstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) (credit:Kevin Winter via Getty Images)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Best Feature Documentary Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow for O.J: Made in America REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Red Carpet Arrivals - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Actor Mel Gobson and girlfriend Rosalind Ross REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni (credit:Mario Anzuoni / Reuters)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Jimmy Kimmel host. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson gestures. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Justin Timberlake sings in front of Halle Berry. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Hailee Steinfeld walks onstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) (credit:Kevin Winter via Getty Images)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Actor Dev Patel (L), actor Nicole Kidman and her husband Keith Urban. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show - Jimmy Kimmel host. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (credit:Lucy Nicholson / Reuters)
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THE OSCARS(r) - The 89th Oscars(r) broadcasts live on Oscar(r) SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017, on the ABC Television Network. (Eddy Chen/ABC via Getty Images)JORDAN HOROWITZ, WARREN BEATTY (credit:Image Group LA via Getty Images)
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THE OSCARS(r) - The 89th Oscars(r) broadcasts live on Oscar(r) SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017, on the ABC Television Network. (Eddy Chen/ABC via Getty Images)FAYE DUNAWAY, WARREN BEATTY (credit:Image Group LA via Getty Images)
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THE OSCARS(r) - The 89th Oscars(r) broadcasts live on Oscar(r) SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017, on the ABC Television Network. (Eddy Chen/ABC via Getty Images)JEREMY KLEINER (credit:Image Group LA via Getty Images)
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HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actor Dwayne Johnson onstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) (credit:Kevin Winter via Getty Images)
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HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: (L-R) Songwriters Justin Hurwitz, Justin Paul and Benj Pasek accept Best Original Song for 'City of Stars' from 'La La Land' onstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) (credit:Kevin Winter via Getty Images)
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HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actor Amy Adams poses backstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images) (credit:Christopher Polk via Getty Images)
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