In a bid to clear the air following claims of a snub, Michelle Yeoh addressed the onstage exchange with Emma Stone during the best actress award presentation at the Oscars on Sunday. The incident occurred during a unique format this year, with previous winners introducing and addressing the nominees before the most recent winner announced the recipient of the prestigious award.

Video footage from the event showed Stone approaching Yeoh onstage, seemingly attempting to accept the award from her. However, an awkward moment ensued when Yeoh held onto the statuette while appearing to pass it to Jennifer Lawrence, who would then pass it to Stone. Stone, who won for her performance in "Poor Things," briefly acknowledged Yeoh and other previous winners before accepting the award at the microphone.

Following the incident, some viewers accused Stone of rudely snubbing Yeoh during the award acceptance. However, Yeoh took to Instagram on Monday to address the claims and seemingly dispel any notion of ill-feelings between the two actresses. Alongside a photo from the awards show, Yeoh wrote, "Congratulations Emma!! I confused you, but I wanted to share that glorious moment of handing over Oscar to you with your best friend Jennifer!! She reminded me of my Bae Jamie Lee Curtis, always there for each other!!"

The incident has sparked discussions around the prevalence of snubbing discourse at awards shows, specifically when a star fails to acknowledge the presenter of their award properly. Another example of this was seen with Robert Downey Jr., who received criticism for allegedly failing to acknowledge Ke Huy Quan, the most recent winner of the best supporting actor award, for his role in "Everything Everywhere All At Once."

Although Yeoh's Instagram post attempted to clarify the situation, not all online commenters are convinced by her explanation. Some accused Stone of racial discrimination, while others maintained that Stone was still rude to Yeoh regardless of the presenter's intentions.

Stone, who portrayed the eccentric character Bella Baxter in the film, was considered a frontrunner for the best actress award, although the favorite in that category was Lily Gladstone for her performance as the Osage woman Mollie Kyle in "Killers of the Flower Moon," following her Golden Globe win.

The fallout from the onstage exchange continues to stir debate among viewers, highlighting the intense scrutiny that unfolds during award season and the intersections of race and politeness within the entertainment industry.