Lexy Perez is an Associate Editor for The Hollywood Reporter. Perez started as an Editorial Intern at The Hollywood Reporter in 2017 before being hired as THR’s Daily News Writer. She was later promoted to a Full-Time Assistant Editor before being promoted to Associate Editor. Across her five years at THR, Perez’s roles have included writing, editing and assigning breaking entertainment news stories, contributing original reporting and managing the news desk. She also helps with the production of print magazine stories and features for THR’s website. She is a graduate of Cal State San Marcos University.
Judas and the Black Messiah. In his speech, Kaluuya took a moment to honor Black Panther Chairman Fred Hampton, whom he portrayed in the film. What a man. How blessed that we lived in a lifetime that he existed, he said. He was on this earth for 21 years and he found a way to feed kids breakfast, educate kids, give free medical care against all the odds. Of the Black Panther party, the actor said they showed me how to love myself and with that love they overflowed it to the Black community and then to other communities and showed the power of union, the power of unity. Kaluuya also told the audience that there’s so much work to do and everyone must celebrate life. We’re breathing, we’re walking. It’s incredible. Though he said he would get back to work Tuesday morning, he quipped, tonight I’m going up!
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
Among the big winners of the evening were director Chloe Zhao and Nomadland, which took the coveted best feature trophy.
There were many highlights during the 2021 Independent Spirit Awards on Thursday, which celebrated the best in indie filmmaking from the past year and took place in a virtual format hosted by
Saturday Night Live castmember Melissa Villaseñor.
The show included appearances from
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm star Maria Bakalova, Cate Blanchett, Laura Dern, Kathryn Hahn, who addressed viewers from her backyard; Kumail Nanjiani, who also appeared from his house and joked that quarantine has been going for seven years, ; Adam Sandler, Phoebe Waller Bridge, Renee Zellweger, Daveed Diggs and more.