Ryan Coogler "didn't expect" Sinners to win Best Original Screenplay at the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards.

The 39-year-old actor wrote and directed the 2025 supernatural horror movie, and praised those who helped bring his vision to life in his acceptance speech.

After The Studio stars Bryan Cranston, 69, and Kathryn Hahn, 52, handed him the award, Coogler said live on stage at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday night (22.02.26): "I didn't expect that. This is nerve-racking ..."

The star then lauded his fellow nominees - Kirk Jones (I Swear), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), Kleber Mendonça Filho (The Secret Agent), and

Sentimental Value (Joachim Trier).

Coogler continued: "I'm nominated with some incredible writers. I share this with y'all. Y'all already won by being here, so I'm going to speak as a representative of y'all."

The star then paid a heartfelt tribute to 51 year old Trier.

Coogler said: "Joachim was actually my mentor. I met him over a decade ago. 
He showed me how to be a better writer, a better filmmaker.

"I'll always love him, and I love his movie. And I love all your guys' movies."

Coogler then went on to say that Sinners would not have won the accolade if it were not for his team.

The filmmaker then admitted that the love and support from his community gave him the confidence to become a writer.

Coogler shared: "I come from a community that loves me, spoke a lot of power into me, a lot of pride into me. I love them back.

"They made me believe that I could do this, that I could be a writer, and it was amazing to be accepted in the more communities, a community, filmmakers, the community of Los Angeles, the community wherever we went to make a film."

And Coogler encourages other writers to let their love for the people they care about most inspire their work.

He concluded his acceptance speech with: "And I hope to follow the writers out there when y'all look at that blank page, think of who you love.

"Think of anybody who you see in pain, that you identify with and wish they felt better, and let that love motivate you as you did on this.

"I'll be forever grateful for this. Thank you all."

Sinners was up against I Swear, Marty Supreme, The Secret Agent, and Sentimental Value in the Best Original Screenplay category.

Moments later, One Battle After Another took home Best Adapted Screenplay.

The Paul Thomas Anderson-directed action-thriller fended off The Ballad of Wallis Island, Bugonia, Hamnet, and Pillion to rise victorious.