Ryan Coogler has secured a landmark victory at the BAFTAs, becoming the first Black writer to win the award for Best Original Screenplay, per variety.com.
Taking the stage to a standing ovation for his historical horror film, Sinners, a visibly moved Coogler admitted the moment was “nerve-wracking.”
“I come from a community that loves me,” Coogler told the audience. “They made me believe that I could be a writer. For all the writers out there looking at that blank page, think of who you love… let that love motivate you.”
Coogler triumphed over a competitive field, including Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme) and Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value).
This historic win significantly boosts Coogler’s prospects for the upcoming Academy Awards. Sinners has already made waves this season, shattering records with 16 Oscar nominations and earning 13 BAFTA nods – the most ever for a film directed by a Black filmmaker.
Should he repeat this success at the Oscars, Coogler would join Jordan Peele (Get Out) as only the second Black screenwriter to win in the Original Screenplay category.
•Featured image: Ryan Coogler/Mike Marsland /WireImage
