[PHOTO] Spike Lee Offers AMAZING Kobe Bryant Tribute in Oscars 2020
Spike Lee came to the Oscars 2020 and paid tribute to basketball icon and a good friend, Kobe Bryant.
On Sunday evening, the famous director walked the red carpet of the Oscars 2020 wearing a purple custom-made Gucci suit with gold trimmings. it also featured the number 24 -- a nod to the late Los Angeles Lakers legend who wore the number in the latter half of his career.
The Oscar-winning director accessorized the purple suit with a white shirt dress, a grosgrain bow tie with matching purple hat and glasses.
Spike Lee pays tribute to Kobe Bryant with his #Oscars red carpet look https://t.co/BYOjau0Mir pic.twitter.com/PQ1xxI1kzY — The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 9, 2020
The untimely death of Kobe Bryant has left his family, friends and fans from all over the world grieving. He was on his way to his daughter's travel basketball match aboard his helicopter when the accident occurred. He was with his second-eldest daughter Gianna and seven other people during the horrific accident.
Lee And The Academy
It was in 2019 when Spike Lee won his first Oscar Award for best-adapted screenplay for his film "Blackkklansman." The filmmaker could not contain his happiness to receive the award that he ended up jumping in Samuel L. Jackson's arms after the actor presented him with the prestigious award.
This year, Lee walked the red carpet with his wife, Tonya Lewis. They shared their photo together on Instagram before they headed out for the big show.
"Da Lee's are in DA House," he captioned the photo accompanied by three purple hearts.
A Tribute to Bryant
During a chat with Ryan Seacrest on the E! Red Carpet pre-show, Lee said that he has personally picked his outfit for the red carpet this year. His look was inspired by the life and works of Kobe.
"Tribute, honor, homage. We all miss him," the Oscar-winning director said.
Bryant was not only a basketball legend, but he is a filmmaker himself. He took home an Oscar in 2018 for Best Animated Short.
"Dear Basketball" was based on a poem Kobe wrote about the sport when he was about to announce his retirement from the hard court in 2015. With the help of Glen Keane, Bryant was able to bring the short story to life. Bryant was also the one who narrated in the film.
Lee added that he was not able to attend the awards show the night that Bryant won. Recalling to Seacrest, he said, "he beat me" -- referring to Bryant winning the award over him in 2018.
Lee further elaborated about his good friend Kobe Bryant while speaking with the red carpet host, Billy Porter.
"You know we just gotta love each other man with all these crazy stuff happening right now. I am talking about what we gotta squash for Vanessa, the family," he told Porter, seemingly referring to some of the negative headlines made following the death of the NBA legend.
"Peace and love. Peace and love. You know, spreading love is the Brooklyn way," the director added.
