Spike Lee Was ‘Furious’, Turned His Back to Stage After Green Book Won Best Picture At Oscars

Deadline reports that Spike Lee was not happy at the Oscars last night when Green Book was announced as the Best Picture winner. Lee was said to be “furious,” waved his arms around in disgust, got up out of his seat, and walked to the back of the auditorium. At one point, he appeared to get into a heated conversation with director Jordan Peele. He paced up and down the aisle and turned his back to the stage during the Green Book victory speech.

Lee, of course, was part of what is considered one of the biggest snubs in Oscars history, when Do The Right Thing lost to Driving Miss Daisy in the Best Picture category in 1989.

Lee did finally win his best Oscar last night though, for Best Adapted Screenplay for BlacKKKlansman.

Lee was asked about Green Book winning Best Picture backstage after the Oscars and joked about how his films always lose to movies featuring someone driving someone else, noting that unlike Driving Miss Daisy, which featured a black man driving a white woman, Green Book features a white man driving a black man.

“I’m snake bit. Every time somebody is driving somebody, I lose – but they changed the seating arrangement!”

Green Book has been the subject of controversy over the film being condemned by members of the real Dr. Shirley’s family (Dr. Shirley was played by Mahershala Ali in the film, a role which won him an Oscar last night), writer Nick Vallelonga tweeting support for a debunked anti-Muslim theory spread by Donald Trump in 2015, and star Viggo Mortenson using the N-word at a film screening in 2018.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump also took aim at Lee today, saying his comments about the 2020 election at the Oscars last night were a “racist hit.”

Spike Lee was visibly angry when "Green Book" was announced as the winner of best picture at the Oscars, waving his arms in disgust and appearing to try to storm out of the Dolby Theatre before he was stopped at the doors. He returned to his seat when the speeches were over.

— Andrew Dalton (@andyjamesdalton) February 25, 2019