Daniel Kaluuyatook home the 2021 Oscar for Best Supporting Actor — and gave quite the acceptance speech.
The actor beat out an impressive list of nominees to win the trophy at the ceremony on Sunday night. The Best Supporting Actor winner nabbed the honor for playing late Black Panther chairman Fred Hampton inJudas and the Black Messiah.
“I’d like to thank my mom. Thank you so much for pouring into me. You gave me everything, you gave me your factory settings so I could stand at my fullest height,” Kaluuya said at the beginning of the speech, growing emotional as his mother and sister watched from the U.K.
The actor then thanked his family and friends “from London town to Kampala,” the capital of Uganda where his father is from.
Daniel Kaluuya.ABC
Daniel Kaluuya’s mom and sister.Inset: Chris Pizzello-Pool/Getty Images
“They showed me how to love myself, and with that love, they overflowed to the Black communities and to other communities,” he said. “They showed us that the power of union, the power of unity, that when they play divide and conquer, we play unite and ascend.”
Warner Bros. Pictures
While Kaluuya went on to say that “there’s so much work to do guys, and that’s on everyone in this room,” he also took a moment to celebrate the miracles of life.
“We gotta celebrate, we gotta celebrate life,” he added, growing more animated. “We’re breathing, we’re walking. It’s incredible. Like, my mom, my dad, they had sex — it’s amazing! I’m here. I’m so happy to be alive and I’m gonna celebrate that tonight.”
Cameras cut to Kaluuya’s mother and sister after the sex comment, with the former appearing to say “what is he talking about?” as his sister looked hilariously embarrassed.
The other nominees in the category included Leslie Odom Jr. forOne Night in Miami, Sacha Baron Cohen forThe Trial of the Chicago7, Paul Raci forSound of Metaland Lakeith StanfieldforJudas and the Black Messiah.
Kaluuya, 32, was the clear frontrunner heading into Sunday night, picking up the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and the BAFTA award for his portrayal of Hampton.
This is the actor’s second Oscar nomination and first win.
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TheGet Outactor explained that he accepted the role to “serve Chairman Fred, to serve the Black Panther Party.”
“He’s been silenced, and been erased and been assassinated, physically and culturally,” he added. “This is an opportunity to put him in his rightful position.”
The 93rd Academy Awards are airing live on Sunday, April 25 on ABC.
source: people.com
