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Michael Keaton made sure to give Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a shout-out during the 2022 Critics Choice Awards.
The “Dopesick” star, who won for best actor in a limited series or movie made for TV on Sunday night, had the ongoing conflict impacting Ukraine on his mind as he accepted his award.
“The only thing I’ll say about things in the world, which I’ve mentioned before, I’m going to say thank you to fellow actor President Zelenskyy, and keep up the fight,” said the 70-year-old.
It wasn’t the only current event Keaton reflected on.
HOLLYWOOD PAYS TRIBUTE TO UKRAINE, PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY AMID RUSSIAN INVASION DURING SAG AWARDS
Michael Keaton (left) thanked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his acceptance speech.
(Getty Images)
“… There’s only one way to change things environmentally, socially and for some sort of racial justice and social justice, two words: voting rights,” he said. “Voting rights and voter suppression.”
“Dopesick,” a Hulu series about the origins of the opioid crisis, stars Keaton as Dr. Samuel Finnix, a doctor who prescribes Oxycontin to treat his and his patients’ pain. However, he later realizes how addictive the substance can be.
Also nominated in the category were Olly Alexander (“It’s a Sin”), Paul Bettany (“WandaVision”), William Jackson Harper (“Love Life”), Joshua Jackson (“Dr. Death”) and Hamish Linklater (“Midnight Mass”).
Keaton wasn’t the only one to remember Ukraine during the evening.
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(L-R) Veronika Khomyn and Sean McVay speak onstage during the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on March 13, 2022, in Los Angeles, California.
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay and his fiancée Veronika Khomyn addressed the war before presenting the best picture award to “The Power of the Dog.”
“Before we announce the nominees, we’d like to take a moment to talk about what’s on all of our minds: Veronika’s home country Ukraine,” said the Super Bowl-winning coach.
“I proudly stand with my fellow Ukrainians and I admire their strength,” shared Khomyn. “They have faced unimaginable adversity with such profound grace and bravery, their fight and the way they have united the world is truly inspiring. There is no place in our world for this kind of violence and our prayers go out to all the lives that have been lost.”
“Even in the darkest times, the human spirit endures,” McVay continued. “There’s a lot to be said for entertaining people, sometimes it’s the only thing they’ve got. All of you in this room have so much to give with that entertainment that you can provide.”
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Michael Keaton accepts the Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television award for ‘Dopesick’ onstage during the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on March 13, 2022, in Los Angeles, California.
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
This wasn’t the first time Keaton has praised Zelenskyy during awards season in Hollywood, which leads up to the Oscars later this month.
In February, Keaton and several other stars gave tributes and offered prayers for those impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG).
“We have a fellow actor in Zelenskyy, who deserves some credit tonight for fighting the fight,” said Keaton at the time, who accepted the award for male actor in a miniseries or TV movie.
Russia launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24. While details of the conflict change by the day, hundreds of civilians have already been reported dead or wounded, including children. According to the United Nations, more than a million Ukrainians have fled.
The invasion, which was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has sparked condemnation around the world and increasingly severe economic sanctions against Russia. Putin, 69, insisted that Ukraine has historic ties to Russia. Zelenskyy, 44, vowed to stay in his country.
