‘Imitation Game’ Oscar Winner Graham Moore on Suicide Revelation: ‘It Was Really Hard’

“I felt like it was my moment to say something meaningful,” screenwriter says backstage of his decision to discuss his suicide attempt during his Oscar acceptance speech

“The Imitation Game” screenwriter Graham Moore gave one of the most personal acceptance speeches of the night when he won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, opening up about his suicide attempt when he was a teenager.

“I tried to commit suicide at 16 and now I’m standing here,” he shared. “I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she doesn’t fit in anywhere. You do. Stay weird. Stay different, and then when it’s your turn and you are standing on this stage please pass the same message along.”

After the ceremony, Moore followed up on the topic backstage in front of reporters, who asked how difficult it was to open up in such a personal way in front of a billion viewers.

“It was really hard,” he admitted. “But it felt ‑‑ I don’t know, I’m a writer, when am I ever going to be on television? This was my, like, 45 seconds in my life to get on television and say something so I felt like I might as well use it to say something meaningful.”

The screenwriter who transferred the story of British mathematician Alan Turing (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) to the big screen credited his family for sticking by him even as he continues to deal with depression.

Moore ended the night on another personal note, talking about the Oscar pool he and his high school friends have put together for the past 15 years.

“I think I lost the pool tonight,” he joked. “I didn’t pick myself.”

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