A lip-reader has revealed what they believe Selena Gomez and Samuel L. Jackson said to each other while presenting together at the 97th Academy Awards.
Movie royalty descended on California last night (March 2) to witness Anora take home the prestigious Best Picture award, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo cycle through a stunning Wicked medley, and Jeff Goldblum analyze pictures of himself on his smartphone.
While Conan O’Brien was crowned as the evening’s main host, the likes of Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, Cillian Murphy and Mick Jagger all stepped out at the Dolby Theatre to palm off a plethora of statuettes to worthy winners.
Gomez, 32, and 76-year-old Jackson were appointed to announce No Other Land had won the 2025 Oscars' Best Documentary Feature award.
Advert
The film, focusing on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saw all four filmmakers take to the Los Angeles stage to accept the award and ask the world to stop the ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Palestinians.
“We made this film, Palestinians and Israelis, because together our voices are stronger,” said Yuval Abraham.
“We see each other. The atrocious destruction of Gaza and its people, which must end; the Israeli hostages brutally taken in the crime of Oct. 7, which must be freed.”
While the filmmakers spoke, Gomez and Jackson could be seen talking to one another, causing fas to question what their exchange was about.
Lip reader Nicola Hickling of Lipreader LIMITED has revealed what the famous faces could have been saying to one another during the No Other Land acceptance speech.
Watch the moment below:
Hickling told the Daily Mail that Jackson seemed to state to the Emilia Pérez star that the four had made the speech ‘very political’.
Gomez allegedly responded, referring to Abraham: "He did, yes.”
The pair could then be seen exchanging smiles, with the Pulp Fiction actor even laughing during their exchange.
Naturally, the bizarre exchange has raised eyebrows, with Academy Awards viewers taking to social media to have their say.
“Can I just say f**k you to Samuel L Jackson and Selena Gomez standing there looking so uncomfortable and laughing during the most important acceptance speech of this awards season,” one X user wrote. “We see you.”
Another replied: “Why were Samuel L Jackson and Selena Gomez kiki-ing while Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham accepted their Oscar and pled for the lives of Palestinians? Pretty gross if you ask me.”
“Selena Gomez and Samuel L Jackson, care to share what’s so funny with the audience?,” a third echoed.
Despite the heat, many others have rushed to the celebrities’ defense, with one X user claiming: “Mind you she fixed her dress before the giggles and Selena has donated to Palestine through Rare Beauty.
“Calm down the whole world is watching I laugh when I'm uncomfortable too and they've been rehearsing together so it could've been an inside joke kinda thing.”
Another wrote: “Odd because I saw them smiling and clapping not laughing and looking uncomfortable. You should get your eyes checked.”
“Unexpected duo, but you just know Samuel L. Jackson made it entertaining,” someone else claimed.
Topics: Selena Gomez, Samuel L Jackson, Oscars, Academy Awards, Film and TV, Celebrity, Entertainment
Ella Scott