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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Virginia Tech chapter.

With the Oscars having taken place two Sundays ago on March 27, there were a lot of talked about moments from that night, including ones that will most likely be talked about for a while. Below is a breakdown of the top five most talked about moments from this year’s Oscars.

Will Smith and Chris Rock 

Hands down the most talked about moment of the night was when Will Smith smacked Chris Rock in the face. The comedian — who was presenting the award for the Best Documentary — made the actor upset after making a joke about Jada Smith, Will Smith’s wife. Rock stated, “Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see ya.” Both the joke and smack have caused a lot of online debate over the past week.

Will Smith’s Oscar Win

Soon after the shocking event between Will Smith and Chris Rock, Smith won the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in the film King Richard. This is his first Oscar ever and in his acceptance speech he stated, “In this time in my life, at this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world … I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people.” His speech brought tears to his eyes, as well as those of many others.

Applause in ASL

Troy Kostur, a deaf actor and director, received an Oscar for his performance in CODA. As he walked on stage, the audience applauded him in American Sign Language. This was a top moment that moved both everyone in the live audience and those watching at home.

We Don’t Talk About Bruno Performance

The hit song from the film Encanto brought many people to their feet at the award ceremony. However, what shocked everyone the most was a surprise cameo by Megan Thee Stallion. The video can be watched here. 

Andrew Garfield, Zendaya and Nicole Kidman

Of course, the night couldn’t have ended without some memes coming from it. The internet works fast with finding funny photos from the ceremony and quickly making them viral sensations. The most noticeable ones include Andrew Garfield and Zendaya on their phones when the Chris Rock and Will Smith incident occurred. Along with this was a great photo showing Nicole Kidman, which many believe was her reaction to the same incident, but in reality, it was her reaction to seeing Jessica Castain according to Vulture. 

The Oscars is an award ceremony that always has its ups and downs, including moments of shock and awe. Now the real question is, what will be the big moments for the 2023 Oscars?

Kate Renz

Virginia Tech '22

Public relations major minoring in cinema. In my free time, I love to spend time with friends and watch movies!