Why Ellen DeGeneres' Famous Oscars Selfie Didn't Age Well
The Oscars have been home to some of the most incredible and shocking moments in entertainment history. For those hosting the show, it is no easy feat. "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" prepared DeGeneres to take on the ultimate hosting duty at the Oscars not just once but twice. DeGeneres hosted the show in 2007 and 2014. The comedian was enthusiastic about the opportunity sharing, "I am so excited to be hosting the Oscars for the second time" (via Today). Ellen had a right to be excited because one moment of the show literally blew up the internet.
During a segment at the 2014 Oscars, DeGeneres went into the audience to take a selfie with some celebs. The comedian's goal was to become the most retweeted photo. Big-name celebrities including Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, and many other stars joined in on the selfie. The Hollywood Reporter shared that DeGeneres got what she wished for because she became the most retweeted photo on Twitter that year. The photo quickly became an iconic moment in pop culture, unfortunately, the selfie didn't age well.
With so many celebrities in the photo, there is more room for scandal, including DeGeneres herself. In the years following the Oscars, the comedian faced claims of sexual misconduct and a toxic workplace environment at "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (via Entertainment Weekly). The show has since ended, but DeGeneres wasn't the only star in the famous selfie that faced some troubles that caused a fall to their career.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's marital troubles
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie quickly became one of Hollywood's "it couples" after their film "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." In the famous 2014 Oscar selfie, love was still in the air for the two. Brad can be pictured smiling front and center, and Jolie is in the corner of the photo with her face slightly blocked from waving. As joyous as they seemed in the photo, the years to follow only worsened for the couple.
According to TMZ, the couple decided to call it quits just two years after the famous selfie. While divorce alone is troubling for anyone, it was the reasons behind the divorce that proved turmoil for Pitt. The New York Times shared that Jolie submitted a court filing detailing the abuse Pitt had put both Jolie and their children through. Jolie told the court that in September 2016, she, Pitt, and their six children were flying on a plane when Pitt went rampant. The document detailed, "Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face" and "grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her." The document also shared that Pitt had poured alcohol on both Jolie and his children. According to an insider, Pitt was heavily drinking on the flight (via Us Weekly).
Since the incident and divorce, Pitt has opened up about his struggle with alcohol abuse and becoming sober. Page Six reported that in 2021, Brad Pitt was granted joint custody of his and Jolie's children.
Kevin Spacey faced sexual assault allegations
When Kevin Spacey jumped in the Oscar selfie, he was on top of the acting world. "House of Cards," which Spacey starred in between 2013 and 2017, became a huge hit and earned the actor several awards (via IMDb). In 2017, things took a turn for the actor after he was accused of sexual assault.
BuzzFeed News reported that actor Anthony Rapp had come forward and claimed Spacey made sexual advances toward him. Rapp recalled Spacey picking him up "bridal style" before he "[laid] down on top" of him. Rapp said, "He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually." In 2022, a jury decided that Spacey was "not liable for battery" against Rapp (via NBC News). Still, Rapp holds to his allegations made against the actor, and he hasn't been the only one.
In 2017, the same year Rapp accused Spacey, other victims came forward. Heather Unruh accused the actor of sexually assaulting her son in November 2016 (via People). Unruh shared, "Kevin Spacey bought him drink after drink after drink, and when my son was drunk, Spacey made his move and sexually assaulted him." More allegations were brought against the actor in the coming months. Spacey continues to deal with legal trouble as of this writing. It seems as though the once-famous Oscar selfie has only been tainted with scandal.