Movie Starring Actor With Down Syndrome Wins Oscar
Ross White, James Martin, Tom Berkeley and Seamus O'Hara accept the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film during the 95th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. (Blaine Ohigashi/Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
An actor with Down syndrome got a special birthday gift: His film won an Academy Award and the A-lister audience at the awards show sang him “Happy Birthday.”
James Martin stars in the film “An Irish Goodbye,” which took home the Oscar Sunday night for Best Live Action Short Film.
The movie is about a man with Down syndrome and his estranged brother who come together after the death of their mother.
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During Sunday’s ceremony, Ross White and Tom Berkeley, the movie’s directors, noted that it was Martin’s birthday.
“This award is actually the second most important thing about today because it’s this man’s birthday,” Berkeley said while accepting the Oscar. “He’s out here in Hollywood wearing a leopard print suit jacket. We’d love to use the rest of our time up here to sing for James.”
The audience at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre joined in, singing “Happy Birthday” to Martin who held up the Oscar statue while standing on stage with Berkeley and White.
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