Many were shocked last night when Anthony Hopkins, who did not even show up to the ceremony, won the Best Actor Oscar prize over the late Chadwick Boseman. On Monday morning, Hopkins, 83, posted a video to Instagram in which he gave his delayed acceptance speech and paid tribute to Boseman.
“Well, good morning. Here I am in my homeland in Wales. At 83 years of age, I did not expect to get this award,” Hopkins, who won for his work in The Father, said in the video. “I really didn’t. I’m very grateful to the Academy, and thank you.”
“I want to pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who was taken from us far too early,” Hopkins continued. “Again, thank you all very much. I really did not expect this. So I feel very privileged and honored. Thank you.”
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Boseman, who had been nominated for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, tragically passed away last summer at the age of 43 following a battle with colon cancer. His death came as a shock to fans, given the fact that he had not publicized the fact that he was battling cancer.
“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” Boseman’s family said in a statement at the time of his death. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more – all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.”
— Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) August 29, 2020
Boseman had been the favorite in the Best Actor race last night, as he had won both the Golden Globe and the Screen Actors Guild award in the category. Best Actor was the last award to be presented, and Boseman not winning combined with Hopkins not being there to accept the award was disappointing to fans, with many feeling that the show ended on a sour note.
This was the second Oscar-win for Hopkins, who had previously won the Best Actor trophy for the 1991 movie Silence Of The Lambs.
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