Emma Stone and Margaret Qualley were seen arguing backstage at the 2025 Oscars. However, according to a lipreader, everything was not as it seemed.
The actresses, who co-starred in Kinds of Kindness last year, appeared to have a tense exchange on March 2 in front of Margaret's husband, music producer Jack Antonoff.
A viral video shows the Substance star nodding aggressively and walking toward Emma, who backs away.
Highlights
- Emma Stone and Margaret Qualley appeared to have a tense exchange at the 2025 Oscars.
- A lip reader revealed that Margaret told her former co-star she was about to "freak out."
- The moment sparked divided opinions, with some fans suggesting they were joking, while others believed they were actually arguing.
Fans were shocked by the backstage moment, as it's rare to see two celebrities engaged in a heated argument at an awards show.
Image credits: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis/Getty Images
"Whatever that was, it was out of line. Emma's body language says that she's being confronted aggressively. Shameful," one TikTok user wrote.
"That was a bit aggressive! Need details," someone else said, while a third added, "That looked like someone was about to throw some hands!"
A separate user joked: "Margaret is complaining to Emma about the ending of La La Land."
"Margaret was telling Emma something that bothered her," speculated someone else.
Margaret was seen confronting her Kinds of Kindness co-star, who backed away
Image credits: accesshollywood
Image credits: accesshollywood
Some suggested that the two were simply engaging in a playful conversation and doing what they do best: acting. "Just so you all know, they do this at almost every award show they go to. It's their inside joke," one person remarked.
Emma and Margaret were previously seen pretending to have an argument at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
The actresses jokingly pretended to have an argument at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival
Image credits: Dina_thebolter
Regardless of whether this year's exchange was a joke or not, lipreader Nicola Hickling appears to have deciphered what Margaret said to Emma.
"It looks like Margaret is about to square up in this scene, giving Emma her mean girl look," Hickling told the Daily Mail.
"Don't worry, they are not fighting though. They do this all the time. In fact, Margaret says to Emma, 'Yeah and I am about to freak out.'"
Image credits: Dina_thebolter
Emma Stone attended the ceremony to present the award for Best Actress, which she won in 2024 for her performance as Bella Baxter in Poor Things.
Margaret did not receive a nomination for her role as Sue in The Substance. Still, fans got to see her on-screen when she performed a dance routine as part of the James Bond tribute.
Jack Antonoff had a viral moment during the ceremony, with his jaw-dropping reaction to Demi Moore's Best Actress loss to Anora star Mikey Madison.
The musician sat beside his wife, Margaret, and behind Demi, so the camera inevitably captured his reaction.
"No but Jack Antonoff's reaction to Mikey winning that Oscar is so funny," one netizen said of the Grammy winner, who couldn't hide his shock upon hearing the young actress' name.
According to lipreader Nicola Hickling, Margaret said to Emma, "Yeah and I am about to freak out"
"Demi is taking this loss very hard because she felt like this was finally her chance to take home an Academy Award," the source said.
Still, the Ghost star is "thrilled for Mikey" and all of her fellow nominees.
Demi took to Instagram to congratulate the Anora actress on her win, writing, "Can't wait to see what you do next ♥️."
“I’m so overwhelmed with gratitude for this journey. It’s been the ride of a lifetime and we’re just getting started!” she added.
"This is a running joke between them. No drama," one fan said of the viral moment
