No matter what happens at the Academy Awards on February 26, Ruth Negga will still end up with an Oscar. An Oscar Wilde, that is. The “Loving” actress will be honored at the US-Ireland Alliance’s Oscar Wilde Awards, the Alliance announced in a press release. The event recognizes the Irish in entertainment.
Negga, who grew up in Limerick, Ireland, portrays Mildred Loving in Jeff Nichols’ film. As the press release summarizes, “Loving” tells the story of Mildred and Richard (Joel Edgerton), “the couple behind the pivotal 1967 civil rights case, Loving v. Virginia. The interracial couple married in June 1958 and as a result were arrested and sentenced to a year in the state penitentiary — a sentence that was suspended on the condition that they be exiled from the state of Virginia. The couple spent the next nine years fighting, determined to be together in their home state. Loving v. Virginia became a landmark victory in the Supreme Court, as well as an important step forward in the Civil Rights battle.”
US-Ireland Alliance founder Trina Vargo commented, “We’re thrilled to honor Ruth. I watched [“Loving”] several times at our various screenings and found new subtleties with each viewing. The brilliance of Ruth’s performance lies in the nuances. It’s a role that requires the conveyance of emotion as much through a look as through dialogue.”
Negga is up for the Best Actress Academy Award for her role in “Loving.” The performance also earned her nominations from the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, and has been honored by the African-American Film Critics Association, Alliance of Women Film Journalists, New York Film Critics Online, and Satellite Awards.
“Loving” is the project that made Negga a big name in Hollywood, but she has been working steadily since 2004. She plays Tulip O’Hare in the AMC series “Preacher,” and has acted in other shows like “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” “Misfits,” “Love/Hate,” and “Five Daughters.” Negga starred as Shirley Bassey in the TV movie “Shirley.” Her film credits include “Warcraft,” “Iona,” “Jimi: All Is By My Side,” “World War Z,” and “Breakfast on Pluto.”
As we previously reported, the Alliance is also set to honor “Outlander’s” Caitriona Balfe. The Oscar Wilde Awards take place February 23 in Santa Monica, CA.
