Lady Gaga Takes a 15-Minute Star Is Born Victory Lap

Lady Gaga Takes a 15-Minute Star Is Born Victory Lap

The star-studded National Board of Review gala took place Tuesday evening, as Donald Trump was prepa..

The star-studded National Board of Review gala took place Tuesday evening, as Donald Trump was preparing and delivering his first prime-time address to the nation from the Oval Office—in which he tried to convince Congress to fund a U.S.-Mexico border wall. The unfortunate timing made it nearly impossible for the crowd at New Yorks Cipriani 42nd Street to avoid talking about politics.

Oscar winner Barry Jenkins, accepting the best-adapted-screenplay award for If Beale Street Could Talk, got onstage right as President Trump went on the air. The Moonlight filmmaker felt compelled to call out the president: “Literally right now, the president of the United States is talking about walls and borders. I dont know how this happened, so I cant help but talk about the president, the borders, and all these walls,” said Jenkins. “There is a film here being celebrated called Minding the Gap by Bing Liu. He and his family immigrated here, and the president does not want him here.”

Jenkins also brought up Alfonso Cuaróns critically acclaimed Roma, another film he thought Trump would not appreciate: “He reduces them to los hombres malos and las mujeres malas. Fuck him.” The director concluded by quoting If Beale Street Could Talk author James Baldwin: “One can only face in others what one can face in oneself,” he said. He also urged the artists at the ceremony to continue to create work filled with compassion.

“Lets all continue to do that and be an example for the president of the United States of America,” said Jenkins. “No walls, no borders. Fuck him.”

Stephen Colbert, in attendance to present Lady Gaga with the best-actress prize for A Star Is Born, joked that he was grateful to be at the ceremony—since “being here meant I had to miss the presidents stupid speech at 9 oclock.”

Director Peter Farrelly, who received the best-film award for his 1960s inter-racial road trip dramedy Green Book, took a jab at Trump by saying that politicians like him could learn important values by watching his latest film: “All it takes to find common ground is to talk, and to listen, and to learn from each other,” said Farrelly, who also earned a Directors Guild nomination early Tuesday. “You know who Im voting for next? The politician who represents all of us.”

Viggo Mortensen, who was named best actor for his work in Green Book, got in a few digs as well, calling Trump “Agent Orange”; breakthrough-performance honoree Thomasin McKenzie, the 18-year-old, New Zealand-born star of Leave No Trace, also joined in, saying a peaceful world cant exist “if we build a wall to keep people out.”

Besides politics, the annual dinner ceremony belonged to A Star Is Born. Steven Spielberg presented Bradley Cooper with the best-director accolade, and Gaga picked up her first major acting award for the film that night. She delivered a nearly 15-minute-long speech, thanking Cooper, co-star Sam Elliott—who also won N.B.R.s best-supporting-actor trophy—her family, and fiancé, Christian Carino. She also explained how she transformed into her character, Ally, by reflecting on her own painful memories.

“Ally was all the things that I was not when I went out into the world and decided to pursue my dreams,” said a poised Gaga. “I had to reflect on an earlier time in my life, in high school and earlier, when I was bullied. I felt unheard. I was traumatized by people telling me over and over again that I wasnt—and could never—become who I dreamed of becoming.”

With the help of Coopers guidance, Gaga was able to face the trauma of her childhood and “bring to the forefront in myself and on-screen the things I have hid for many years in my own work as a musician . . . [and be] brave enough to show the world things that I didnt even want to show myself. This is how I manifested Ally.”

The entertainer ended her acceptance speech by saying, “To anyone in the world, of any sexual identity, however you define yourself—I promise you if you put your mind to it, and you work hard, and you never give up, and you do not listen to the rejection, you can achieve anything that life throws your way.”

Ahead of the ceremony and Trumps national address, the hot topic buzzing among the nights red carpet arrivals was who should host the Oscars. Jenkins, for his part, recommends that the host be female.

“I would say Oprah, just cause I want the Oscars to be this thing thats very open and giving, and Oprah is the perfect [person] to accomplish that,” said Jenkins. “Oprah used to give away cars—you get a car, you get a car!—I would love for her to give everyone in the audience an honorary Oscar. Shes also so engaging and would draw people in. And now after seeing Regina King at the Golden Globes, she should host the Oscars. Shes a fantastic host. I do think it should be a woman. Ill say that. I think it would be really affirming that it be a woman. It makes up for the last year we had in a small way. A woman should be in charge and leading the show. But who knows? Its a show like any other, and Im sure it will go on and be just fine, with or without a host.”

Meanwhile, Crazy Rich Asians actress Gemma Chan recommended her co-star Awkwafina for the gig.

“I mean, hell yeah! I would be so up for her hosting the Oscars,” said Chan. “Shed be brilliant! Shes funny and smart and knows how to work a crowd of people. I definitely would like to see that happen.”

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