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If looks could kill, Casey Affleck would’ve been six feet underground during the 87th Academy Awards.
When Ben Affleck’s younger brother landed his first-ever Oscar, owing to his performance in Kenneth Lonergan’sManchester by the Sea, theBatman v Supermanstar teared up out of pride. But when Denzel Washington lost the prestigious accolade to the 48-year-old actor, his eyes filled with tears of bitter anguish.
And as if the loss wasn’t bad enough, Affleck sprinkled salt on the wound by paying a tribute to Washington in his acceptance speech. Yikes.
When Denzel Washington Lost An Oscar to Casey Affleck
On a February evening in 2017, some of the most high-profile names in the industry were called out for the ‘Best Actor’ category at the Academy Awards. But of course, only one could emerge triumphant out of the five actors, and that man turned out to beCasey Affleck.
While the nominations comprised A-listers like Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Bridge), Ryan Gosling (La La Land), Vigo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic), Denzel Washington (Fences), and Affleck (Manchester by the Sea), the award was largely viewed as a face-off between the last two actors. But when Affleck won the Oscar,The Equalizerstar did not appear happy in the least (viaYouTube).
What’s more, Affleck even addressed Washington in his acceptance speech, paying a sort of tribute to the acclaimed filmmaker and actor for inspiring him to act.
One of the first people who taught me how to act was Denzel Washington, and I just met him tonight for the first time. Thank You.
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But the 69-year-old star – who happens to be a 2-time Oscar winner – didn’t seem moved. If anything, he looked overwhelmed to the point of tears after the hapless near miss with victory. Many comments under the video pointed out the same with one user writing,“Why does Denzel look like he’s crying?”
Casey Affleck v Denzel Washington – Who Deserved the Win More?
Written and directed by playwright Kenneth Lonergan,Manchester by the Seanarrates the story of a brooding man who finds out he’s been named the legal guardian of his teen nephew in the wake of his older brother’s demise, which pushes him to return to his hometown and confront with major challenging life decisions.
Casey Affleck – who plays the protagonist named Lee Chandler in the film – received immense critical acclaim for his poignant portrayal of the character and overall performance in the film (viaIMDb). Not to mention, the drama itself landed six Acamdey Award nominations (including one for Best Picture), out of which it won two in the Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay categories.
Then there’s the historical drama helmed and led byDenzel Washington, who plays Troy Maxson in the movie, a former African American baseball player struggling to survive and provide for his family in a world brimming with hatred and racism. Adapted from August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name,Fencesdelves into the touching and thought-provoking story of the legacy we leave as humans.
Both Washington and his co-star Viola Davis became the center of widespread critical acclaim for their gripping delivery in the film, and both were nominated for Oscars, with the latter even winning one for Best Supporting Actress. Perhaps it is because of the emotional attachment that theFencesco-producer had with the movie that he felt all the more heartbroken when Affleck beat him to the win.
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In a conversation withBackstage, Washington even praised the 2016 film for being“the best material”he’s ever come across despite being in the industry for over four decades. Besides, as an African American himself, theTraining Day starhas already witnessed the harsh realities of life depicted in the movie, and that personal experience is bound to add to the value of the project for him.
Beautiful as Affleck’s character and execution of the role had been, nobody could’ve anticipated Washington losing to him, and that alone speaks volumes.
Manchester by the Seacan be streamed on Prime Video, andFencesis available on Paramount+.
Khushi Shah
Articles Published :857
With a prolific knowledge of everything pop culture and a strong penchant for writing, Khushi has penned over 700 articles during her time as an author at FandomWire.An abnormal psychology student and an fervent reader of dark fiction, her most trusted soldiers are coffee and a good book.
