Although Green Book won Best Picture, there was a lot of Black Excellence at the 2019 Oscars.
Aside from the victories, we’ve also pinpointed some of the Blackest moments from Sunday night’s ceremony for Shadow And Act readers:
Regina King taking us to church
After winning her first Oscar, Regina King gave a searing acceptance speech, saying that “God is good all the time.” We felt like we were in church, and it was a call and response. Some of our kinfolk in the audience probably responded with, “And all the time God is good!”
Trevor Noah talks Black Panther and speaks in Xhosa, tricking the colonizers!
It was only right that Trevor Noah tricked the colonizers during the Oscars! Noah joked about people always greeting him with “Wakanda Forever” and that some people think that the country is real. He spoke Xhosa on stage, saying “‘Abelungu abazi ubu ndiyaxoka,’ which means, ‘In times like these, we are stronger when we fight together than when we try to fight apart.’ But what that actually means is white people don’t know I’m lying.” Ha!
Spike Lee jumping into Samuel L. Jackson’s arms after winning his first Oscar.
After winning his first Oscar (yes, you read that right) Spike Lee jumped into the arms of Samuel L. Jackson, who presented him with the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, along with Brie Larson. One of Jackson’s first notable film roles was Lee’s School Daze in 1988. He went on to appear in Lee’s Do the Right Thing, Mo’ Better Blues and Jungle Fever.
Of course, they showed love to Morehouse!
Hannah Beachler and Peter Ramsey becoming the first nominees in their categories — and winning
Two Black creatives, Hannah Beachler and Peter Ramsey, were the first Black people to be nominated in their categories, and they won!! How’s that for Black History Month!? Hannah Beachler is the first Black person to win for Best Production Design, and Peter Ramsey is the first Black director to win Best Animated Film.
Ruth E. Carter finally getting her Oscar
After giving us iconic looks through the years from School Daze to Selma, the legendary Ruth E. Carter finally got her Oscar for Best Costume Design.
Spike Lee nearly storming out after Green Book wins Best Picture
Uncle Spike wasn’t too happy that Green Book won Best Picture. What a mood. According to Deadline, when it was announced that the white savior film won, Lee “clearly was furious, got up and walked toward the back of the auditorium in a huff. He then turned back and appeared to get into an intense conversation with Jordan Peele, who was behind him. Lee paced the aisle and stormed to the back of the auditorium. When he came back, he turned his back to the stage during the speech.”
In the press room, Shadow and Act asked him if this win for BlacKkKlansman’s Best Adapted Screenplay makes up for Do the Right Thing not winning an Oscar. He said, “I’m snake bit. I mean every time somebody’s driving somebody I lose.”
Honorable mention: What could have been one of the Blackest moments
If only Amandla Stenberg and Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) could have introduced a film like If Beale Street Could Talk and NOT Green Book.
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images
