Brad Pitt may not have been nominated at the 93rd Annual Academy Awards, but our favorite actor still came out and did his part to get America excited about the biggest night for film and TV after a long year of no red carpets, no parties, and not much to look forward to at all. Pitt came on as a presenter to introduce the nominees for Best Supporting Actress before handing out the award — when he did, to Minari star Youn Yuh-jung, she made history as the first Korean actor to win an Academy Award. Upon accepting, the now-Oscar-winning actress wasted no time saying what we all had been thinking: “Brad Pitt — finally!”
As it turns out, 73-year-old Youn Yuh-jung, like many of us, has long harbored a hope of some day meeting Brad Pitt. There’s no clear science to back this up, but we’d guess at least 1 in 20 people who move to Los Angeles do it in the vague hopes of one day locking eyes with Brad Pitt. And when Youn got her moment, she didn’t hesitate to let him know she had her eye on him.
“Brad Pitt — finally,” she said after accepting her award. “Nice to meet you! Where were you while we were filming? It’s an honor to meet you.”
Youn Yuh-jung’s acceptance speech was pure gold from start to finish, just like her award. She next mocked those all across her global press tour who had mispronounced her name (“tonight you are all forgiven,” she said), marveled over the fact that she was really standing on stage at what had so long just been a television program for her, and expressed her gratitude to be up on that stage.
congrats to Brad Pitt who finally met Yuh-Jung Youn pic.twitter.com/d9TTa4kuoQ
— @Movies (@Movies) April 26, 2021
“I usually — I just watch the television. But me being here by myself…I cannot believe I’m here. Okay. Let me pull myself together,” she continued, before addressing her fellow nominees. “We play different roles, so we cannot compete with each other. Tonight I just have a little bit of luck I think. I’m luckier than you. Also — maybe it’s American hospitality for a Korean actor?”
Finally, she addressed her kids: “I’d like to thank my two boys who make me go out and work,” she shared, brandishing her Oscar for effect. “So this is the result, because Mommy worked so hard.”
The Minari star, who plays Soon-ja, the grandmother of the young boy recently moved to Arkansas played by Alan Kim, won over hearts across Academy voters and fans alike with her vulnerable performance. And viewers of the film (or any other awards season this year) knew Youn was funny, but Pitt still looked tickled as she called him out and he looked on watching from off-stage — we also saw them break off into further convo when she walked off.
The lesson is clear: If you want Brad Pitt’s attention, you better let him know. Youn Yuh-jung wasn’t about to let that chance connection go to waste, and like so much else she does, it was inspirational.
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Before you go, click here to see all the kids on the Oscars red carpet over the years.
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