The night proved to be monumental for actor Michael B. Jordan as he received the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Sinners, highlighted by an impassioned and heartfelt speech.
“I stand here because of the people that came before me. Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forrest Whitaker, Will Smith. And to be amongst those giants, amongst those greats, amongst my ancestors, amongst my guides, thank you to everybody in this room and everybody at home for supporting me in my career,” began an emotional Jordan.
“I feel it. I know you guys want me to do well, and I wanna do that because you guys bet on me. Thank you for keep betting on me,” said the actor.
Jordan secured the award for his portrayal of the Smokestack twins in the unique vampire horror feature, notable for being the first with a predominantly black cast.
Ryan Coogler, a close associate of Jordan and the director of several collaborations, including Sinners and Black Panther, also had a great night.
This marks the first Oscars for both Jordan and Coogler.
Coogler took home the award for Best Original Screenplay for Sinners.
His trajectory began in indie cinema, eventually leading him to helm Black Panther, one of the highest-budgeted black films in the industry.
