Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the duo known as “the Daniels”, have won the Oscar for best director for Everything Everywhere All at Once at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles.
The superhero comedy starring Michelle Yeoh is Kwan and Scheinert’s second feature film together, after the 2016 surreal comedy Swiss Army Man featuring Daniel Radcliffe (as a corpse) and Paul Dano. Scheinert has also worked solo, directing the 2019 comedy The Death of Dick Long.
The pair have already won a string of best director awards for Everything Everywhere All at Once, including the Directors Guild of America and Critics Choice awards, while they were nominated for the Bafta and Golden Globe awards. Kwan and Scheinert defeated a strong field in the Oscar race, including Steven Spielberg for The Fabelmans and Todd Field for Tár.
Taking to the stage, Scheinert dedicated the award to “all the mommies in the world”, paying tribute to his own parents for not suppressing his creativity, including “dressing in drag as a kid, which is a threat to nobody”.
Kwan also praised his parents for their inspiration and sacrifice, as well as his own son. “You rearrange my DNA everyday,” he said. “You should never have to live up to this standard. This is not normal. This is kind of crazy. I will love you no matter what.”
He finished by reiterating the duo’s core message. “There is greatness in every single person,” he said. “Thank you so much to everyone who has unlocked my genius.”