Jordon Peele on Monday became the first African-American screenwriter to bag the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for Get Out at the 90th Academy Awards.
Mr. Peele was a surprise winner at the otherwise predictable award ceremony. He triumphed over front-runners The Shape of Water and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri . Other nominees in the category were The Big Sick and Lady Bird .
This is the first Oscar win for the actor-turned-director, who was also nominated in the Best Director category for the horror film about a young African-American, who visits his girlfriend’s parents for the weekend and realises there is something wrong going on there.
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“This means so much to me. I stopped writing this movie about 20 times because I thought it was impossible. I thought it wasn’t going to work. I thought no one would ever make this movie. But I kept coming back to it because I knew if someone let me make this movie, that people would hear it and people would see it. I want to dedicate this to all the people who raised my voice and let me make this movie,” Mr. Peele said in his acceptance speech.
He also thanked the film’s team, his wife, mother and “to everybody who went and saw this movie. Everybody who bought a ticket, who told somebody to buy a ticket, thank you. I love you for shouting out at the theatre, for shouting out at the screen.”
Hollywood star Nicole Kidman presented the trophy to him.
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Soon after the announcement, various celebrities took to social media to congratulate the filmmaker.
Ben Winston tweeted, “Great moment here when Jordan Peele wins for Get Out !”
Christine Teigen said, “My first jump of the night! So happy for Get Out!”
Zendaya wrote, “Get out! Yes.”
Zac Efron, BJ Novak, Laverene Cox and Josh Gad also expressed their excitement over Peele’s win.