Here’s why so many people are calling the Green Book Best Picture acceptance speech insensitive
On February 24th, Hollywood A-listers gathered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles for the 2019 Oscars. Like any Academy Awards ceremony, the show was filled with huge triumphs and major disappointments. But for many, the biggest controversy of the night was the Best Picture winner, Green Book—and especially director Peter Farrelly’s acceptance speech.
As The Hollywood Reporter points out, Green Book stars Mahershala Ali as jazz pianist Dr. Don Shirley and Viggo Mortensen as his driver, Tony “Lip” Vallelonga. Nick Vallelonga, Tony’s real-life son, co-wrote the screenplay, which centers on the two main characters’ concert tour through the South in the 1960s. The movie gets its name from The Negro Motorist Green Book, which was a guide by Victor Hugo Green that helped black motorists travel safely during the height of segregation. However, during Farrelly’s acceptance speech, he failed to even acknowledge Green—the man who made the premise of his movie possible. He also did not mention Shirley or his family. He did, however, thank Mortensen.
"This doesn't start by the way without Viggo Mortensen," Farrelly said in his speech. "We have no movie. All these awards are because Viggo, and Mahershala, and Linda [Cardellini], but it started with Viggo."
#Oscars Moment: Green Book wins for Best Picture. pic.twitter.com/nFBggI3Bsy
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 25, 2019
Suffice it to say, many were not happy with Farrelly’s major omission.
For anyone who may be interested in what the Green Book actually was, here is a link to more information about this act of resistance and source of love and survival for many African-Americans. It started with Victor Hugo Green. #OSCARS https://t.co/gdFp1mekub pic.twitter.com/9WkeInv2fd
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) February 25, 2019
Wow. Just wow. Notice how they did not even acknowledge the creator of the actual Green Book, Victor Hugo Green in the acceptance speech for Best Picture. “It all started with Viggo.” How disrespectful. #Oscars
— Rebecca Theodore-Vachon 🇭🇹 🇩🇴 🇺🇸 (@FilmFatale_NYC) February 25, 2019
The Green Book would not have been possible without Victor Hugo Green, a New York City postal worker who originally published the Green Book, but sure – Vigo Mortensen too.#Oscars pic.twitter.com/JSSXKEB9nB
— Tony Choi (@tonykchoi) February 25, 2019
White men in film stood on stage and congratulated themselves for a film on civil rights, forgetting the real Dr. Shirley, the actual Green Book, the actor Mahershala Ali who played Dr. Shirley and Octavia Spencer who produced it. But "Viggo made it happen". That happened. Wow
— Atima Omara (@atima_omara) February 25, 2019
Not one of them white men even mentioned Dr. Don Shirley when accepting the award for Green Book. #Oscars. pic.twitter.com/lVMXf8Kskx
— Britni Danielle (@BritniDWrites) February 25, 2019
peter farrelly thanked viggo mortensen and not dr. don shirley
— hunter harris (@hunteryharris) February 25, 2019
Others felt that Ali—who won Best Supporting Actor for portraying Shirley—also got short shrift.
This man said that Green Book started with Viggo Mortensen. Not Mahershala…who played the character the story is actually about.
Viggo. Mortensen. #Oscars
— James Fam Der Zee (@kidnoble) February 25, 2019
he really said mostly viggo and not…mahershala ali…who played dr. shirley…
— discourse wallah (@krutika) February 25, 2019
Green Book guy just said Viggo made the movie. Oh yeah and Mahershala. But really Viggo #Oscars pic.twitter.com/kZMdQ7a0jL
— Sarah Cooper (@sarahcpr) February 25, 2019
Of course, Green Book was controversial even before it won Best Picture. As THR notes, both Shirley and Tony died in 2013, but the pianist’s family members objected to the film numerous times, claiming that it’s not an accurate portrayal. Shirley’s great-niece, Yvonne Shirley, told THR that the movie falsely depicts her great-uncle as “estranged from his black family” and “absurdly disconnected from black community and culture.” Vallelonga, the film’s screenwriter, has also come under fire for failing to consult with the Shirley family. But according to Vanity Fair, he told reporters at the Oscars that Shirley told him: “Don’t speak to anyone else.”
Many have also called Green Book a “white savior” movie. After it won, critics compared it to Crash, which some consider one of the worst movies to ever win the award.
"The Green Book" was "Crash II: Crash In The Past"
— Guy Branum (@guybranum) February 25, 2019
false
Me, 2006: "They've given Crash the Best Picture award? Clueless and obtuse Hollywood liberalism will never top this moment."
Me, 2019: nervously noticing Green Book is nominated for best picture.— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) February 25, 2019
It’s disappointing—if not outright offensive—that Green and Shirley didn’t get the credit they deserved. Hopefully, the Academy is listening to some of this backlash and taking notes for future awards.
