'Green Book' Writer Speaks to Best Picture Win Backlash

Green Book writer Nick Vallelonga addressed the controversy surrounding the movie’s win in the Best Picture category at the 2019 Oscars.

Specifically, if you don’t know, the family of the late Don Shirley (played by Oscar winner Mahershala Ali in the movie) were not happy with the film and cited there were several inconsistencies.

“If you’re discussing the Don Shirley family thing, that falls on me, but Don Shirley himself told me to not speak to anyone. He told me the story he wanted to tell. He protected his private life, and all the other things about him, miraculous things about him. He was an amazing man.” Nick said. If you don’t know, Nick is the son of Tony “Lip” Vallelonga (played by Viggo Mortensen). “He told me, ‘If you’re going to tell the story, you tell it from your father, me, no one else. Don’t speak to anyone else. That’s how you have to make it. And also, he told me, ‘Don’t make it until after I pass away.’ So I just kept my word to that man.”

He continued, “I wish I could have reached out to Don Shirley’s family. I didn’t even know they really existed until after we were making the film. I personally was not allowed to speak to his family, per Don Shirley’s wishes. I’m an Italian from New York. They call that a stand up guy. I kept my word to the man.”