The Get Out writer is the first black person to win an Original Screenplay Academy Award
Director Jordan Peele made history at the 2018 Oscars - becoming the first black person to win a statue for Best Original Screenplay for his directional debut, Get Out. Now the 39-year-old has said he hopes his win with inspire the next generation of African-Americans to greatness in the film industry.
Jordan Peele wants to be an inspiration for other black filmakers
The director confessed to reporters backstage that he almost didn’t become a writer/director because there were so few role models to inspire him.
As a result, he told the media he hopes that young people watching at home will see his win and feel like they can achieve anything - just like he did when he saw Whoopi Goldberg pick up the Best Supporting Actress gong for Ghost in 1991.
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He said: "When the nominations for this came out I had this amazing feeling of looking at the 12-year-old that had this burning in my guts for this type of validation, and I instantly realised that an award like this is much bigger than me.
"This is about paying it forward to the young people who might not believe they could achieve the highest honour in whatever craft they want to push for. You're not a failure if you don't get this, but I almost didn't do it because I didn't believe there was a place for me."
He said he called Whoopi after receiving nominations for Best Original Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture to thank her for inspiring someone who doubted himself to feel like they could achieve the honour.
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He added: "I hope that this does the same and inspires more people to use their voices."
Peele's satirical horror film Get Out has received wide critically acclaim for Peele’s screenplay and direction, the performance of its lead actor, Daniel Kaluuya, and the subject matter.
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