The 2023 award season was filled with well-deserved wins, red carpet glam and moments destined to trend online. From Harry Styles to Ariana DeBose, see which stars went viral at a ceremony this year.
Every like, share, and retweet during award season is worthwhile.
And this year is no exception. Indeed, 2023 has had no shortage of iconic moments throughout its award show run. After all, this year has given us Ariana DeBose’s incredibly catchy BAFTAs rap, yet another Ben Affleck meme, a sweet reunion between ex-lovers Taylor Swift and Harry Styles, and Austin Butler’s reaction to his allegedly changed voice.
Other noteworthy occurrences? There was the time Michelle Yeoh told the Golden Globes musicians to “shut up, please” as they began to play music over her speech while accepting an award. Then there was Beyoncé, who made headlines for missing her speech during her first Grammy win of the night due to traffic. Rest assured, she made it—and went on to become the most-awarded artist in Grammy history.
Even in the midst of torrential rain and seemingly never-ending traffic, viral-worthy moments never miss an awards show. Continue reading to see who deserves their own trophy from the 2023 award season.
When Ariana DeBose Did The Thing With a Viral Rap
It was the rap that was heard all over the world as a result of social media. Ariana DeBose kicked off the 2023 BAFTA Film Awards with a performance that quickly went viral due to a series of creative rhymes dedicated to some of the female nominees. While the performance was met with both criticism and praise, Ariana later responded to the virality of it all by stating that she had achieved her goal of uplifting women with her words.
“That was the assignment, like, ‘Come celebrate women,'” Ariana said on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show. “I was like, ‘Absolutely!'” And it was a lot of fun.”
When Regina Hall Just Couldn’t Keep a Straight Face
Regina Hall received a lot of attention at the 2023 Golden Globes for her delivery while explaining why Kevin Costner wasn’t there to accept his Best Actor in a Television Drama Series award.
“He desperately wanted to be here, but due to the unprecedented weather and flooding, he is forced to stay in Santa Barbara. Jesus, “While reading the teleprompter, the Girls Trip star smiled. “This is a sad story right now. He’s stuck in Santa Barbara.”
“Let’s pray, everyone,” Regina said, laughing, which elicited laughter from the audience. “That’s terrible. No, no, no, this is accurate. Everyone, we pray, and we hope that everyone affected by these storms is safe, and I’m going to accept that award on your behalf, Kevin.”
When Austin Butler Had The Internet All Shook Up by Addressing His Elvis Accent
Austin Butler’s voice has long been a source of contention among fans due to his seemingly permanent Elvis Presley accent. When speaking to reporters at the 2023 Golden Globes, Elvis addressed his allegedly changed voice.
“I don’t think I still sound like him, but I guess I do because I hear it a lot,” he said at the time. “That was my sole focus for three years. So I’m sure there are traces of him in my DNA, and I’ll always be connected to him.”
When Ben Affleck Became Yet Another Meme
Ben Affleck, no stranger to internet memedom, went viral for his facial expressions while attending the 2023 Grammy Awards with wife Jennifer Lopez. Ben was caught on camera looking pretty out of it during Stevie Wonder’s performance, which some fans couldn’t help but make fun of.
“Ben Affleck is every introvert everywhere,” one person tweeted. “His batteries are being depleted in real time. #GRAMMYs #SaveBen is already at 23%.”
“Ben Affleck at the Grammys is me any time I have to be on a zoom call,” another Twitter user added.
Hugh Grant’s Awkward AF Interview
Hugh Grant made headlines during the 2023 Academy Awards for what he didn’t say on the red carpet. When responding to Ashley Graham’s questions, the Notting Hill alum proved to be a man of few words.
“Just my suit,” he said when asked what he was wearing. But which fashion house? He claimed he couldn’t remember before blaming his tailor. Ashley inquired about his appearance in Netflix’s Glass Onion, but Hugh could only say that he was “barely in it,” explaining that “I’m in it for about three seconds” and admitting that he “almost” had fun.
When Exes Harry Styles and Taylor Swift Turned Heads By Having a Reunion
Exes Taylor Swift and Harry Styles shared a moment together at the 2023 Grammys ten years after their breakup—and we still can’t get over it.
At the time, an eyewitness told E! News that Taylor approached Harry during Steve Lacy’s performance. Taylor was seen supportively placing her hand on Harry’s shoulder during their hug and brief conversation.
There is no bad blood between these two.
When Michelle Yeoh Dropped a Celebratory F-Bomb Onstage
Michelle Yeoh drew the attention of everyone everywhere all at once when she let out a couple of curse words (in the name of joy) while accepting the 2023 SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for Everything Everywhere All At Once.
“SAG-AFTRA, to get this from you, who knows what it’s like to get here. Everyone has experienced the journey, the roller coaster ride, the ups, and downs. Most importantly, we never give up. “S—t. F—k,” Michelle said at the time, to applause and cheers from the audience. “Wow, thank you. Thank you. This isn’t just for me; it’s for every little girl who looks like me.
When Jennifer Coolidge Revealed Her Dream of Being an Onscreen Dolphin
The White Lotus star went viral after revealing her dream movie role as a dolphin during a backstage interview with Access Hollywood at the 2023 Golden Globes.
While Jennifer Coolidge was able to live out her dream in commercial form, her big screen wish did not come true, as director Olivia Wilde stated on her Instagram Story of Jennifer’s aquatic vision, “I will make this happen.”
When Trevor Noah Hand Delivered Beyoncé Her Grammy Award
Beyoncé, who is now the most decorated artist in Grammy history, did not attend the 2023 Grammy Awards ceremony to accept her first award of the night for a very understandable reason.
“Beyoncé is on her way,” Trevor Noah, the show’s host, said on stage at the time. “The benefit of hosting the Grammys in Los Angeles is that everyone can attend. The drawback of hosting in Los Angeles is the traffic. Beyoncé has arrived.”
And when she finally arrived at the event, Trevor presented the award to her table, along with some amusing words: “I was surprised to learn that traffic could halt you. I assumed you traversed space and time.”
Even if you run the route, traffic can get in the way.
