Elizabeth Taylor’s original AIDS ribbon had a poignant return to the Oscars
People couldn’t get enough of the big Oscars mix-up last month – but Moonlight’s victory also saw an important moment of history.
Moonlight, a film about a gay African-American boy growing up in urban Miami, swept many of the top awards.
The film became the first ever LGBT-themed movie to win the coveted Best Picture award, also picking up Best Adapted Screenplay.
Moonlight’s director Barry Jenkins and playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney both gave powerful speeches speaking up for the marginalised and putting the government on notice.
With the big orange one in office, it was a ribbonful night all round, with many award-winners showing solidarity with various causes. Jenkins donning a blue American Civil Liberties Union ribbon, whereas McCraney wore a red HIV ribbon.
However, the playwright has now revealed a detail about his ribbon that escaped everyone’s notice on the night – and it couldn’t be more poignant.
Taking to Instagram, the Oscar-winner explained the ribbon he wore on the night was the exact same one that had famously been worn to the Oscars, 25 years earlier, by the late great actress and pioneering AIDS activist Elizabeth Taylor.
McCraney wrote: “My mother died of AIDS related complications when I was 22 years old. A month or so before I wrote [original Moonlight script] In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.
“25 years ago Elizabeth Taylor wore a Red Ribbon on her white gown to bring awareness to the fight against the epidemic alongside Paul Newman as they presented the Best Picture Award in 1992.
“I had the great honour of representing my mother and Mrs Taylor by wearing that same 25 year old Red Ribbon on my white suit to continue to bring awareness and solidarity to the fight against AIDS.”
Excuse us while we cry.
