Adrien Brody defended after facing major backlash over ‘gross’ act before Oscars win

It's safe to say there were a number of weird and wild moments which took place during the 97th Academy Awards last night (2 March).

From Kylie Jenner allegedly 'disrespecting' Sir Elton John when Timothée Chalamet introduced them, Ethan Slater's 'awkward' answer to a question about his girlfriend Ariana Grande, all the way through to Halle Berry's 'revenge' kiss with Adrien Brody, it's clear the Oscars were absolutely full to the brim with a number of celebrity blunders.

And the latest sees The Brutalist star Brody, who took home the Best Actor award, defended by fans after facing major backlash over his 'gross' act right before walking up to the stage to accept his award.

After his name was announced, having beaten fellow nominees Timothée Chalamet, Colman Domingo, Ralph Fiennes, and Sebastian Stan, Brody made his way halfway up the stage stairs before realising he'd made a major faux pas.

Blowing kisses to the crowd, Brody then turned back around and took his chewing gum out before tossing it towards his girlfriend, Georgina Chapman, who rushed forward to try and catch it.

Adrien Brody won the Best Actor award for his role in The Brutalist at the Oscars (Amy Sussman / Staff / Getty Images)

The clip has sparked quite the divided reaction on social media with many seriously grossed out by the situation with one person hitting out: "Adrian Brody threw his gum at his wife before going on the stage so I was already irritated before he started his feature length monologue."

A second urged: "Arrest Adrien Brody for hurling his gum at his wife at the Oscars!"

"Adrien Brody THROWING HIS WAD OF GUM for his WIFE to catch before going onstage to accept his Oscar???" slammed a third, while a fourth echoed: "I would love to know the internal monologue Adrien Brody had in his head when he decided to throw his gum (?!) to his partner in the first row."

And a final critic wondered: "Why is Brody so gross."

The 'gross' gum ordeal seriously divided viewers at home (ABC)

Others, however, weren't as shocked by the gum-spitting ordeal, with one fan commenting: "Adrien Brody's girlfriend catching his gum is kinda the most romantic thing i've ever seen."

"Please, people," defended a second person. "He gave it to her because he didn't want to speak chewing gum. There is nothing wrong with it."

And a third echoed: "Gonna defend gonna defend Adrien Brody on the gum-throwing thing though because it pisses me right off when people give acceptance speeches while chewing gum."

What do you make of it?