Hard to believe, but the year everyone remembers for the Oscars, ‘Envelope-gate’ (a mix of ‘La La Land’ and ‘Moonlight’) also gave us one of the most unforgettable backstage moments ever. The 2017 Academy Awards had its share of headline wins, but one of the best moments of the night didn’t even happen on stage. It was played behind the scenes, where Priyanka Chopra and Jennifer Aniston ended up in a completely contrived, hilarious exchange that’s making the rounds online.
With Priyanka Chopra and Jennifer Aniston in the background
So what really happened behind the scenes?Imagine the chaos on stage at the Oscars: celebrities coming and going, cameras everywhere, everyone nervous or buzzing. Priyanka Chopra, already turning heads in a Ralph & Russo gown, stopped by to chat with Kelly Ripa on Live with Kelly. Then, for reasons only celebrities understand, Priyanka and Chrissy Teigen decided to switch things up and be interviewers for a minute.E! News, they needed someone to interview. Who better than Jennifer Aniston, right? He was brought in, and Priyanka threw out a question about ‘hall passes’, like the whole “she could have a free pass with any celebrity” thing. But instead of a soft and funny answer, Jennifer looked confused and asked what Priyanka meant. Everything got awkward, but in the best possible way: Chrissy Teigen laughed, Ripa tried to move things along, and Priyanka tried to make things right.Instead of polished Hollywood dialogue, it was a jumbled, laugh-out-loud mess of a moment that was far more entertaining than any scripted segment. Later, Priyanka posted the video on social media with the caption, “backstage shenanigans.” It was about how real the exchange was: celebrities being awkward, stumbling over pop culture references, and just having a laugh. That’s what makes it so fun to watch.Dena Priyanka and Kelly Ripa shared a shot of tequila to toast the train wreck conversation. Ripa joked about the layoff, Priyanka said she was “learning” and the two hit it off. Instead of pretending it didn’t happen, they owned the chaos and had fun.What really stood out was how Priyanka handled everything. He wasn’t angry. He laughed, shrugged and shared the whole moment himself. Back then, he was still making the leap from Bollywood superstar to Hollywood mainstay, starring in ‘Quantico’ and working on ‘Baywatch’. Meanwhile, Jennifer Aniston’s confusion about the ‘hall pass’ was also pure gold. He didn’t try to fake his way out; he just asked, honestly, what he meant. That little bit of reality made it all the better.For the uninitiated, the 2017 Oscars ended in total chaos, but not like a slap in the face, at least. What happened, E! News, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway opened the envelope and announced that ‘La La Land’ had won Best Picture. The band took the stage, started giving speeches, and then, live on TV, someone rushed in to say there had been a mistake. Actually, ‘Moonlight’ was the real winner in that section. Turns out, the presenters had the wrong envelope, which said Emma Stone was up for Best Actress. The moment was awkward and embarrassing, sure, but it was also unforgettable.And yet, years later, people still share that moment backstage at the 2017 Oscars. In a world where celebrities are usually so polished and rehearsed, that bit of unscripted weirdness still manages to stand out.
