oscars 2018

Thanks to Call Me by Your Name, James Ivory Becomes the Oldest Oscar Winner Ever

James Ivory. Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

James Ivory, screenwriter of Call Me by Your Name, took home the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay at Sunday’s Academy Awards at the age of 89, making him the oldest recipient in the history of the Oscars. While this might have been Ivory’s first win, it certainly wasn’t his first nomination. The producer and director was previously in the running for Best Director for three of his Merchant Ivory films: 1985’s A Room with a View, 1992’s Howards End and 1993’s The Remains of the Day.

Ivory formed the film company in 1961 with producer Ismail Merchant, who died in 2003. Merchant Ivory Productions would go on to create dozens of films, many of them literary adaptations, 23 of which were written by screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. She passed away in 2013. Ivory memorialized his longtime creative partners during his acceptance speech for CMBYM, which was, of course, adapted from author André Aciman’s novel of the same name. Said Ivory, “I wouldn’t be standing up here without their inspired help.” As of today, Ivory remains the only person of any age to receive the coveted Surprise Timothée Chalamet Tuxedo Shirt Award for Excellence.

James Ivory Becomes the Oldest Oscar Winner Ever