Dustin Lance Black reminds Sam Smith he too is an openly gay Oscar winner in scathing tweet
The screenwriter corrected the singer by sharing a video of his own acceptance speech
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Your support makes all the difference.Like a number of people watching the 2016 Oscars, Dustin Lance Black was unimpressed by Sam Smith’s suggestion that he could be the first publicly out man to win an Oscar.
Smith accepted the award for best original song for "Writings on the Wall" in a speech promoting LGBT rights.
“I read an article a few months ago by Sir Ian McKellen, and he said that no openly gay man had ever won an Oscar, and if this is the case, even if it isn’t the case, I want to dedicate this to the LGBT community all around the world," he said.
Smith was referring to an interview Sir Ian gave to The Guardian in January where the Lord of the Rings actor questioned why no openly gay man had ever won an Academy award in the best actor category.
“No openly gay man has ever won the Oscar; I wonder if that is prejudice or chance,” he said.
Black responded by reminding Smith of his own Oscar victory for original screenplay for the film Milk in a scathing tweet suggesting he also stop texting his fiancé, the Olympic diver Tom Daley.
Other openly gay men to have won Oscars include Sir Elton John and Sir John Gielgud, who won the award for best actor in a supporting role in 1982.
Speaking backstage after the Oscars, Smith told the Press Association he wished he could discuss his victory with Sir Ian. "I wish I had his number, I don't know him, I just love Gandalf.“
He then made his second error when trying to correct himself while speaking to Good Morning Britain, where he said: "I think I am the second openly gay man to win it.“
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