The story of "Moonlight" began long before director Barry Jenkins' involvement propelled the film to eight Academy Award nominations. In fact, it began in 2003 while then budding-playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney was applying to grad school.

As part of his application to Yale's School of Drama, he wrote the play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.” But unlike the film it would eventually become, it played out in a circular motion with life happening for the youngest, middle and oldest versions of the character all at once. (Imagine a kid waking up and brushing his teeth, followed by his adolescent self and adult self doing the same actions.)

“I was trying to figure out what little me and middle me and grown me were doing that was the same and not the same,” McCraney said about the play’s structure and inspiration. “What patterns I was repeating, what is this life?”

What can be more special than attending the Oscars? Attending the Oscars with your best friend, if these images of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are anything to go by. 

Affleck and Damon have been attending the Academy Awards on and off since they both won original screenplay for "Good Will Hunting" back in 1997.

And at the 89th Academy Awards Affleck and Damon were together, yet again, and their friendship was captured backstage, in the crowd and all over the Oscar show. 

The best picture gaffe may have dropped jaws inside the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, but before the show, these are the dresses that turned heads on the red carpet. 

Stylist Petra Flannery Instagrammed this concept illustration of the beaded Givenchy Haute Couture gown "La La Land" star Emma Stone accepted her lead actress award in. The hand-embroidered gown reportedly took 1,700 hours to make.

Another of the night's standout looks was this custom-made blue velvet Alberta Ferretti number worn by "Hidden Figures" star Taraji P. Henson. 

Two days after the Oscars, still facing questions about the best picture snafu in which he unwittingly found himself embroiled, Warren Beatty called on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to "publicly clarify" what exactly happened.

In a statement released Tuesday to the Associated Press, the actor declined to comment further on the fumble in which he and fellow presenter Faye Dunaway mistakenly named "La La Land" the best picture winner rather than "Moonlight." 

"I feel it would be more appropriate for the president of the Academy, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, to publicly clarify what happened as soon as possible," Beatty said.

As the "La La Land" cast was taking the stage to celebrate, a stagehand in the wings said, "Oh ... Oh my god, he got the wrong envelope." They walked back and forth repeating it.

Stagehands, actors, production crew and journalists were stunned. Oscars producer Michael De Luca was peering into his monitor, trying to figure it out. Champagne glasses sat on the table next to him. They had been poured moments earlier to celebrate a good show.

The academy doesn't know what went wrong. Stage manager Gary Natoli came running past just now saying, "Warren is holding on to the envelope. He will not release it."

Very few media outlets get backstage positions for their photographers at the Academy Awards, but the L.A. Times has enjoyed such access for many years now. Here, you'll get a peek at actors, actresses and filmmakers as they let their guards down, like Ashton Sanders, above left, and Jharrel Jerome embrace after "Moonlight" was (eventually) named best picture.

PricewaterhouseCoopers managing partner Brian Cullinan, above right, was one of only two people responsible for handing presenters the correct envelopes. It was Cullinan who gave Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway the incorrect envelope for best picture.

Hello, you two! Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux head to the stage.

When Emma Stone won the Academy Award for actress in a leading role, Brie Larson was among the first people to congratulate the "La La Land" star in person. 

"You know what's better than winning? Watching your friends win," said Larson on Twitter and Instagram of the emotional moment above. 

As the many different angles shot of this heartfelt scene made the rounds, many fans commented that the tearful hug was among the highlights of the 2017 Oscars. Friendship is beautiful.

Turn your attention away from the best-picture envelope mishap at the Oscars on Sunday and check out the new black-and-white men’s underwear campaign from Calvin Klein, celebrating the Academy Award-winning “Moonlight.” 

The ads are already causing a commotion on the Internet, leaving many to possibly swoon after seeing photos of Oscar winner (and shirtless Calvin Klein model) Mahershala Ali and Trevante Rhodes (wearing briefs).

Calvin Klein’s new spring 2017 underwear campaign, honoring the actors of “Moonlight,” the first LGBTQ film to win best picture at the Academy Awards, will run as print advertisements and appear on billboards. The campaign could broaden visibility and appeal for the indie movie, which was  made on a shoestring budget.

Following the epic Oscars best picture mix-up on Sunday, a few high-profile seat fillers shared what it was like witnessing the historic gaffe firsthand. The People's eyebrow made an appearance at the Oscars, as did Busy Philipps.

Here's what the stars in our viral reaction shot had to say:

Dwayne Johnson (via Instagram):

Jimmy Kimmel and the Oscars are unlikely to win any awards for casting.

Turns out viral sensation "Gary From Chicago," a.k.a. Gary Alan Coe, the first unsuspecting tourist Jimmy Kimmel introduced to front-row A-listers on Sunday night, was released from prison only three days before he was kissing Nicole Kidman's hand and getting "married" to fiancee Vickie Vines by Denzel Washington.

FULL STORY: From prison to the Oscars, 'Gary From Chicago' writes his own Hollywood ending

Brie Larson did not applaud, which sparked speculation that she wasn't happy about Casey Affleck's Oscar win for supporting actor. 

The actress -- who won an Oscar last year for her portrayal of a survivor of rape -- stood unmoving as Affleck delivered his acceptance speech at Sunday's Academy Awards. 

Larson hugged him as she handed him the Oscar, but some interpreted her stance during his speech as a silent protest of sexual harassment. Affleck's Oscar campaign had been dogged by two 2010 civil suits involving allegations of sexual harassment, both of which were later settled.