Words by Rosalind Thacker
Amidst a decidedly uneventful Oscar’s ceremony, Daniel Kaluuya’s North London charm proved yet another reminder of the young star’s global appeal.
“My mum met my dad, they had sex. It’s amazing. I’m here! So happy to be alive.” Those were the words of a jubilant Daniel Kaluuya as he accepted his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at the 63rd Academy Awards.
Not quite what you would expect to hear in an Oscar’s acceptance speech, right? Well, that tendency to surprise is exactly why we can’t get enough of the young British star, who stayed true to his roots and delivered one of the most powerful – and eventually, hilarious – speeches at this year’s ceremony. If you’re making history as the first non-white Briton to win an acting Oscar, though, it was a sure bet that Daniel Kaluuya would accept that award in no other way than memorable.
Raised on a council estate in Camden Town, Kaluuya did not mess around when it came to making a name for himself as an actor. Get Out is largely considered his breakthrough role – but if you’re a fan of British television, it’s likely you’ll have seen him as Posh Kenneth in Skins, after he bagged himself a writing gig for the show whilst still at university. It didn’t take long before Kaluuya, still a teenager, was writing full, hour-long episodes of the series, making him one of the youngest ever to write an episode of primetime drama. He’s also made guest appearances on programmes such as Silent Witness, Doctor Who, and Lewis. Since then, he has risen the ranks, and built a reputable portfolio as one of the best actors of his generation.
After these TV appearances, Kaluuya quickly landed a starring role in the Olivier Award-nominated play Sucker Punch, before featuring as Bing in the Black Mirror episode, “Fifteen Million Merits”. It wasn’t long before he attracted the attention of directors across the globe, and he secured his critically acclaimed leading role in Get Out in 2015. Aside from being an Arsenal FC fan, then, Daniel Kaluuya is pretty much untouchable.
He’s also aware of his part to play in the ongoing debates around identity and inclusion in his industry. “People say, ‘You’re too black’. Then I come to America and they say, ‘You’re not black enough.’ I go to Uganda; I can’t speak the language. In India, I’m black. In the black community, I’m dark-skinned. In America, I’m British,” Kaluuya told GQ in 2017.
Fast-forward nearly four years later, and he becomes the first Black British actor to win an Oscar for his role as Fred Hampton in Judas And The Black Messiah. In an otherwise uneventful ceremony, Kaluuya delivered a heartfelt yet hilarious speech, declaring how he was simply “happy to be alive.” He also gave special thanks to his mother and father, saying, “let’s celebrate life, man. My mum met my dad, they had sex. It’s amazing. I’m here!” His mother didn’t look to impressed, mind, muttering “what is he talking about?” as his sister hung her head in embarrassment. As is so often the case with award shows, though, it’s the unexpected, unplanned moments of human touch that we love the most. Particularly in a year as tumultuous as this one.
At first glance, you might assume Kaluuya is just another actor being sucked into the money-making whirlpool of US filmmaking – but that is far from the truth. The young Brit is a frightening talent set to make waves in his industry for years to come – and living proof that you can take the boy out of North London, but you can’t take North London out of the boy.
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