Spike Lee Forgets ‘Green Book’ Oscar Winner During Podcast

Hollywood, CA — Director Spike Lee appeared to have a moment of forgetfulness during a recent podcast, where he could not recall the name of the film that beat his movie ‘BlacKkKlansman‘ for Best Picture at the 2019 Academy Awards. Lee, who had previously called ‘Green Book‘ ‘not his cup of tea,’ joked about the mix-up on Marc Maron’s podcast.

Lee, 68, made the remark while discussing his Oscar win for Best Adapted Screenplay for ‘BlacKkKlansman’. Maron asked Lee if he felt relieved upon winning the award, prompting Lee to reflect on his film’s loss to ‘Green Book’ and his earlier comments about the film.

“Do the Right Thing wasn’t even nominated for the [Best Picture] Oscar,” Lee said, recalling the 1989 awards. He humorously continued his thought, laughing while acknowledging that ‘BlacKkKlansman’ lost to ‘— what was the name of that film?’”

“Someone was being driven in that film too,” he added, referencing another Best Picture winner, ‘Driving Miss Daisy‘. Lee’s jokes highlight his own history with the Oscars, where he has faced disappointments in the past.

At the time of ‘Green Book’s’ Oscar win, Lee had criticized the film for reinforcing the white savior trope and simplifying racism. In interviews following the 2019 ceremony, he referred to its Best Picture win as a “bad call.” During an appearance at an Oscars after-party, he famously said, “It wasn’t my cup of tea!” when asked if he found the film offensive.

‘Green Book’ starred Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen and told the true story of a friendship that blossomed during the Jim Crow era. Its reception stirred up debates about the representation of race and history in Hollywood.

Despite his past comments and frustrations about the Oscars, Lee expressed a continued commitment to filmmaking. “I’ll not let that deter me from what I’m doing,” he said. “I understand now that Oscars don’t necessarily mean that’s the best thing.”

Listeners can catch the full interview with Lee on the podcast ‘WTF With Marc Maron’.