“The Peanut Butter Falcon” star Zack Gottsagen made history Sunday at the 92nd Academy Awards, becoming the first presenter with Down syndrome, reports Fox10.
Gottsagen took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles alongside his co-star Shia LaBeouf to announce the winner of the live-action short film category, “The Neighbor’s Window.”
Gottsagen is an actor with Down syndrome and, in the film, he plays a man with the condition who dreams of becoming a professional wrestler and runs away from the nursing home where he lives, only to befriend a wanted man on the run, played by LaBeouf.
Gottsagen became the first person with Down syndrome to present an award at the Oscars when he and LaBeouf announced the winner in the live-action short film category. He got the chance to say the classic line, “And the Oscar goes to …”
The film was inspired by Gottsagen and specifically written for him by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz after the pair met Gottsagen at an acting camp for people with disabilities.
Sunday was Gottsagen’s first time attending the Oscars ceremony.
