Well, we can’t all be winners. Mel Gibson and Denzel Washington looked none too pleased about their respective losses at the 2017 Oscars on Sunday, February 26, at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre. Watch their reactions in the video above!
When Gibson, 61 — who was nominated for Best Director for Hacksaw Ridge, lost the award to La La Land’s Damien Chazelle — the actor-director visibly eye-rolled. Naturally, Gibson’s shady response inspired social media users to sound off on Twitter.
“The only good thing about Damien Chazelle winning is it looks like Mel Gibson is crying so that’s good,” one tweeter noted, while another wrote: “Whoa. Mel Gibson. Sore loser much???”
Many were uncomfortable with the idea of Gibson — who won Best Director in 1996 for Braveheart — being nominated this year given his controversial past. Gibson was caught making anti-Semitic remarks on tape in 2006 and pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery in 2011 for hitting his ex-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, among other troubling incidents.
When it came to Washington, 62, and his loss, it was clear that the Fences star did not like seeing the golden statuette for Best Actor go to Manchester by the Sea’s Casey Affleck. When Affleck’s name was announced, Washington forced an awkward smile.
However, when Ben Affleck’s little brother, 41, got on stage to give his acceptance speech, Washington couldn’t help but frown. He then shook his head from side to side as he bit his lips.
Not surprisingly, the two-time Academy Award winner’s telling faces also sent social media users into a frenzy. Sometimes I think the only thing helping me get by is Denzel Washington’s sustained contempt for Casey Affleck,” one fan wrote. Added another: “Denzel Washington’s reaction to Casey Affleck’s Oscar speech says it all.”
As previously reported, critics were up in arms over Casey’s nomination and slammed the Academy for disregarding former sexual harassment claims made against the actor in two now-settled lawsuits.