It was a big moment for former Jaguars wide receiver Matthew Cherry last night. Cherry won an Oscar for his role in the animated short “Hair Love.”
It is a story about a man who must do his daughter’s hair for the first time.
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He wrote and directed the film, helping produce it alongside Karen Rupert Toliver. The win made him the second former athlete to win an Academy Award.
Cherry notably dedicated the Oscar to the late Kobe Bryant at the end of his speech, News 6 partner WJXT reports.
The athlete released a version of his speech on Twitter.
What would have been my full speech. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/qeL43gqK0k
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) February 10, 2020
“Hair Love was born out of wanting to see more representation in animation but also wanting to normalize black hair,” he wrote.
Watch the short film below.