5th March 2018 • article
Kumail at Oscars: I am from Pakistan and Iowa, two places Hollywood cannot find on the map
Image: Twitter
The actor Kumail Nanjiani had an eventful Oscars ceremony last night, joking about his background, his name and being an immigrant.
The Pakistani-American actor was nominated for The Big Sick, the comedy he co-wrote along with his wife Emily Gordon (pictured) on how they met. He is also known for his role in the TV series Silicon Valley.
Kumail was also presenting an award last night, alongside the Black Panther star Lupita Nyong'o. At the podium they spoke out in favour of DREAMers, referring to undocumented migrants who entered the US as children.
"We are also immigrants, and like everyone in this room and everyone watching at home we are dreamers, we grew up one day dreaming of working in the movies. Dreams are the foundation of Hollywood, and the foundation of America. So to all the dreamers out there we stand with you."
He also joked about his name: "Kumail Nanjiani is my stage name. My actual given Pakistani name is Chris Pine. So you can imagine how annoyed I was when the other – the white one – showed up – The real Chris Pine."
After Lupita said she was from Kenya, Kumail added, "And I am from Pakistan and Iowa, two places that nobody from Hollywood can find on the map."
Though his film did not win in the category it was nominated - Get Out won the Best Original Screenplay - but Kumail nonetheless jokingly tweeted: "The Big Sick came second!"
Earlier, when had been nominated, Kumail tweeted: "Wow. Emily and I met when she heckled me at a comedy show in the back of a diner in 2006. We wrote a movie about it and 12 years later we’re nominated for an Oscar. I will never get over this."
Race and diversity was centre-stage at the Oscars. The Shape of Water, by Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, won Best Picture while he won the Best Director award. Frances McDormand won Best Actress award for Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri - about racial tensions and misogyny in a small town. Comedian Jordan Peele collected an award for Get Out, a comedy-horror about white-liberal racism.
And three accusers of Harvey Weinstein: Salma Hayek, Ashley Judd and Annabella Sciora took to the stage to highlight the importance of diversity in film. For once in a long time there wasn't a need to tweet #OscarsSoWhite.
The Pakistani-American actor was nominated for The Big Sick, the comedy he co-wrote along with his wife Emily Gordon (pictured) on how they met. He is also known for his role in the TV series Silicon Valley.
Kumail was also presenting an award last night, alongside the Black Panther star Lupita Nyong'o. At the podium they spoke out in favour of DREAMers, referring to undocumented migrants who entered the US as children.
"We are also immigrants, and like everyone in this room and everyone watching at home we are dreamers, we grew up one day dreaming of working in the movies. Dreams are the foundation of Hollywood, and the foundation of America. So to all the dreamers out there we stand with you."
He also joked about his name: "Kumail Nanjiani is my stage name. My actual given Pakistani name is Chris Pine. So you can imagine how annoyed I was when the other – the white one – showed up – The real Chris Pine."
After Lupita said she was from Kenya, Kumail added, "And I am from Pakistan and Iowa, two places that nobody from Hollywood can find on the map."
Though his film did not win in the category it was nominated - Get Out won the Best Original Screenplay - but Kumail nonetheless jokingly tweeted: "The Big Sick came second!"
Earlier, when had been nominated, Kumail tweeted: "Wow. Emily and I met when she heckled me at a comedy show in the back of a diner in 2006. We wrote a movie about it and 12 years later we’re nominated for an Oscar. I will never get over this."
Race and diversity was centre-stage at the Oscars. The Shape of Water, by Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, won Best Picture while he won the Best Director award. Frances McDormand won Best Actress award for Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri - about racial tensions and misogyny in a small town. Comedian Jordan Peele collected an award for Get Out, a comedy-horror about white-liberal racism.
And three accusers of Harvey Weinstein: Salma Hayek, Ashley Judd and Annabella Sciora took to the stage to highlight the importance of diversity in film. For once in a long time there wasn't a need to tweet #OscarsSoWhite.
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Barfi Culture is a news-magazine on people of South Asian heritage living in Europe and North America. We don't cover South Asia directly.
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