Accountants behind Oscar blunder ousted

"Moonlight" won the Oscar for best picture this year - but only after "La La Land" was falsely announced as the winner.

Brian Cullinan and Martha Ruiz from PricewaterhouseCoopers - the firm tasked with tallying the Oscar votes and results - are being held responsible for the snafu, since they handed out the winning envelopes to the presenters at Sunday's ceremony.

The Academy said Wednesday that Cullinan and Ruiz would no longer be welcome at the Oscars show.

Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs broke her four-day silence to comment on the evening. While she praised the hosts for "a most beautiful beautiful, wonderful evening," she added: "Then, of course, there was the last 90 seconds. And what angered me, I would say, in these last couple days is (the focus on) this 90 seconds and moving to the side the brilliance of the day."

Boone Isaacs also said that the Academy's relationship with PricewaterhouseCooper, which has been responsible for tallying the Oscar winners of 83 of the award's 89-year history, was under review.

Cullinan has also come under scrutiny for tweeting backstage during the show. He apparently tweeted a picture of actress Emma Stone, holding her Oscar backstage, just minutes before handing presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway the wrong envelope for best picture. The tweet was later deleted.

Second Oscars blunder

The best picture mistake was not the only error that evening. The Academy released a statement Wednesday apologizing to producer Jan Chapman for showing his photo in its "In Memorium" tribute section to film industry figures who had died over the past year.

Chapman's friend and colleague Janet Patterson was meant to be honored instead. Chapman said he was "devastated" by the error.

"Janet, an Academy member and four-time Oscar-nominated costume designer, was beloved in our community. We extend our deepest apologies and condolences to the Patterson family," the Academy posted on Instagram.

kbm/eg (AP, AFP)