Entertainment
Oscars 2021: Daniel Kaluuya mistaken for Leslie Odom Jr by reporter in embarrassing winner’s room blunder
Oscars 2021 winner Daniel Kaluuya was mistaken for Leslie Odom Jr as he was interviewed by a journalist in the winner’s room last night.
The 32-year-old star took home an Academy Award for best supporting actor in an evening full of history-making wins, a for his role of American activist Fred Hampton in Judas And The Black Messiah.
After risking the wrath of his mum with a risqué nod to his parents having sex in his acceptance speech, Daniel answered questions from the press where one reporter accidentally confused him for Leslie, who was nominated for the award for his performance as Sam Cooke in One Night In Miami…
The uneasy error was captured on film and has since been shared widely on social media.
‘I want to congratulate you on this, I’ve been following you since the beginning of your career,’ the journalist, who claimed they were working on behalf of the Sunday Times started, before going on to ask about working with One Night In Miami… director Regina King.
‘I was wondering what it meant to you to be directed by Regina [King], what this means for you at this time with the world in the state that it’s in?’
Daniel’s face dropped as he realised the journalist got him mixed up, but he handled it like a champ and he asked her to repeat the question again.
‘I was wondering what it meant for you to win with the world in the state that it’s in at the moment,’ she said again.
‘What it meant to win with the world in the state it is in at the moment?’ Daniel repeated. ‘You know? It’s amazing to have this honour, to be appreciated in this way.’
The reporter continued her line of questioning and asked: ‘Does it mean more for the community though?’
‘Does it mean more for the community?’ Daniel said back, before stuttering.
‘What means something to the community is people pouring into each other and protecting each other and defending each other and guiding each other,’ he answered. ‘That’s what means everything to the community.’
Daniel looked perplexed by the whole situation, with a PR telling him he had just one more question to take from another outlet.
Viewers were left cringing over the embarrassing blunder, with one person writing: ‘It’s clearly difficult for her to tell the difference between all the black men at The Oscars. There’s so many! Cringe.’
Echoing a similar sentiment, another added: ‘So glad that Daniel Kaluuya’s three long months of having to answer dogsh*t, woefully ill-informed and vague questions in virtual awards show press rooms are finally over.
‘This, from a British broadsheet last night, even gets him mixed up with Leslie Odom Jr. Toe-curling x1000.’
Oscars 2021 winners
Best picture: Nomadland
Best actor: Sir Anthony Hopkins (The Father)
Best supporting actor: Daniel Kaluuya (Judas And The Black Messiah)
Best actress: Frances McDormand (Nomadland)
Best supporting actress: Yuh-Jung Youn (Minari)
Best director: Chloe Zhao (Nomadland)
Best animated feature film: Soul
Best cinematography: Erik Messerschmidt (Mank)
Best film editing: Mikkel EG Nielsen (Sound Of Metal)
Best costume design: Ann Roth (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom)
Best original score: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste (Soul)
Best original song: Fight For You (Judas And The Black Messiah)
Adapted screenplay: The Father – Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller
Original screenplay: Promising Young Woman – Emerald Fennell
Best production design: Mank
Best make-up and hairstyling: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best sound: Sound Of Metal
Best live-action short film: Two Distant Strangers
Best visual effects: Tenet
Best documentary feature: My Octopus Teacher
Best international feature: Another Round (Denmark)
Best animated short: If Anything Happens I Love You
Best documentary short: Colette
Daniel became the first black Briton to receive the best supporting actor award, and was the latest marker of a meteoric rise since his breakthrough in the UK TV series Skins.
He starred alongside Lakeith Stanfield in Judas And The Black Messiah, who was also nominated in the supporting actor category.
Daniel’s character Fred was shot and killed by police during an apartment raid in 1969 when he was 21.
He has said the role was ‘humbling’, adding: ‘When I really took in the scope of his ideas, his concepts, his beliefs, his love for the people, I felt honoured to step into, to spiritually, step into this position for this narrative and to be a part of continuing the legacy in my medium.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted Daniel Kaluuya’s rep for comment.
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