Michael Keaton Dedicates ‘Dopesick’ SAG Award To Late Nephew In Emotional Speech

Michael Keaton arrived late to the stage when accepting his SAG Award, but the actor ultimately made up for it with an impassioned acceptance speech. Keaton, who won the award for his performance in Hulu‘s Dopesick, went on to pay tribute to his late nephew and call attention to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The actor kicked things off by apologizing for his tardiness due to a “quick trip to the men’s room.”

After a few more quips, Keaton’s speech turned more serious.

“There is massive inequity in the world,” he said, acknowledging how fortunate he was to work on a show like Dopesick, “that actually can spawn thought, conversation, actual change.”

He added: “Seriously, how fortunate am I that good can come from something I do just ’cause I wanted to become an actor?”

Keaton went on to reference the Ukraine invasion, taking time to acknowledge the country’s president, former actor-comedian Volodymr Zelensky.

“We have a fellow actor in Zelensky, who deserves some credit for fighting the fight,” he said.

The actor’s speech then turned personal, with his voice cracking as he paid tribute to his family members, specifically his nephew, who died in 2016 following a battle with drug addiction.

“Given the subject matter,” he said of Dopesick, which delves into the opioid crisis, “This is for my nephew Michael and my sister Pam. I lost Michael, and it hurts.”

In Dopesick, Keaton plays a rural doctor who falls prey to a pharmaceutical company’s deceptive advertising and eventually struggles with addiction himself.

Keaton previously told The Hollywood Reporter that his nephew’s death inspired him to take on his role in the Hulu series.

“I thought, ‘Well, if this is even remotely good, I have to do this,'” he told the publication. “It happens to be real good.”

Watch Keaton’s full speech above.

Where to watch Dopesick