Elinor Burkett Provides Oscar Night's 'Kanye' Moment

By Marc Schneider Posted Mar 8th 2010 09:09AM

Maybe it went semi-unnoticed because they were accepting one of the night's lower-profile awards, but the personal tiff between 'Music by Prudence' producer Elinor Burkett and director-producer Roger Ross Williams spilled over on stage at Sunday's Oscars, causing one of the night's weirder moments.

In what is being dubbed the "Kanye" moment of the night, Burkett rushed the stage while Williams was doing his thank-yous and verbally nudged him aside so she could speak. The problem is that she was not supposed to accept the award, and because of personal animosity between the two filmmakers, she said Williams rushed to the stage while his cane-wielding mother blocked Burkett from exiting the aisle.

In an interview with Salon, Burkett said she was shut out of Oscar-related events and because the two aren't speaking to each other (related to a lawsuit over the film), they did not discuss who would be allowed to speak if they won.

So, when their names WERE called, "he raced up there to accept the award. And his mother took her cane and blocked me. So I couldn't get up there very fast." WATCH:

The film is a story of a Zimbabwean singer-songwriter who was born severely disabled, but Burkett tells Salon it was supposed to be about a whole band, and not just Prudence. "The movie was my idea," she says. "I live in Zimbabwe. Roger had never even heard of Zimbabwe before I told him about this."

By Oscar night, her frustration had boiled over. "You know, I felt my role in this [film] has been denigrated again and again, and it wasn't going to happen this time."

Williams, also speaking to Salon, argued that Burkett disowned the film because of the creative differences, but that she was still eligible for an award. He says the academy decided he would be the one to speak if they won.

"She just ambushed me," he said of the moment she emerged on stage. "I was sort of in shock."

So, did his mom really try to speech-block Burkett with her cane? "My mother got up to hug me," he says. "And my mother is 87 years old. She was excited."

Williams can't help but agree this situation was similar to Kanye West's interruption of Taylor Swift at last year's MTV VMAs

"She did! She pulled a Kanye. And it's a shame, because this is such positive, happy film."

Tags: Oscars2010

Comments

(377)

Monday 08 March

By Julio

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Kanye West was and is an idiot.

By Lori

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Just for the fact that everything you said was stupid and/or racist, you should shut the hell up.

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You should shut up. Shows how ignorant you really are.

Julio, you're an idiot. STHU and go away.

Tuesday 09 March

By bailie28

you are extremely racist..if every black person knows where they are from on the continent of africa..americans who are black wouldnt be african american..they would be their original country of origin and american...right or wrong? anyone?

By Julie

Her name was announced and there was an Oscar waiting for her. That is the bottom line. The man should have waited for her before he took the stage. They should have approached the microphone together. She had every right to do what she did!

By arg2015153

Oh dear! She said "denigrated." Hidden racist message! Let's all protest right now! Blackball her...oops! Now I'm doing it!

By dharma

it was a strange moment she interrupted him. and shut him down. why? also hated the tributes to and for the best actor and actess awards. long and boring

By BB

She had every right to go up there when the academy called her name. If they did not want her to speak, then they should not have called her name.
After reading the back story, it sounds to me like Williams (Who did not like the film till it got Oscar buzz) was trying to take all the credit.
This is nothing like what "The Jackass" Kanye did.

By Roger Otten

The woman alsdo won the award, and her name WAS called, however it would have been more gracious if she had stood quietly for a few moments, smiling, and then give her kudos and thanks to the wonderful band. It looked bad at first, but when you get the "whole" story, you can see both sides.

By MP

If Elinor wanted to show some class she would have got to the stage (a little late or not) shared the spotlight and said a few words of thanks herself instead of acting so rude as she did. I couldn`t tell you what either of them said for trying to figure out if this was another "Kanye" moment or if she was playing around. Roger did right by not saying anything but I bet words flew backstage. Whew! I hope they can get over it and enjoy their awards. Congrats to the both of them.

By mick

At first I felt sorry for the guy but then when I realized she also won I didn't. When 2 people win you wait for the other to get on stage before you start making your speech and he was all about making it about him . The way he ran up there to do it before she could get to the stage told me everything I needed to know. The lady seems like a tool also but he in no way is without blame.

By Marvin

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In this Hollywood world of false personalities and phony behavior, it is, indeed, refreshing to see that this shrew let her 100%, authentic, inner-A_hole emerge. She revealed her true self before millions of people, and she will, quite appropriately and justly, suffer for the rest of her life as a result of her self-centered, selfish, classless, egotistical display. How does the old line go? "Honey, you'll never work in this town again!" Bye bye, Elinor. Take your paper weight and go home!

By donfrankkentmc

Face it, no one was going to see that film, and no one still is.
Only thing she did was keep interest alive for another few days.
Much ado about nothing, as the Bard said.

By Jo

It was an awkward moment and whatever the issue between them ... If they BOTH checked their EGOS at the door ... It would have been a wonderful moment shared by them BOTH ... Instead their HOT MESS spilled up onto the Oscar Stage ... Shame on them!!! "Kanye moment" Please give it a rest people ... Kanye was NOT a co-collaborator with Tayler and besides it was all staged!

By KP

I will give Ms Burkett credit for her ill-considered behavior of personal redemption that required some balls reflecting how tough and egoistic (not to be confused with egotistic, though it is) Hollywood business can be. Our interest spawns on it. C'est la vie en Wod de Holly.

By ad290

I can't believe that the Academy awards has moments like the one in the article. Isn't it thanks enough that movie goers spend their hard earned dollars to see the movie. And if I might say, you make alot of money from. Why is it necessary to make a fool out your self because of an award , (that quite obviously you had a very small part helping the DIRECTOR-PRODUCER win,) She had no business on stage, and to blame an 87 year old women from stopping you,Shame on you, GROW UP!!! Jealousy is an illness, and not a pretty one.

By larry

It looks like they are going to need to put a cage around the stage and let one person on at a time.With one gate only.

By Joel

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She was worse than Kanye...His mother should have beat her with her cane!!!

By Rodney

SHE DIDN'T PULL A KANYE! HER NAME WAS CALLED JUST LIKE THE OTHER GUYS. SHE WAS THE REASON THAT GUY WON AN OSCAR IN THE FIRST PLACE BECAUSE SHE BROUGHT HIM THE PROJECT. WHOEVER WROTE THIS ARTICLE IS A JACKASS!

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