After an iconic career spanning more than 40 years, Kenneth Branagh is finally an Oscar winner, taking home his first gold statuette for Best Original Screenplay for Belfast.
The 61-year-old actor-writer-director won the Oscar over Don’t Look Up (Adam McKay & David Sirota), Licorice Pizza (Paul Thomas Anderson), King Richard (Zach Baylin), and The Worst Person in the World (Joachim Trier & Eskil Vogt).
The writer-director took to the stage to deliver a heartfelt speech in front of the packed crowd at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.
He said: “Thank you Academy voters, my fellow nominees I salute you.
“This is an enormous honor for my family, it’s a great tribute to an amazing city and fantastic people…
“This story is the search for joy and hope in the face of violence and loss. We lost some people along the way, Johnny Sessions, Jim Dornan, Leah Newman. We miss them, we love them, we will never forget them and we will never forget all of those in the heartbreaking, heartwarming, human, and amazing story of ‘Belfast’ on the fabulous island of Ireland.
“This means a lot, thank you so much.”
Branagh had been nominated for an Oscar five times before this year, for Best Director and Best Actor for Henry V in 1990, Best Live Action Short Film for Swan Song in 1992, Best Adapted Screenplay for Hamlet in 1996 and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for My Week With Marilyn in 2011.
Branagh is also nominated this year for Best Director and Best Picture for Belfast, setting a record for being nominated in seven categories.
