James Ivory Becomes Oldest Oscar Winner on Record in Any Category

Filmmaker and screenwriter is 89 years and 270 days old, while Ennio Morricone was the previous record holder at 87

James Ivory
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James Ivory won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for “Call Me by Your Name” on Sunday, becoming the oldest Oscar winner on record in any category.

At age 89 years and 270 days, Ivory beat out previous record holder Ennio Morricone, who was 87 when he won. The Academy only keeps comprehensive records in the acting and directing categories.

Ivory penned the screenplay for “Call Me by Your Name” based on the book of the same name by André Aciman.

Backstage, the Oscar winner told press, “Being 90 years for anything you would do is extraordinary. Winning the Oscar at that age feels like a hiccup in nature. My Oscar for the first time, it’s a very good feeling. I’m glad it was an Oscar for writing.

“Call Me by Your Name” is also nominated in the categories Best Picture and Best Actor for Timothée Chalamat. The film also starred Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar and Esther Garrel. It was directed by Luca Guadagnino.

The Best Adapted Screenplay category also included “The Disaster Artist” (Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber), “Logan” (Scott Frank, James Mangold, and Michael Green), “Molly’s Game” (Aaron Sorkin) and “Mudbound” (Virgil Williams and Dee Rees).

The 90th Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 4. Jimmy Kimmel hosted for the second consecutive year.

Jordan Peele won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for his groundbreaking film “Get Out.” He became the first black screenwriter to ever win the award.

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