Oscars 2018: Moonlight turns down chance to get its Oscar again after last year’s mix-up

Gay drama Moonlight turned down the chance to get their Oscar for Best Picture for the second time after the infamous mix-up during last years ceremony.

Bonnie and Clyde stars Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway had planned to re-present the award for Best Picture to the cast and crew of the critically acclaimed gay drama.

“The Academy is giving Moonlight a proper chance to re-accept their Oscar award,” said an Academy Awards source to Us Weekly.

However, this offer was reportedly turned down by the cast and crew of the celebrated film.

Host Jimmy Kimmell told Deadline: “We offered them a moment. And they said, it’s okay. We’re fine. We gave our speech when we won the Oscar and we’re okay leaving it at that.”

Moonlight director Barry Jenkins then said that a do-over would not be the same and that he would not have the chance to enjoy the moment.

(Photo: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

He said to the Hollywood Reporter: “It’s bittersweet because when that switch happened, I didn’t enjoy it.

“I’m never going to get the opportunity to enjoy that – because even if it happens again, it won’t be the same. Moonlight was a very special film for me. It was super-personal.”

At the 2017 Academy Awards, Beatty and Dunaway originally announced that La La Land had won the best picture Oscar.

The producers of the hit musical film were part way through their speeches when the mix-up was revealed.

La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz said: “There’s a mistake. Moonlight, you guys won best picture.

“This is no joke. I’m afraid they read the wrong thing. This is not a joke, Moonlight, you won best picture.”

Accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) later apologised for the mistake, saying it was their fault.

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The firm is responsible for the balloting process of the Oscars prizes and is one of the largest professional services firms in the world and a leading auditor.

Related: Trump’s pastor claims Oscar-winning Moonlight is seducing kids into gay ‘lifestyle choices’

Within hours of the mix-up, PwC released a statement saying it “deeply regretted” the mistake, saying “the presenters had mistakenly been given the wrong category envelope”.

(Photo: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

After correctly being presented the award last year, Moonlight’s producer Dede Gardner said: “I’m still not sure this is real. It’s very humbling to be up here and I hope it’s inspiring to little black boys and brown girls who feel marginalised.

“I hope they take some inspiration from seeing this beautiful group of artists.”

Moonlight was the first LGBT themed film to win the best picture Oscar.

The drama, starring Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders and Alex Hibbert, won three Oscars from eight nominations last year.

Watch the infamous Oscars gaffe below

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