Chadwick Boseman’s family has spoken out about the late actor’s best actor loss at the 93rd Academy Awards.
Speaking to TMZ, the actor's brother Derrick Boseman said the family doesn’t see the loss as a snub because every nominated actor in the category was deserving of the award.
Derrick also said Boseman's family wishes winner Anthony Hopkins well, saying, “I’m sure [Anthony] would if Chad won.”
Derrick added that Chadwick didn’t place very much value on an Oscar, saying that “he always described them to me as a campaign”.
Hopkins, who won for his role in The Father, released a belated acceptance speech the morning after the Academy Awards, which aired on 25 April.
“Good morning, here I am in my homeland in Wales,” he said. “At 83 years of age I did not expect to get this award, I really didn’t and I’m very grateful to the Academy and thank you.”
He went on to pay tribute to Boseman, “who was taken from us far too early”.
Hopkins concluded: “Thank you all very much. I really did not expect this so I feel very privileged. Thank you.”
To the surprise of many viewers, the Best Actor category concluded yesterday’s ceremony (25 April) when it is typically Best Picture that closes the evening’s events.
Although Hopkins’s co-star, Olivia Colman, was expected to make a speech on his behalf, that did not materialise.
Some have speculated that bosses moved Best Actor to the end as they had predicted Boseman would win the prize for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Hopkins won, however, for his performance as an elderly man with dementia in The Father, directed by French novelist and playwright Florian Zeller, who also wrote the stage play on which the film is based.
At 83 years old, he is now the oldest-ever recipient of an acting Oscar. This is his second win and fourth nomination in the same category.
