Many people may believe the Academy Awards is a snooze fest, but the magic of Hollywood's most prestigious award ceremony is not lost to the creatives who have a passion for movies. Jordan Peele, having won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Get Out, is no different. 

Jordan Peele is the first black writer to win this award, and he recognizes the weight of this honor. The New York Daily News reports that in an interview backstage Sunday night, Peele shared, "I almost never became a director because there’s such a shortage of role models."

Yet, there is one special role model that he did acknowledge: Whoopi Goldberg, living legend y'all. In 1991, an overjoyed Goldberg ran to the stage and embraced Denzel Washington as he announced her win for Best Supporting Actress in Ghost. He shared that before the magical night ended, he made a point to give her a call and thanked her.

"An award like this is much bigger than me," he said. "This is about paying it forward to the young people who might not believe that they can achieve the highest honor in whatever craft they want to push for…You’re not a failure if you don’t get this, but I almost didn’t do it, because I didn’t believe that there was a place for me."

Peele also said in his interview, "I’m so proud to be a part of a time, the beginning of a movement where I feel like the best films in every genre are being brought to me by my fellow black directors," he continued. "It’s very special, and I think that goes for all areas of inclusion."

Thank God he found the inspiration and followed through! In case you're not aware of the Whoopi speech that changed Jordan's life, check out the clip below: