Daniel Kaluuya left his mom mortified as he made a joke about his parents having sex during his acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor at the 2021 Oscars on Sunday.
The 32-year-old British actor, who won the category for his performance in Judas and the Black Messiah, made the awkward comment as he excitedly declared to the audience at the Union Station in Los Angeles that he was planning to celebrate after the ceremony.
‘We gotta celebrate, we gotta celebrate life,’ he said as his mom Damalie Namusoke and sister watched his speech from the UK.
Eh? Daniel Kaluuya’s mom Damalie Namusoke couldn’t believe what she was hearing when the actor made a sex joke during his acceptance speech at the Oscars on Sunday
‘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.’ he added jokingly as the star-studded audience giggled.
After the comment, the camera cut to Kaluuya’s family members and his mom was seen looking completely puzzled as she appeared to say ‘What is he talking about?’.
Beside her, the Get Out star’s sister appeared to be embarrassed as she bowed her head in her hands.
Unsurprisingly, Damalie’s reaction became an instant viral hit, with Oscars viewers retweeting images of her puzzled response and joking about the awkward family moment.
Even actress Issa Rae helped cement Kaluuya’s mom’s meme status by sharing a screen grab of her hilarious Oscars moment.
Cringe! Kaluuya gave the memorable acceptance speech as he took home the Best Supporting Actor award for his performance in Judas and the Black Messiah
‘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.’ Kaluuya said as he talked about celebrating after the ceremony
Tuning in: The actor’s mom and sister were watching his acceptance speech from the UK
Oh no! Damalie raised her hands to her face as her son made the awkward joke and his sister looked mortified
As he began his speech, Kaluuya said, ‘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,’
The Black Mirror star also thanked his family and friends ‘from London town to Kampala,’ the capital of Uganda where the actor’s father is from.
He also thanked Fred Hampton, the late American activist he plays in his Best Picture-nominated movie, as well as the Black Panthers for their impact on his life.
‘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.’
Speaking to reporters backstage after his memorable speech, Kaluuya said his mom is ‘not going to be very happy’ about his joke.
One reporter noted that because of the London-born star’s comments, his speech would live on in infamy.
‘Is that going to live on? I think that’s pretty obvious that all parents have sex, man, you know? What’s going on? It just came out my mouth, I know my mom’s probably going to text me some stuff, but here we are,’ Kaluuya responded.
Asked whether he’d spoken to his mother after the win, Kaluuya said he was taking a break from his phone.
‘No, bro, no, I’m gonna avoid my phone for a bit, mate, trust me, going to avoid my phone for a bit. I think my mom’s not going to be very happy. But she’s gonna be cool, she’s gonna be cool, she’s gonna be cool,’ he said.
‘She’s got a sense of humor so she’s like we give it to each other, so it’s cool.’
Elsewhere during the night, another British star, Emerald Fennell, scooped a major gong.
Fennell, 35, won Best Writing (Original Screenplay) for Promising Young Woman, which is also nominated for Best Picture.
Damalie’s reaction became an instant viral hit, with Oscars viewers retweeting images of her puzzled response and joking about the awkward family moment
The achievement makes her the first woman to win Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars since 2008.
In her acceptance speech, the Hammersmith-born star said: ‘The only speech I ever wrote was when I was 10 and I had a look to see if there would be anything useful from it but unfortunately I mostly thanked Zack Morris from Saved By the Bell.
‘He was my very first husband,’ she joked.
‘Unfortunately, he hasn’t been a part of my life as much as I had hoped so that speech is not that useful. But all I can say is — I’m trying very hard not to cry, which is very difficult as an English person, because I don’t cry ever — this film was made by the most incredible people in the world.’
Elsewhere during the night, another British star, Emerald Fennell, scooped a major gong. Fennell, 35, won Best Writing (Original Screenplay) for Promising Young Woman, which is also nominated for Best Picture
In her acceptance speech, the Hammersmith-born star said: ‘The only speech I ever wrote was when I was 10 and I had a look to see if there would be anything useful from it but unfortunately I mostly thanked Zack Morris from Saved By the Bell
On the red carpet, the actress and writer made the astonishing revelation that she shot the movie in less than a month.
‘We made this movie in 23 days… We never expected it to get to this stage — I think what’s been so moving is people’s candor and the conversations it’s opened up for lots of people.’
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is hosting the delayed ceremony at the historic Union Station in Los Angeles, California where socially distanced movie stars can go mask-free while on-camera or seated in the main show room.
During a year that saw movie theatres closed due to the pandemic, there were eight new films that did manage to impress Academy voters enough to be in contention for Hollywood’s biggest award, the Oscar for Best Picture (last year there were nine nominees in the category.)
Feat: On the red carpet, the actress and writer made the astonishing revelation that she shot the movie in less than a month
While blockbusters may be absent this year, there have been a wide range of movies that have caught the attention of Academy voters, including the lavish Mank, Netflix’s ode to the Golden Age of Hollywood, starring Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried.
Another strong contender is Minari, an indie drama about Korean immigrants scraping out a living off the land in rural America, written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung and starring Steven Yeun.
The eight films in the top category this year are The Father, Judas and the Black Messiah, Mank, Minari, Nomadland, Promising Young Woman, Sound of Metal, and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
It is the first time that two female directors have ever been nominated in the Best Director category, with Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) and Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) both receiving nods. Only five women have ever been nominated in the category before.
An official spokesperson called this year’s event ‘an Oscars like none other, while prioritizing the public health and safety of all those who will participate.’
93RD ACADEMY AWARDS WINNERS
Best Picture
The Father
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
Minari
Nomadland – WINNER
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Picture: The Trial of the Chicago 7 is one of the eight films nominated
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Andra Day – The United States vs Billie Holiday
Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand – Nomadland
Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman – The Father
Amanda Seyfried – Mank
Youn Yuh-jung – Minari – WINNER
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Olivia Colman is up for her role in The Father
Best Music (Original Score)
Da 5 Bloods
Mank
Minari
News of the World
Soul – WINNER
Best Animated Short Film
Burrow
Genius Loci
If Anything Happens I Love You – WINNER
Opera
Yes-People
Best Live Action Short Film
Feeling Through
The Letter Room
The Present
Two Distant Strangers
White Eye
Best International Feature Film
Another Round – WINNER
Better Days
Collective
The Man Who Sold His Skin
Quo Vadis, Aida?
Best Sound: Greyhound – a war film starring Tom Hanks – is up for the gong
Best Sound
Greyhound
Mank
News of the World
Soul
Sound of Metal – WINNER
Best Cinematography
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank – WINNER
News of the World
Nomadland
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Music (Original Song)
H.E.R. – Fight for You – Judas and the Black Messiah – WINNER
Hear My Voice – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Husavik – Eurovision Song Contest
Io Si (Seen) – The Life Ahead
Speak Now – One Night in Miami…
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is vying for the award
Best Director
Thomas Vinterberg – Another Round
David Fincher – Mank
Lee Isaac Chung – Minari
Chloé Zhao – Nomadland – WINNER
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Anthony Hopkins – The Father
Gary Oldman – Mank
Steven Yeun – Minari
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah – WINNER
Leslie Odom, Jr. – One Night in Miami…
Paul Raci – Sound of Metal
Lakeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah
Best Animated Feature Film
Onward
Over the Moon
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Soul – WINNER
Wolfwalkers
Best Animated Feature Film: A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is nominated
Best Costume Design
Emma
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – WINNER
Mank
Mulan
Pinnochio
Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
The Father – WINNER
Nomadland
One Night in Miami…
The White Tiger
Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman – WINNER
Shaka King and Will Berson – Judas and the Black Messiah
Lee Isaac Chung – Minari
Darius Marder and Abraham Marder – Sound of Metal
Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Documentary Feature
Collective
Crip Camp
The Mole Agent
My Octopus Teacher – WINNER
Time
Best Writing (Original Screenplay): Judas and the Black Messiah is up for the gong
Best Documentary Short Subject
Colette – WINNER
A Concerto Is a Conversation
Do Not Split
Hunger Ward
A Love Song for Latasha
Best Film Editing
The Father
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal – WINNER
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Production Design
The Father
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank – WINNER
News of the World
Tenet
Best Visual Effects
Love and Monsters
The Midnight Sky
Mulan
The One and Only Ivan
Tenet – WINNER
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Emma
Hillbilly Elegy
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – WINNER
Mank
Pinocchio