Ryan Coogler Makes History At BAFTAs, Becomes 1st Black Person To Win Original Screenplay

Coogler has added another Black cinematic achievement to his resume with his latest BAFTA win.

Ryan Coogler continues his storied run for “Sinners” with a history-making win at the BAFTA Film Awards.

The “Sinners” director and screenwriter has become the first Black person to win Original Screenplay at the BAFTA ceremony. He won for the 2025 feature film, which also scored numerous nominations in acting and directing, as well as Best Picture.

After receiving the win, Coogler appeared on stage to a wave of applause. He called the moment “nerve-wracking,” as he further cemented himself in cinematic history. During his speech, he expressed his shock, telling the audience he did not expect to take home the bronze trophy in the category.

“I didn’t expect that,” expressed Coogler, according to Variety. “This is nerve-wracking.”

The USC Film School graduate proceeded to talk about the love of his community, which has supported him throughout his groundbreaking career. From the village of creatives he had fostered in Los Angeles to the Black movie-lovers that watch his work, Coogler paid homage to those who have uplifted him to this moment.

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Coogler continued, “I come from a community that loves me. They made me believe that I could do this, that I could be a writer. And it was amazing to be accepted into the community of film actors, the community of Los Angeles.”

The Oakland native ended his message by encouraging his fellow aspiring writers to keep creating. Coogler asserted the importance of letting love inspire their work, bringing the stories of their loved ones to life.

“For all the writers out there, when y’all look at that blank page, think of who you love, think of anybody who you’ve seen in pain that you identify with and wish they felt better, and let that love motivate you. I’ll be forever grateful for this, thank you all,” he concluded.

Coogler has also seen immense success this awards season with his critically acclaimed film, which has already garnered a record number of nominations. Next, Coogler will head to the award season’s culminating night with “Sinners” up for 16 Academy Awards, including Best Director.