Warning: This article contains discussion of domestic violence which some readers may find distressing.
It remains the most famous Oscars selfie ever taken, but the photo has not aged well.
The notorious “Ellen Oscars Selfie” reached its 11th anniversary following yesterday’s (March 2) 97th Academy Awards.
Rather than being celebrated as a classic moment, the image now leaves many viewers uneasy.
So who appears in the shot shown at the top of this article?
In the top row, left to right, are Jared Leto, Jennifer Lawrence, Channing Tatum, Julia Roberts, Kevin Spacey, Brad Pitt, Lupita Nyong’o and Angelina Jolie.
The bottom row, left to right, shows Meryl Streep, Ellen DeGeneres, Bradley Cooper and Peter Nyong’o.
There are 12 people in the picture, and a quarter of them have been ‘canceled’.
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen’s reputation unraveled during the wave of scrutiny often labelled “cancel culture.”
A BuzzFeed investigation revealed troubling workplace dynamics behind the scenes at The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
The talk show ran for 19 seasons, and for about 17 of those seasons the public embraced her.
In May 2022 the program ended abruptly amid allegations that three executive producers tolerated or committed racism, sexual misconduct and intimidation.
A former Black employee told the outlet she faced repeated racist remarks while working on the show.
That source did not accuse DeGeneres directly, but another former staffer said: “If she wants to have her own show and have her name on the show title, she needs to be more involved to see what’s going on.“
DeGeneres has since suggested her advocacy of “be kind” played a role in her cancellation.
She had previously faced setbacks in the 1990s when her sitcom Ellen (which aired 1996–1998) was dropped after she publicly announced she was gay.
Ellen DeGeneres appearing as a guest on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ (Randy Holmes via Getty Images)
Kevin Spacey
In 2017, Kevin Spacey lost his lead role on House of Cards after actor Anthony Rapp accused him of sexual assault when Rapp was a teenager.
Spacey denied the allegation and faced multiple criminal charges, including four counts of sexual assault involving three men.
At the time, Spacey insisted he could clear his name and called the accusations “madness.”
By 2023 he was found not guilty in one trial and was later acquitted or saw charges dropped in other cases in the US and UK.
Rapp’s civil suit was dismissed after a jury unanimously found Spacey did not molest him.
Two-time Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey is one of the three that have been ‘canceled’ (Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
Brad Pitt – according to some
Brad Pitt is the third figure many say has been “canceled,” though opinion divides on that verdict.
His ex-wife Angelina Jolie alleges Pitt physically abused her on a private flight from France to California.
She also claims that on September 14, 2016 Pitt assaulted their children, who ranged from eight to 15 years old at that time.
Pitt has strongly denied the accusations and issued a statement through lawyer Anne Kiley:
“Brad has owned everything he’s responsible for from day one—unlike the other side—but he’s not going to own anything he didn’t do.
“He has been on the receiving end of every type of personal attack and misrepresentation.
“Thankfully, the various public authorities the other side has tried to use against him over the past six years have made their own independent decisions.
“Brad will continue to respond in [court] as he has consistently done.”
When court documents circulated on Twitter some users urged people to “cancel” Pitt.
One post read: “Time to cancel Brad Pitt.“
Another argued: “Nobody can cancel Brad Pitt, it’s not possible.“
Brad Pitt denies all allegations made towards him by his ex-wife Angelina Jolie (Steve Granitz/FilmMagic)
If you are experiencing domestic violence, you are not alone.
You can talk confidentially 24 hours a day to your national domestic violence helpline.