Political discourse was not a heavy topic at Saturday’s Film Independent Spirit Awards, which seemed to be an apolitical ceremony compared to previous award shows this season.
Casey Affleck won the Best Lead Actor for his role in Manchester By the Sea and upon taking the stage took a moment to slam Donald Trump’s “abhorrent” and “un-American” policies.
“The policies of this administration are abhorrent and they will not last. You don’t have to clap out of obligation – They’re really un-American,” he told the audience. “It’s a time to struggle for the future and the soul of our nation. I know this feels preachy and boring… but I’m just lending my voice to the chorus here…You are struggling – you’re doing it so well and speaking up.”
The actor had earlier received praised for arriving to the ceremony in a shirt that read “Love” in Arabic.
The subdued ceremony was light in the mentioning of Trump, with hosts John Mulaney and Nick Kroll poking fun at the president in their opening monologue.
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Backstage after Moonlight’s marquee win in the Best Film category, Jenkins was also asked about the political climate in the U.S. “I feel terrible. There’s no other way to answer that question. There’s quite a few of us wearing these pins tonight, ‘Glad togetherness.’ It’s about inclusivity. I’m pissed like Casey said he was pissed off, as I’m sure the majority of the people in that hanger are pissed off. I think Moonlight exists because of this beacon of inclusivity. I’ve gotta tell my stories and speak truth to power… I made this movie under a different administration, this space is not so safe.”
Watch Afflecks’ full speech above.
Deadline’s Patrick Hipes contributed to this report.
