Actress Regina King kicked off the 93rd Academy Awards Sunday night by hailing the fact that Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd.
The 50-year-old actress took to the stage at the glitzy ceremony in Los Angeles Union Station stating: ‘It has been quite a year, and we are still smack dab in the middle of it. We are mourning the loss of so many.
‘And I have to be honest, if things had gone differently this past week in Minneapolis, I may have traded in my heels for marching boots.’
King’s comments prompted vocal agreement among the 170 people who were sitting in the audience.
The actress continued: ‘Now, I know that a lot of you people at home want to reach for your remote when you feel like Hollywood is preaching to you. But as a mother of a black son, I know the fear that so many live with, and no amount of fame or fortune changes. That okay?’
The crowd responding with a loud applause, seeming to confirm their support for King’s commentary.
Last Monday, a Minneapolis jury found Chauvin guilty of second-degree manslaughter, third-degree murder and second-degree unintentional murder over the May 2020 death of unarmed black man, George Floyd.
Actress Regina King kicked off the 93rd Academy Awards Sunday night by hailing Derek Chauvin ‘s guilty verdict for murdering George Floyd
Last week, Derek Chauvin was convicted of second degree murder over the May 2020 death of black man, George Floyd
King made the remark just seconds after taking to the stage to open the Oscars on Sunday night
This year’s Academy Awards have been hailed as ‘the most diverse’ in history, with a record number of BIPOC nominees.
Nine of the 20 acting nominees this year are actors of color and it is the first time in history that the best actor category isn’t majority white.