Green Book wins top honors at Oscars

The 91st Academy Awards honored a diverse slate of winners Sunday night, with the best picture Oscar going to Green Book, a film based on the real-life story of African-American concert pianist Don Shirley on tour with a white chauffeur in the 1960s South. A few years after the #OscarsSoWhite controversy about white dominance of the awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences took steps toward recognizing the achievement of African-American and female filmmakers and actors. This year, African-Americans took home Oscars in two of the four major acting categories: Mahershala Ali for best supporting actor in Green Book and Regina King for best supporting actress in If Beale Street Could Talk. Also, Ruth E. Carter and Hannah Beachler became the first African-Americans to win Oscars for costume design and production design, respectively, for their work on the film Black Panther.

Longtime African-American filmmaker Spike Lee won his first Oscar Sunday for best adapted screenplay for BlacKkKlansman. In his acceptance speech, he urged people to vote in the 2020 presidential election and choose love over hate. He did not mention President Donald Trump by name, but the president took it personally, tweeting, “Be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes, or better yet not have to use notes at all, when doing his racist hit on your President, who has done more for African Americans (Criminal Justice Reform, Lowest Unemployment numbers in History, Tax Cuts, etc.) than almost any other Pres!”

Other notable award winners Sunday night included best director Alfonso Cuarón for Roma, best actress Olivia Colman for The Favourite, and best actor Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody. The best song Oscar went to “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and her collaborators on the movie A Star Is Born.