Jordan Peele Says He Thought Writing Get Out Was 'Impossible' as He Accepts Oscar

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Jordan Peele took home the prize for Best Original Screenplay this year at the 90th Academy Awards.

The 39-year-old, who won for Get Out, was also nominated tonight for directing.

“Thank you, you guys are gonna mess up my jet ski, hold up,” he said, joking, as the audience gave him a standing ovation.

“This means so much to me. I stopped writing this movie about 20 times because I thought it was impossible,” he said. “I thought it wasn’t gonna work, I thought no one would ever make this movie, but I kept coming back to it because I knew if someone let me make this movie, then people would hear it and people would see it.”

He continued, “To the cast and crew, I love you, thank you so much. My wife, who supported me through this whole process. My mother, who taught me to love even in the face of hate. And to everybody who went and saw this movie. Everybody who bought a ticket, told somebody to buy a ticket, thank you. I love you for shouting out at the theater, for shouting out at the screen. I love all, thank you so much goodnight.”

Jordan Peele won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay at the 90th Academy Awards
Jordan Peele won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay at the 90th Academy Awards

Be sure to check out PEOPLE’s full Academy Awards coverage to get the latest news on Hollywood’s big night.

The writer and director beat out other nominated scripts such as The Big Sick, Lady Bird, The Shape of Water and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

RELATED: Oscars 2018 Nominations: Get Out and Lady Bird Score Big

The indie horror film Get Out was a hit with critics and audiences alike this year.

“One thing I love about the reactions, I’ve got a lot of people saying, ‘I don’t like scary movies but I’m into this,’ and that’s cool for me because I think horror is fun and it doesn’t have to be disgusting,” Peele previously told PEOPLE.

“It doesn’t have to make you walk home terrified, it can be a fun collaborative experience, so I love that.”

Peele’s partner in crime in the show Key and Peele, Keegan-Michael Key, was more than a little excited at the news.

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The 2018 Oscars were held at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4 and were telecast live on ABC.