Oscars Best Picture mistake: PricewaterhouseCoopers accountants reportedly 'in fear for their lives'

The wrong film was named the big winner at last weekend's ceremony following an envelope mix-up

L-R: PWC accounts Martha Ruiz and Brian Cullinan, La La Land actor Ryan Gosling (Getty)

The accountants at the centre of last Sunday's Oscars screw-up have been forced to hire bodyguards after reportedly receiving death threats.

The moment in question saw Pricewaterhouse Cooper's Brian Cullinan hand Warren Beatty the wrong envelope as he went on stage with Bonnie and Clyde co-star Faye Dunaway to present the evening's final award for Best Picture. La La Land was incorrectly named in place of actual winner Moonlight.

TMZ reports that Cullinan and his fellow employee Martha Ruiz are “in such fear for their lives, their bosses have hired security to protect them.”

Photos of the duo's houses were posted online in the wake of the snafu with Cullinan and Ruiz reportedly concerned about the security of their families.

Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs spoke out about the moment after Beatty urged her to 'clarify' the error; in a statement, she confirmed the pair would not work at the Oscars in the future while also praising La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz for his honourable behaviour when announcing the mistake had occurred.

Cullinan was photographed using his mobile phone around the time he was handing the Best Picture envelope to Beatty. Distracted, he ended up giving him a duplicate version of the Best Actress in a Leading Role card which had just been awarded to Emma Stone.

The evening's host Jimmy Kimmel provided his own account of the blunder - deemed the biggest mistake in Oscars history - describing it as “the weirdest finale since Lost.”