Matthew Cherry predicted his Oscar win eight years back on Twitter

The former NFL pro wide receiver and now an Oscar-winning director Mathew Cherry predicted his Academy Award win eight years ago. Back in 2012, Cherry took to Twitter and said that he is already claiming the fact that he is going to be nominated for an Oscar 'one day'. And in another tweet in 2016 he tweeted an illustration and said that he has an 'Oscar worth short film idea'. 

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Cherry was honoured with the Academy Award for the Best Animated Short Film for his picture Hair Love. He accepted the award with the producer Karen Rupert Toliver. The former NFL player has not only written the story but also helped to direct and produce the nearly seven-minute short film. While accepting the award he said that he wanted to make the movie because they wanted to see more 'representation in animation' and 'normalise black hair'. 

Hair Love follows the story of a man who must do his daughter's hair for the first time. The film features Issa Rae as a voice and illustrations done by Vashti Harrison. The film was later adapted into a children's book as well and it was also in the New York Times Book Review Children's Best Sellers list. 

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'Crown Act'

While speaking to an international media outlet, Cherry said that even though he had predicted his win, it still felt like a dream for him. Cherry in his acceptance speech also made note of Crown Act which seeks to ensure protection to hair texture and protective styles in the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and state Education Codes. H said, “There’s a very important issue that’s out there, it’s the Crown Act, and if we can help to get this passed in all 50 states it will help stories like DeAndre Arnold‘s, who is our special guest tonight, stop to happen”. 

Cherry also brought a teenager, DeAndre Arnold, with him at the award show. The teen wasn't allowed to attend graduation without cutting his dreadlocks. According to International media, the director and writer of the short film Matthew Cherry and one of the producers, Gabrielle Union invited the teenage boy to the award function. Cherry said that they were all so inspired by his story and this was the least they could do for him. Union also posted a video in which she said that when she heard the boy’s story and that he wanted to wear’s his hair in his own way at school and all the scrutiny that he faced and was still standing up for himself, she knew that the team had to get involved. 

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