Spike Lee wears suit in tribute of Kobe Bryant at Oscars
The first visual tribute to the late Kobe Bryant at the Oscars came by way of director Spike Lee.
Hitting the red carpet in Los Angeles on Sunday, the filmmaker behind BlacKkKlansman and She’s Gotta Have It sported Bryant’s Lakers team colors — a purple blazer with gold trim — as well as Bryant’s jersey number, 24.
When asked by E!’s Ryan Seacrest about his wardrobe choice, Lee just remained silent. The intent behind it was clear.
“Tribute, honor, homage,” he later commented to The Hollywood Reporter. “We all miss him. I’m presenting tonight but at the same … I wanted to represent. I want to do both tonight.”
Bryant died at the age of 41 with daughter Gianna Maria Bryant, 13, in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26th. The news came ahead of the Grammys ceremony, which worked to incorporate tributes to the basketball legend into the show. It’s unclear how (if at all) the Oscars ceremony will offer the fallen star.
Bryant won an Oscar in 2018 for his animated short film Dear Basketball. Lee, who won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for BlacKkKlansman in 2019, was tapped to present during the 2020 show.
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