--- description: As the host of the 2017 Oscars, Jimmy Kimmel was responsible for setting things straight following the Best Picture envelope mix-up. title: Jimmy Kimmel on the Hero of the Oscars Best Picture Mix-Up image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaa7cff4745e9718f/69892928656a3f4f03bd3b29/jimmy-kimmel-2017-oscars-best-picture-mix-up.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Jimmy Kimmel Reveals the True Hero of the 2017 Oscars Best Picture Mix-Up  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Feb 28, 2018 5:35 PM CUT  'La La Land' producer Jordan Horowitz reveals 'Moonlight' won Best Picture at the 89th Annual Academy Awards on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. 'La La Land' producer Jordan Horowitz reveals 'Moonlight' won Best Picture at the 89th Annual Academy Awards on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California.Kevin Winter/Getty Images  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Feb 28, 2018 5:35 PM CUT As the host of the 2017 Oscars, [Jimmy Kimmel](http://time.com/5177941/ellen-degeneres-jimmy-kimmel-son-dedication/ "undefined") was responsible for setting things straight following the [envelope mix-up](http://time.com/4687744/the-accountants-responsible-for-the-best-picture-mishap-wont-be-allowed-to-work-the-oscars-again/ "undefined") that resulted in [_La La Land_](http://time.com/4683534/oscars-2017-la-la-land-stars-reactions/ "undefined")being announced as Best Picture instead of [_Moonlight_](http://time.com/4683998/oscars-2017-moonlight-la-la-land-mix-up/ "undefined"). However, in a recent interview with [_People_](http://people.com/movies/jimmy-kimmel-reveals-what-he-was-really-thinking-during-last-years-oscar-envelopegate/ "undefined"), the late-night pundit revealed that it was Denzel Washington who helped him find his bearings in the midst of the tricky situation. “I was sitting with [Matt Damon](http://time.com/4473441/jimmy-kimmel-matt-damon-feud-history-timeline/ "undefined") (in the audience), and when we determined that something was awry, I thought somebody’s gotta go up there and say something,” Kimmel said of the moment _La La Land_ producer Jordan Horowitz announced _Moonlight_ as the true winner. “I thought, ‘Oh, I’m the only one who has a microphone on, so it should probably be me.” Kimmel went on to explain how Washington prompted him to allow _Moonlight_ director Barry Jenkins to properly accept the award. “I strolled up onstage, looked around to see what was happening and made a couple of jokes to try to settle things down,” he said. “Denzel Washington actually gave me a signal to let the guys from _Moonlight_ speak, which made sense. Luckily Denzel was thinking, because I really wasn’t…It was like I was walking around in a dream.” Kimmel is also the host of this year’s Oscars ceremony, which will air Sunday at 8 p.m live on ABC. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5179239/jimmy-kimmel-oscars-2017-best-picture-mix-up-hero/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5179239/jimmy-kimmel-oscars-2017-best-picture-mix-up-hero/"},"headline":"Jimmy Kimmel Reveals the True Hero of the 2017 Oscars Best Picture Mix-Up","datePublished":"2018-02-28T17:35:05.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:51:00.259Z","description":"Kimmel got a helping hand from one of the Best Actor nominees","url":"https://time.com/5179239/jimmy-kimmel-oscars-2017-best-picture-mix-up-hero/","keywords":["Newsfeed","awards","Oscars","Jimmy Kimmel"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaa7cff4745e9718f/69892928656a3f4f03bd3b29/jimmy-kimmel-2017-oscars-best-picture-mix-up.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Megan McCluskey","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaa7cff4745e9718f/69892928656a3f4f03bd3b29/jimmy-kimmel-2017-oscars-best-picture-mix-up.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"89th Annual Academy Awards Best Picture Mix-Up","caption":"89th Annual Academy Awards Best Picture Mix-Up","creditText":"Kevin Winter/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5179239/jimmy-kimmel-oscars-2017-best-picture-mix-up-hero/","name":"Jimmy Kimmel Reveals the True Hero of the 2017 Oscars Best Picture Mix-Up"}}]}] ```