It was one of the most awkward moments in the history of the Oscars, of television, in entertainment, heck maybe in American history.

And somehow Warren Beatty, Hollywood害羞草研究所檚 ultimate smooth leading man, was at the centre of it.

The producers of 害羞草研究所淟a La Land害羞草研究所� were nearly done with their acceptance speeches for Best Picture, the Oscar broadcast害羞草研究所檚 credits sequence about to roll, when a stir of whispers began on stage. Moments later 害羞草研究所淟a La Land害羞草研究所� producer Jordan Horowitz returned to the microphone and said 害羞草研究所淢oonlight won Best Picture害羞草研究所� and insisting that 害羞草研究所渢his is not a joke.害羞草研究所�

The collective jaw of the crowd at the Dolby Theatre 害羞草研究所� and of America 害羞草研究所� remained dropped long after they became convinced it was no joke, but what academy historians later called an apparently unprecedented Oscar error.

Beatty returned to the mic and amid silence, explained that he had opened the envelope and he was confused when it read 害羞草研究所淓mma Stone, La La Land.害羞草研究所� He had shown it to co-presenter Faye Dunaway briefly, as though he wanted her to read it, which she did, apparently assuming the Emma Stone part was off but the 害羞草研究所淟a La害羞草研究所� part correct.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 one of the strangest things that害羞草研究所檚 ever happened to me,害羞草研究所� Beatty said backstage. 害羞草研究所淭hank God there were two of us up there,害羞草研究所� Dunaway responded.

The actress then asked Beatty, 害羞草研究所淲ho else should I tell?害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淓verybody,害羞草研究所� he said.

At that point, a security guard tried to take the real envelope and Beatty said, 害羞草研究所淪ecurity is not getting this. I害羞草研究所檓 giving it to (Moonlight director) Barry Jenkins at a later time.害羞草研究所� Beatty also refused to show it to anyone else.

ABC News, tweeting about the ceremony broadcast on its network, said the envelope held by Beatty read, 害羞草研究所淎ctress in a leading role.害羞草研究所� A close-up photo of Beatty onstage verified that.

The mistake was being investigated by the academy, which had no immediate comment Sunday.

PwC, formerly known as Price Waterhouse Coopers, is the accounting firm that counts votes and provides winner envelopes for the Oscars and has done so for more than 80 years.

When the firm害羞草研究所檚 representatives realized the mistake, they raced onstage to right it, but too late, officials told The Associated Press.

The result was a bizarre scene with the entire cast of both movies standing together on stage exchanging sympathetic awkward stares and hugs.

The crowd had to rouse itself from its stunned stupor to try to give 害羞草研究所淢oonlight害羞草研究所� its just due for winning the big award. And as the credits rolled, usually bringing sweet relief after a long night, people appeared hesitant to leave in their disbelief.

害羞草研究所淚t made a very special feeling even more special, but not in the way I expected,害羞草研究所� a bemused Jenkins, co-writer and director of 害羞草研究所淢oonlight,害羞草研究所� said backstage.

害羞草研究所淭he folks at 害羞草研究所楲a La Land害羞草研究所� were so gracious,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 imagine being in their position and having to do that.害羞草研究所�

Filmmaker Kenneth Lonergan, who won a best screenplay award for 害羞草研究所淢anchester by the Sea,害羞草研究所� cracked wise backstage: 害羞草研究所淚t turns out that we actually won best picture, which we害羞草研究所檙e really happy about,害羞草研究所� he said.

The ceremony害羞草研究所檚 chaotic scene immediately raced to the top of all-time Oscar moments, far more stunning than the nude man who raced across the stage in 1974 as part of the 害羞草研究所渟treaking害羞草研究所� fad.

And it immediately evoked Steve Harvey害羞草研究所檚 recent gaffe of naming the wrong Miss Universe winner.

The Miss Universe Twitter account quickly let the Oscars know they felt their pain.

害羞草研究所淗ave your people call our people, we know what to do,害羞草研究所� the tweet read.

That was the beginning of a Tweet pile-on that may be the biggest of all time, with many declaring that 害羞草研究所淟a La Land害羞草研究所� won the popular vote while 害羞草研究所淢oonlight害羞草研究所� won the electoral college.

But this stage, and this audience, were far, far bigger and are likely to last far, far longer in collective memory.

害羞草研究所榃e thought it was a joke害羞草研究所�: Canadian winner for Arrival

Montreal sound editor Sylvain Bellemare has an epic memory to accompany his Oscar win for 害羞草研究所淎rrival.害羞草研究所�

The Canadian was still in the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night as Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway wrongly announced 害羞草研究所淟a La Land害羞草研究所� as best picture. Bellemare said it was 害羞草研究所渁ll very embarrassing害羞草研究所� as producers scrambled on stage to reveal that 害羞草研究所淢oonlight害羞草研究所� was the true winner.

害羞草研究所淚t was astonishing for like 15, 20 seconds. I think we thought it was a joke and no, it was real,害羞草研究所� Bellemare said by phone from Los Angeles after the show had ended.

害羞草研究所淏ut yet people were really happy I think because 害羞草研究所楳oonlight害羞草研究所� is a fantastic film that deserves so much,害羞草研究所� he added.

害羞草研究所満π卟菅芯克鶚La La Land害羞草研究所� is a great film, too, but it already has a lot of love and box office since it started and having 害羞草研究所楳oonlight害羞草研究所� triumph, it害羞草研究所檚 perfect.害羞草研究所�

The accounting firm PwC, which oversees the counting of the Oscar ballots, said early Monday that Beatty and Dunaway had been given the wrong envelope.

Bellemare said 害羞草研究所渁t the end, things went as they were supposed to be.

害羞草研究所淚t was a weird feeling害羞草研究所�. It was something awkward but those things happen and at the end, at least we got the real winner onstage.害羞草研究所�

Bellemare won the Oscar for best sound editor in a field that also included teams from 害羞草研究所淒eepwater Horizon,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淗acksaw Ridge,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淟a La Land害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淪ully.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 had a good handshake by Ryan Gosling when I went to the stage,害羞草研究所� he said, adding that his thoughts were with 害羞草研究所淎rrival害羞草研究所� director Denis Villeneuve and everyone else who worked on the film.

害羞草研究所淭here are so many people behind this prize. It害羞草研究所檚 a collective prize and I was so proud for them and for us.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淎rrival害羞草研究所� stars Amy Adams as a linguistics expert who tries to communicate with aliens that have landed in 12 pods on Earth.

Jeremy Renner plays theoretical physicist Ian in the Quebec-shot film, which also stars Forest Whitaker as a military leader.