Regina King opened the 93rd Academy Awards on Sunday night — referencing Derek Chauvin’s recent trial — saying that she “may have traded in my heels for marching boots” if he were not found guilty of all three counts for the death of George Floyd.

“It has been quite a year, and we are still smack dab in the middle of it,” she opened. “We are mourning the loss of so many, and I have to be honest, if things had gone differently this past week in Minneapolis, I may have traded in my heels for marching boots.”

King noted that she was aware that many must be tired of Hollywood figures preaching to them, and are already reaching for their remotes to turn the channel.

“But as a mother of a Black son, I know the fear that so many live with, and no amount of fame or fortune changes that. Ok?” King added. “But tonight, we’re here to celebrate. This was indeed a hard year for everyone, but our love of movies helped to get us through.”

King went on to address the comfort that movies give people, especially when they’re isolated or disconnected from others, later noting that this year’s ceremony will be maskless.

“You are probably asking, how are they able to do that?” she added. “Well, think of this as a movie set, an Oscars movie with a cast of over 200 nominees,” explaining that the attendees would be adhering to the same protocols governing movie sets, with everyone vaccinated, tested, and wearing masks in between shots.

Watch above, via ABC.

The post Regina King Opens the Oscars by Citing Derek Chauvin’s Guilty Verdict: If It Went Differently, ‘I May Have Traded in My Heels for Marching Boots’ first appeared on Mediaite.

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