In the history of Oscar, there were only three times when the winners refused to accept their prizes. The Academy Awards are arguably the most prestigious awards in the film industry, with the first ceremony taking place in 1929. Dozens of artists, directors, producers and composers have been honored by the Academy for their work and many recognized films have received awards. history as some of the best films of all time.
Although the Oscars are widely celebrated, The ceremony is not without its controversies. Some of the biggest Oscar controversies include films being snubbed for awards and the wrong name being announced as the winner, most infamously at the 89th ceremony when La La Terra was mistakenly announced as the winner of the best picture award. In the 96-year history of the Oscars, there have only been three occasions when people have won the prestigious award but ended up refusing to accept the honor.
Dudley Nichols was the first person to reject an Oscar
He won the Oscar for best original screenplay for 1935’s The Informer
The first rejection of an Oscar occurred at the 8th ceremony in 1936, when the American thriller film The Informant won four of the six nominations at the awards. The film won awards for Best Director, Best Actor and Best Music. Screenwriter Dudley Nichols won the Oscar for Best Screenplay for the adaptation The Informant of Liam O’Flaherty’s novel, but he set a world record by becoming the first person to turn down an Oscar.
Nichols rejected his award because of the Academy’s failure to recognize the Screen Writers Guild’s dedication to protecting screenwriters.
At the time of the 8th Oscars, Nichols was heavily involved in the Screen Writers Guild, serving as president between 1937 and 1938. According to WGAWNichols rejected his award because of the Academy’s failure to recognize the Screen Writers Guild’s dedication to protecting screenwriters. After the disputes were resolved, however, Nichols accepted his award in 1938 and received three more Oscar nominations over the course of his career.
George C. Scott turned down Oscar recognition twice
He won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1971
American actor George C. Scott received four Academy Award nominations throughout his career, winning Best Actor in 1971 for his role as General George Patton in patton. When he received his first nomination in 1962 for The drug dealer, he refused to accept it and sent a telegram to the Academy, asking for its withdrawal. Upon winning the Best Actor award in 1971 Scott again declined the honor and did not attend the ceremony to receive his award.; film producer Frank McCarthy collected it on his behalf.
Scott’s Oscar rejection was due to their belief that their performance should not be compared to others. Put SportskeedaScott referred to the Oscars as “a two-hour meat parade, a public display with artificial suspense for economic reasons” and he believed that each performance was unique and should not be judged by others. His Oscar was eventually donated to the George C. Marshall Foundation Library at the Virginia Military Institute.
Why Marlon Brando Turned Down His Oscar for The Godfather
He won the Oscar for best actor in 1973
Most infamously, in 1973, the actor Marlon Brando refused to accept the Oscar for Best Actor, which he earned for his role as Vito Corleone in The godfather. Despite The godfather being considered one of the best films of Brando’s career, he rejected his award in protest against the industry’s mistreatment of Native Americans in film. At the 45th Academy Awards, Brando sent Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather in his place, refuse the Oscar. In one of the darkest moments in Oscar history, Littlefeather took the stage with a message about the mistreatment of Native Americans in Hollywood, only to be greeted by a chorus of boos from the audience.
Littlefeather brought an 8-page letter written by Brando explaining her refusal of the award, but was unable to read it as she only had 60 seconds to speak due to being threatened with arrest by producer Howard B. Koch (via Women in the world). Littlefeather was also reportedly threatened with assault by John Wayne, and she and Brando were mocked by Clint Eastwood, who later stated in the ceremony “I don’t know if I should present this award on behalf of all the cowboys shot in all of John Ford’s Westerns over the years.”
Littlefeather was blacklisted from Hollywood after her Oscar appearance and was ridiculed by society; It was only in 2022 that she received an apology from the Academy for her treatment at the ceremony (through BBC). Since Marlon Brando’s infamous rejection in 1973, there have been no more rejections from the Oscar and those who won always accepted their prizes.
Sources: Guinness World Records, WGAW, Sportskeeda, Women in the world, BBC