Phoenix’s words were met by what Lulu Wang – the director of Chinese-American drama The Farewell, which was nominated for best original screenplay – called “an uncomfortable silence … for a long noticeable moment”.
Meanwhile, Korea’s Bong Joon-ho took two gongs, including best original screenplay, while adapted screenplay went to Jojo Rabbit’s Taika Waititi, who is of Maori descent.
He added: “We have to do the hard work to truly understand systemic racism.
Joaquin Phoenix’s powerful broadside against the body that awarded him the best actor prize on Sunday night has met with a chorus of praise across the film industry.