Casey Affleck won the best lead actor prize for his performance in “Manchester by the Sea” at Sunday night’s Oscars.
Affleck capped off a dominant winning streak with the victory, having won 30-plus critics prizes throughout the fall and winter, as well as the British Academy award. The only bump in the road came at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, where “Fences” star Denzel Washington came out on top.
And Affleck made made a point to pay tribute to Washington, giving him a shout out during his speech. “One of the first people who taught me how to act was Denzel Washington, and I just met him tonight for the first time,” he said.
He also called out the other nominees, who were Andrew Garfield (“Hacksaw Ridge”), Ryan Gosling (“La La Land”), and Viggo Mortenson (“Captain Fantastic”). “You did great work,” he told them. “I’m proud to be in your company. You guys are very brave and I admire what you do. I’m only here, really, because of all the talents and good will of so many people that are impossible to name.”
But most of all, he thanked “Manchester by the Sea” writer/director Kenneth Lonergan “who made this part and without this part, without his writing, I wouldn’t be here for sure.”
“Manchester by the Sea” also won best original screenplay at the Oscars.
