White House/Pete Souza

The 85th Academy Awards ended on a bit of a surprise—not because Argo, the Ben Affleck-directed thriller about the rescue of American diplomats from Tehran following the 1979 Iranian Revolution won Best Picture, but because of who opened the envelope.

At the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Jack Nicholson walked on stage to present the Oscar but instead of reading the winner himself, he threw it to a video screen that revealed first lady Michelle Obama.

Obama, wearing a sparkling, silver-sequined dress designed by Naeem Khan, was holding one of the golden envelope that the Academy of Motion Pictures of Arts and Sciences keeps under lock and key until the very moment the awards are presented. She was not, however decked out simply for her Oscar live-shot. Earlier in the evening, the White House hosted a banquet for the National Governors Association.

This is not, however, the first time the White House has participated in an Oscar ceremony. At the 13th Academy Awards, in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke to that ceremony’s attendees in a live radio address from the White House.

“It was a thrill to announce,” Obama wrote in a tweet a few minutes after the presentation.

A spokeswoman for Obama said the awards show approached the White House about the first lady’s involvement. “The Academy Awards approached the first lady about being a part of the ceremony,” the spokeswoman, Kristina Schake, said according to pool reports. “As a movie lover, she was honored to present the award and celebrate the artists who inspire us all—especially our young people—with their passion, skill and imagination.”

Obama’s appearance on the Oscars was also kept secret until the very moment. Last night’s pool reporter happened to be watching the broadcast.

Head over to LAist for more Oscars coverage.

Getty Images/Kevin Winter