Brad Pitt wins Best Supporting Actor Oscar, tells Leonardo DiCaprio: 'I'd ride your coattails any day'
Brad Pitt has fulfilled his awards season destiny this year by winning his first-ever Oscar for acting. Yes, Pitt previously received the golden bald man in 2014 as part of 12 Years a Slave‘s Best Picture win; he produced that film through his Plan B company. But his Best Supporting Actor announcement during Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony marks his first Oscars recognition for an on-screen performance.
“Leo, I’ll ride on your coattails any day, man,” Pitt said. “The view’s fantastic.”
Pitt gave thanks to director Quentin Tarantino, calling him an “original” and “one-of-a-kind.” He also specifically saluted Mike Moh, the actor behind Bruce Lee in the film, as well as behind-the-scenes crew members, from “Big bad Bob Richardson” (for cinematographer Robert Richardson) to driver Robert Garcia.
“While we’re doing all this, I think it’s time we give a little love to our stunt coordinators and our stunt crews,” he said. “Listen, I’m a bit gobsmacked. I’m not one to look back, but this has made me do so. And I think of my folks taking me to the drive-in to see Butch [Cassidy] and [the] Sundance [Kid], and loading up my car and moving out here, to Geena and Ridley [a nod to Geena Davis and Ridley Scott for Thelma & Louise] giving me my first shot to all the all the wonderful people I’ve met along the way to stand here now. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. Ain’t that the truth. This is for my kids who color everything I do. I adore you.”
Pitt starred as Cliff Booth, stunt actor to the stars — one star in particular, faded television actor Rick Dalton ( Leonardo DiCaprio) — in Quentin Tarantino‘s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Pitt largely swept awards season with this role, winning statuettes in the Supporting Actor category at the Golden Globes, BAFTA Awards, the National Board of Review, and the Screen Actors Guild.
This win comes after three previous acting Oscar nominations for 1995’s Twelve Monkeys, 2008’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and 2011’s Moneyball.
Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood), Al Pacino (The Irishman), Joe Pesci (The Irishman), and Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes) were also nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category.
Though his speech wasn’t largely political, Pitt dig reference the acquittal of President Donald Trump following the impeachment proceedings. “They told me I only have 45 seconds up here,” Pitt said when he took the stage, “which is 45 more seconds more than the Senate gave John Bolton this week. I’m thinking maybe Quentin does a movie about it. In the end the adults do the right thing.”
See the full list of winners here.
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