Chadwick Boseman’s Brother Speaks out After He Loses Best Actor Oscar to Anthony Hopkins

Chadwick Boseman’s brother, Derrick Boseman, is speaking out following that major upset at the 93rd Academy Awards Sunday night. After all other awards were handed out for the night, Joaquin Phoenix presented the award for Best Actor to close out the night, leaving many feeling as though Boseman, who had been nominated for his performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, had been snubbed when the Oscar ultimately went to fellow nominee Anthony Hopkins.

Speaking with TMZ shortly after the ceremony, Derrick quelled any rumors that the family of the late actor, who died in August 2020 at the age of 43 following a battle with cancer, was upset with the results. In fact, Derrick told the outlet that Boseman’s family doesn’t view the results as a snub, noting that all nominated in the category were deserving of the award. Derrick added that he and his family have nothing but well wishes for Hopkins, who took home the Oscar for his performance in The Father, and, “I’m sure [Anthony] would if Chad won.”

Sunday night’s upset came at the very end of the broadcast. Typically reserved for the Best Picture award, the categories were shuffled around this year to save Best Actor for last. Many had assumed this indicated Boseman, who had beaten out Hopkins to take home both the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards, would posthumously take home the Oscar. The late actor earned rave reviews for his portrayal of Levee, a gifted but troubled trumpet player, in Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and, along with Hopkins, had been nominated along with Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal), Gary Oldman (Mank), and Steven Yeun (Minari). However, when Phoenix read of the winner, it was Hopkins’ name, sparking backlash on social media, where one person wrote, “I take issue with the producers of the ceremony blatantly exploiting Chadwick for an ending high note only to tarnish the work of both thespians. Appalling.” Another person said, “Fault is on the Oscar producers who, for ratings, needlessly made the loss of an icon even harder on those anticipating his honor.”

As Hopkins was in his native Wales and did not video call in for the category, the Oscars ultimately ended with Phoenix accepting the award on his behalf. In a belated acceptance speech shared Monday morning, Hopkins paid tribute to Boseman, stating, “I want to pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman who was taken from us far too early, and again, thank you all very much.”