The tweet read, in part, "Everyone else seems afraid to say it, but that Quvenzhane Wallis is..." and then referred to her by a crude obscenity.
The backlash to the brief message happened quickly, and within an hour the Onion, known primarily for its smart, satirical take on pop culture, removed the offensive tweet from its feed, reported Los Angeles Times.
They issued a full apology to both Wallis and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, promising readers that the site will institute stricter guidelines for its Twitter feed and will discipline the people involved with the message.