Alexander Dinelaris, from left, Armando Bo, Alejandro G. Inarritu, and Nicolas Giacobone accept the award for the best original screenplay for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. AP
LOS ANGELES — Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has won the Academy Award for best director for “Birdman.”
It was the second Oscar of the night for Inarritu, who won the original screenplay award. He was also previously nominated for “Babel.”
The Mexican-born director has been hailed for his craftsmanship in “Birdman,” which gives the sensation of having been filmed in one continuous shot. The film stars Michael Keaton as an aging blockbuster movie star seeking to restore his reputation — and bolster his ego — by mounting a serious Broadway play.
The other nominees were Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”; Richard Linklater, “Boyhood;” Bennett Miller, “Foxcatcher;” and Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game.”
The 87th Academy Awards are airing live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, with host Neil Patrick Harris.