Green Book has undoubtedly sparked a lot of controversy, and on Sunday it was director Spike Lee’s reaction to the film’s Best Picture win that got people talking.
Reports from those at the star-studded event said that when Green Book was announced the winner, Lee marched toward the back of the theater in a huff before turning around. His film, Blackkklansman was up for the same award.
Deadline‘s Pete Hammond reported that “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.”
AP reporter Andrew Dalton also tweeted, “Spike Lee was visibly angry when Green Book was announced as the winner of best picture at the Oscars, waving his arms in disgust and appearing to try to storm out of the Dolby Theatre before he was stopped at the doors. He returned to his seat when the speeches were over.”
When asked about his reaction backstage, Lee quipped that he loses “every time somebody’s driving somebody,” referring to the Oscars back in 1990 when Do the Right Thing lost to Driving Miss Daisy. But he didn’t go home a loser on Sunday night, nabbing the award for Best Adapted Screenplay, which gifted the director a standing ovation in the theater.
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While he may have been angry over the film’s win, Lee had nothing but love for Green Book star Mahershala Ali, who won a trophy for Best Supporting Actor for portraying pianist Dr. Don Shirley. In fact, the two posed for pictures in the press room after the event.
Many critics have panned Green Book as a white savior film, especially after Shirley’s family came out earlier this year, calling Green Book a “symphony of lies.”
