We have a new Best Picture winner, ending the most unpredictable race in recent memory.
The most unpredictable Best Picture race in years finally has a winner.
Green Book won the Academy's top honor during Sunday's Oscars, with director Peter Farrelly, stars Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali and Linda Cardellini, and the film's producers taking the stage to accept the award from Julia Roberts.
"We made this film with love. We made it with tenderness and we made it with respect," producer Jim Burke announced after running through his requisite list of thank you's. "And it was all done under the direction of Pete Farrelly."
"He's right. The whole story is about love," Farrelly chimed in. "It's about loving each other despite our differences and finding out the truth about who we are -- we're the same people. This doesn't start, by the way, without Viggo Mortensen. We have no movie.. All these awards are because Viggo, Mahershala and Linda, but it started with Viggo. I give you this, my friend."
Farrelly also thanked Octavia Spencer, who is the only black producer on Green Book and credited as a consulting producer. (Meaning she will likely not be receiving an Oscar for her contributions to the film.)
Green Book was nominated for five Oscars in total this year and ultimately won three, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Ali, his second win in three years.
The Best Picture win didn't come without controversy, however, as the film has faced considerable criticism throughout awards season: There was Mortensen using the N-word during a post-screening Q&A and an anti-Muslim tweet from screenwriter Nick Vallelonga (who is the son of the film's subject) resurfacing, plus the family of Dr. Don Shirley, who Ali portrays in the film, calling the movie "a symphony of lies."
"You learn, you grow. You try to become a better person," Farrelly told ET of facing the backlash. "It's all ultimately about the movie and that’s what we hope people see. I love this movie. I think it's special."
This year's Best Picture nominees also included Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite, Roma, A Star Is Born and Vice.
In the run-up to the Oscars, each of this year's nominees was lauded at a different awards show: Bohemian Rhapsody and Green Book won the Golden Globes, Black Panther and Roma dominated the Screen Actors Guild and Directors Guild Awards, respectively, A Star Is Born shone at the GRAMMYs and The Favourite won at the BAFTAs, among many more accolades for each film.
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