The 2015 Oscars featured several highs and serious moments, but a joke from actor Sean Penn might have upended the entire feel-good affair. As Penn was announcing the Best Picture award, director Alejandro G. Iñárritu was the target of a “green card” joke.
This year’s Academy Awards ceremony was replete with moving stories, a heartfelt salute to the Civil Rights Movement during the Common and John Legend’s Best Original Song acceptance speech, and other moving moments. There was also the high glamour and fashion present at one of the world’s most lavish events.
Penn, an Academy Award-winner, social activist and director, announced the Best Picture category which featured Iñárritu’s Birdman, Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, Ava DuVernay’s Selma among others. “Who gave this son of a bitch his green card?,” said Penn right before announcing the Mexican director’s big win.
The comment caused a bit of a stir on Twitter, with many saying Penn’s comments were insensitive and racist. Mario Lopez and several others voiced their disdain over the comments. Some of those can be viewed on the following pages.
Watch Sean Penn announce the 2015 Oscars Best Picture award in the clip below.
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Photo: THR
