Daniel Kaluuya’s historic Oscars win ‘will mean so much to so many’

Daniel Kaluuya’s history-making Oscars win will “mean so much to so many”, fellow star Noel Clarke has said.

Kaluuya, 32, who was born in London to Ugandan parents, took the award for his portrayal of Black Panther party leader Fred Hampton in Judas And The Black Messiah.

It made him the first black Briton to receive the best supporting actor award, and was the latest marker of a meteoric rise since his breakthrough in the UK TV series Skins.

Several British stars were among those sharing their delight at his recognition, with Clarke writing on Twitter: “Nothing to be said but congratulations. Correct me if I’m wrong, but is this the 1st ever black British male actor to win an Oscar?

“Will mean so much to so many,” he added.

Actor, writer and director Clarke, 45, was recently recognised for outstanding British contribution to cinema, and used his own acceptance speech to pay tribute to “my young black boys and girls out there who never believed that this could happen to them”.

Game Of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuel tweeted that she was “proud” of Kaluuya’s success, writing: “Yes Daniel!!!… what wonderful news to wake up to.”

And rapper Ghetts, a fellow Londoner, wrote: “Every time one of the man dem break barriers I feel energised, so to wake up to the news of Daniel Kaluuya winning an Oscar has got man spring stepping.”

Camden’s Torriano Primary School, which Kaluuya attended in the 1990s, tweeted that it was “incredibly proud”, adding: “What an inspiration for our children!”

British comic actor Steve Pemberton, with whom Kaluuya starred in the early years of his career in the BBC’s dark comedy Psychoville, also offered a message of congratulations.

“I’ll be using my Club biscuit to congratulate Daniel Kaluuya on his amazing win,” Pemberton wrote on Twitter, referencing a joke from the show.

Politicians also got in on the act, with Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden and Labour’s David Lammy both offering their congratulations.