Daniel Kaluuya vowed to “celebrate life” as he picked up the Actor in a Supporting Role Oscar on Sunday, April 25, 2021.
The 32-year-old actor gave a rousing speech as he accepted the honor for his work on “Judas and the Black Messiah” — for which he beat off competition from his co-star LaKeith Stanfield, as well as Sacha Baron Cohen (“The Trial of the Chicago 7”), Leslie Odom Jr. (“One Night in Miami”) and Paul Raci (“Sound of Metal”) — and thanked his supportive family for making him the person he is today.
He said: “Thank you God. Thank you God. I can’t be here without your guidance and protection. Thanks to my mum for pouring into me, you gave me everything, you gave me your factory settings so I can stand at my fullest height. My sister, my niece, my friends and family, everyone I love I’d like to thank my team for incredible support…”
As the camera cut to his mortified-looking mother and sister at the London Oscars hub, he ended his speech by saying: “I’m going back to work… Tuesday morning because tonight I’m going up. We’ve got to celebrate life, we’re breathing, we’re walking. My mom and dad had sex, I’m here, it’s amazing, I’m so happy to be alive and I’m going to celebrate that. Love. Peace, love, and onwards, we go again.”
The movie tells the story of the betrayal of Illinois Black Panthers Chairman Fred Hampton, and Kaluuya paid tribute to his co-stars for their work.
He said: “It’s so hard to make a film about a man like this. I share this honor with the gift that is LaKeith Stanfield, the light that is Dominique Fishback… It’s so incredible to look around you and be inspired not just by what they do but who they are.”
He also paid a powerful tribute to Hampton himself and issued a rallying call to the rest of the audience gathered in Los Angeles.
He said: “To Fred Hampton, what a man. How blessed we are to live in a lifetime he existed. Thank you for your light. He was on this earth for 21 years and he found a way to feed kids breakfast, educate kids, give free medical care, against all odds…
“When they say divide and conquer, we say unite and stand. Thank you so much for showing me myself.
“There’s so much work to do guys and that’s on everyone in this room. I look to every single one of you.”
