Ryan Coogler is finally an Academy Award winner with his first Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Sinners. This makes him only the second Black winner in this category after Jordan Peele made history for Get Out in 2018.
Overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude, he opened his heartfelt speech with a joke about is standing ovation. I’m from Oakland, California and we can talk a lot,” he said with a laugh.
The powerhouse director credited his cast and crew with his success, inviting them to stand for recognition as well.
“I want to thank the Academy for thinking of our movie that came out almost a year ago. This is an incredible honor. Warner Bros., everybody, all my cast and crew — please stand up. You guys are amazing. You all are winners in my book,” Coogler began at the podium.
He immediately showed love to his partner in life and filmmaking, wife Zinzi Coogler. In addition to Sinners, she produced Judas and the Black Messiah, Creed III, and Ironheart. The couple also shares three children.
“You are the best producer in the world, the best wife and mom in the world. Every day I get to spend with you is better than the day that came before it,” he continued.
“To my parents here, thank you for all the memories. Thank you for making me believe in myself. And to my babies at home watching, I apologize for all the time away. memories are all we have and I hope I gave you some great ones,” Coogler said. “And when you been blessed to live a long life and dad just becomes a memory I want you to remember this one thing, I love you more than anything,” he concluded.
This marked the first Academy Award win out of Sinners‘ record-breaking 16 nominations. Coogler’s previous nominations were in 2021 as producer on Judas and the Black Messiah on the first all-Black producing team nominated for Best Picture. In 2023, he was nominated for Best Original song for “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Congratulations to Ryan Coogler on the well-deserved win!
