Academy Award winner John Legend was on stage in Los Angeles for one of the most infamous Oscar losses in history. And his wife, Chrissy Teigen, will not let him forget the embarrassing moment.
At the 89th Academy Awards in 2017, presenter Faye Dunaway wrongfully announced “La La Land” as the Best Picture winner for that year. “Moonlight,” from director Barry Jenkins, was the actual winner.
In “La La Land,” Legend played the character of Keith. He joined other contributors to the romantic comedy inside the Dolby Theatre to accept the Oscar before the film’s producer, Jordan Horowitz, revealed a mistake was made.
The unscripted fiasco made international news as viewers around the world were shocked and confused to find out that such a major blunder happened at one of the most prestigious entertainment industry award shows.
Legend, 46, and Teigen, 39, took part in the celebratory events during the weekend of the 97th Academy Awards on March 2, 2025. Entertainment Tonight caught up with the celebrity couple later at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills.
While speaking with a correspondent, Legend mentioned it had been 10 years since he won the Best Original Song Oscar for “Glory” the hit record he co-wrote with hip-hop artist Common for the 2014 movie “Selma.”
Teigen jumped in to ask her spouse, “Wait, is it also 10 years since you lost that ‘La La Land’ one?”
Legend briefly paused and stuttered before he responded, “No, ‘La La Land’ was after that,” before his wife jokingly added, “When they thought they won!”
Teigen’s husband then explained that he would not have received a trophy if “La La Land” had won that night because only top producers of the film are awarded in the category.
However, Teigen fired back, “Oh, you were still up there though.”
Chrissy Teigan couldn't help but remind husband John Legend of the 2017 Oscar mix-up when 'La La Land' lost the Oscar. 😭 pic.twitter.com/2rd8bilueY
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) March 3, 2025
It appears the “La La Land” mishap at the 2017 Oscars ceremony is a running gag in the Legend-Teigen household. Their playful relationship has been on display since “Moonlight” upset the musical starring Legend, Ryan Gosling, and Emma Stone.
After seeing Teigen’s most recent joke, one person on X said, “Nice way to stand up for your man…”
Teigen has publicly teased Legend over the “La La Land” and “Moonlight” mix-up on several occasions including on social media.
“I’m joined by Oscar winner John Legend… not this year,” the former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model stated in a now-deleted Twitter video, per Billboard. In response, Legend soberly admitted, “Not this year.”
In another now-erased social media post from 2021, Teigen took a playful jab at her husband. According to ScreenRant, she tweeted, “Laughing about when John thought he won the Oscar for Best Picture lmao.”
Legend not only portrayed a musician in “La La Land,’ he also co-wrote and performed the song “Start a Fire” for the movie’s soundtrack.
The University of Pennsylvania graduate’s Best Original Song victory for “Glory” in 2015 helped set up the man born John Stephens to secure the coveted EGOT status.
In addition to his Oscar win, Legend won his first Grammy Award in 2006.
Legend won his first Tony Award in 2017 as a co-producer of the Broadway play “Jitney,” which took home the Best Revival of a Play honor.
In 2018, Legend became the first Black man to complete the EGOT gantlet by winning an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) as an executive producer of “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.”
“It’s kind of surreal. It’s something I never even thought about when I started my career,” Legend told “Entertainment Tonight” when questioned about collecting an Emmy to his impressive trophy case.
He added, “I never dreamed that I would be here, winning an Emmy and being in that rare group of people that have won all four of the major academy awards. It’s such a huge honor, and I’m just happy I was a part of such a great show.”
Legend is only one of four Black entertainers in the competitive EGOT pantheon. “Ghost” actress Whoopi Goldberg broke the glass ceiling in 2002. “Dreamgirls” actress Jennifer Hudson became the second Black woman to reach EGOT stature in 2020. The following year “Fences” actress Viola Davis cemented her name as an EGOT winner.
