Spike Lee forgets name of movie that beat "BlacKkKlansman" at Oscars after memorably shading its Best Picture win Jessica WangSeptember 5, 2025 at 3:31 PM 0 Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Spike Lee wins the 2019 Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for 'BlacKkKlansman' Spike Lee drew a blank while trying to re...
- - Spike Lee forgets name of movie that beat "BlacKkKlansman" at Oscars after memorably shading its Best Picture win
Jessica WangSeptember 5, 2025 at 3:31 PM
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Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Spike Lee wins the 2019 Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for 'BlacKkKlansman'
Spike Lee drew a blank while trying to remember the name of the film that beat out his 2018 joint BlacKkKlansman for Best Picture at the 2019 Academy Awards, this despite memorably shading it at the time.
The film was, of course, Peter Farrelly's divisive biographical dramedy Green Book, about the unlikely bond between a renowned Black pianist (played by Mahershala Ali) and his white driver (Viggo Mortensen) as they traveled through the segregated and racist Deep South circa 1962. Among the many criticisms of the film was that it reinforced the white savior trope and simplified racism, with Lee himself calling its Best Picture win a "bad call" at the time.
Just don't expect the filmmaker to remember that now. Appearing on the latest episode of Marc Maron's WTF podcast, Lee — amusingly so — could not remember the name of Green Book when the topic turned to winning the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2019 ceremony.
Patti Perret/Universal Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen in 'Green Book'
"When you finally won the Oscar for BlacKkKlansman, was there a part of you that was sort of like, 'About f---ing time'?" Maron asked.
"I mean, here's the thing. Do the Right Thing wasn't even nominated for the [Best Picture] Oscar, and Driving Miss Daisy won," Lee said of his 1989 film, which received two noms in the best supporting actor (for Danny Aiello) and best screenplay categories. "BlacKkKlansman lost out to, uh — what was the name of the film?"
"For Best Picture?" asked Maron, who could not quite remember himself. "I don't know."
"Someone was being driven in that film too," Lee said with a laugh.
Back in 2019, Lee made his displeasure with his film's Best Picture loss to Green Book known, dodging a question about the win in the press room before later referring to it as a "bad call." He also referenced Driving Miss Daisy's triumph over Do the Right Thing quipping, "Every time somebody is driving somebody, I lose!"
In a memorable chat with two BBC reporters at the red carpet of an Oscars after-party, he was asked if Green Book offended him, replying: "Offend? Are you British? Let me give you a British answer: It wasn't my cup of tea!"
David Lee/Focus Features
John David Washington in 'BlacKkKlansman'
BlacKkKlansman, also a biographical dramedy, told the true story of Ron Stallworth (played by John David Washington, the son of frequent Lee collaborator Denzel Washington), the first Black detective to serve the Colorado Springs Police Department. Determined to make a name for himself, he sets out to infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan. Adam Driver, Topher Grace, and Laura Harrier also star in the film, which picked up a total of six noms at the 2019 Oscars.
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During his interview with Maron, Lee waxed poetic about no longer being driven by awards.
"I'll not let that deter me from what I'm doing," the filmmaker said. "I understand now that Oscars don't necessarily mean that's the best thing. Just keep it moving. I'm mad for a day, then it's just keep it moving. On to the next. Keep it going."
Listen to Lee's full interview on WTF With Marc Maron above.
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