The Oscar Awards are set to raise their curtains at the Dolby Theaters in a few hours. As the movies and celebrities race towards the golden trophy, here’s looking back at a hilarious incident that took place at the award ceremony in 1962. 

Sophia Leron was announced as the winner in the Best Actress category, and she created history by being the only actress to win the prize in a foreign language film. While her name was called up on the stage, Leron wasn’t present at the venue. Instead, the actress sat at home with her husband, Carlo Ponti, the producer.

Addressing the hilarious situation in her memoir, the actress wrote, “When I received an Oscar nomination in late February 1962, I could hardly believe it. ‘The Oscar?’ ‘The Academy Award?’ I kept rereading the names of the other candidates.” 

Loren won the trophy for her role in the Italian movie, Two Women. She competed in the category with Natalie Wood, Audrey Hepburn, Geraldine Page, and Piper Laurie. 

Further in her memoir, Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: My Life, the actress continued to state, “After much procrastination, I decided I would not go to the ceremony. If I lost, I’d faint. If I won, I’d faint anyway. I couldn’t allow myself to do that in front of that audience and before the eyes of the whole world.” 

Loren added, “‘I’m going to stay right here in Rome, on my couch,’ I said to myself, and that is indeed what I did.” 

Unaware of her win, the actress sat along with her husband, played music, sipped on wine and some cigarettes, and kept the window open to let the spring wind in. 

The following morning, the couple learned that the actress had won the Oscar, and the two celebrated with joy.