“Moonlight,” “The Night Manager” and “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” walked away with top honors at the 29th USC Libraries Scripter Awards Saturday night.
The annual ceremony, held on the University of Southern California campus, is unique in the season for celebrating adapted screenplays and their original source material.
Barry Jenkins won for his “Moonlight” screenplay along with Tarell Alvin McCraney, whose short script “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue” served as source and inspiration. Jenkins accepted via video message from the U.K., where the film is set to release and the BAFTA Awards will be held Sunday.
Meanwhile, there was a tie in the television field. David Farr and novelist John le Carre won for “The Night Manager,” with le Carre’s son, Stephen Cornwell — a producer on the series — accepting on their behalf.
Sharing the prize was “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.” Screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski — who, as USC students years ago, met 20 feet away from the very spot where they were receiving the honor — were on hand to accept on behalf of their work and Jeffrey Toobin’s book “The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson.”
“Moonlight” is also nominated for the adapted screenplay Oscar this year along with fellow Scripter nominees “Arrival,” “Lion,” “Fences” and “Hidden Figures.”
