Teyana Taylor confronts Oscars security guard after backstage scuffle: 'He literally shoved me'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Things got a little messy backstage at the Oscars 2026.

Actress and singer Teyana Taylor found herself in a heated confrontation with a security guard just seconds after the ceremony wrapped, after he allegedly put his hands on her while trying to block her from returning to the stage.

According to sources who spoke with TMZ, it happened right as the Sunday night broadcast ended at the Dolby Theatre, when Taylor was attempting to head back onstage for the traditional Best Picture celebration photo with her 'One Battle After Another' castmates. 

Backstage scuffle at the Oscars involving Teyana Taylor

Sources with direct knowledge told the outlet that Taylor had been trying to return to the stage alongside Pam Abdi, the co-head of Warner Bros.

But according to those sources, a security guard attempted to stop the pair as they approached the stairs leading back to the stage.

The situation escalated rather quickly. The guard allegedly used his body to block Taylor’s path and placed his hands on her in an effort to physically hold her back and push her away from the stage so she couldn’t get past him.

A video recorded inside the theater captured the moment as Taylor confronted the guard directly. In the clip, she can be heard telling him not to put his hands on a woman and calling the move extremely rude. At one point during the exchange, Taylor is heard telling people nearby, “He literally shoved me.”

Sources told TMZ the situation grew tense as the guard continued to control access to the stage. During the confrontation, he apparently even asked Taylor to apologize.

'One battle after another' celebrates big wins at the Oscars

The incident came at the end of what had already been a big night for Taylor. The 35-year-old actress had been nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Perfidia Beverly Hills in the political thriller One Battle After Another.

The award ultimately went to Amy Madigan for her performance in the horror thriller 'Weapons.'

Still, 'One Battle After Another' had plenty to celebrate. The film (which also stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn) entered the ceremony with an impressive 13 nominations and ultimately walked away with six Academy Awards.

Those included Best Picture, Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, Best Adapted Screenplay for Anderson as well, Best Supporting Actor for Penn, Best Film Editing for Andy Jurgensen, and Best Casting for Cassandra Kulukundis.

Heightened security measures at the 2026 Oscars

That said, the tense backstage moment also came during a year when security at the Oscars had been significantly increased. Authorities ramped up protections for the ceremony amid reports that Iran could be planning retaliatory strikes on California.

While officials said there was no direct intelligence indicating a specific threat, extra precautions were still put in place ahead of the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that roughly 1,000 private security officers would be on duty during the event.

Oscars producers Katy Mullan and Raj Kapoor announced the expanded security plan earlier in the week.

“Every year we monitor what's going on in the world,” Kapoor said at a press conference, according to People. “We have the support of the FBI and the LAPD, and it's a close collaboration. This show has to run like clockwork.”

He added that safety remained a top priority for everyone attending the ceremony.

“But we want everybody that is coming to this show, that is witnessing the show, that is even a fan of the show when they're standing outside the barricades, we want everybody to feel safe and protected and welcome, so it's our job as a producing team to make sure that that translates," Kapoor said.