Spike Lee wears the love and hate rings from Do the Right Thing to the Oscars

Spike Lee
(Image credit: Mark Ralston / Getty Images)

Spike Lee is bringing some Do the Right Thing love to the Oscars nearly three decades after the film's infamous Best Picture snub.

On the red carpet Sunday, Lee wore the love and hate rings that Radio Raheem, the character played by Bill Nunn, donned in the 1989 film.

Do the Right Thing was not nominated for Best Picture at the 1990 Oscars in what is still considered one of the biggest Academy Awards snubs of all time; Driving Miss Daisy won Best Picture that year. Do the Right Thing was nominated for Best Original Screenplay, though, but it lost to Dead Poets Society. Danny Aiello was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, losing to Denzel Washington.

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Lee additionally paid tribute to Prince, both with his purple suit and a custom-made Prince necklace, The New York Times reports.

Lee is nominated for BlacKkKlansman, which is the first film he has made to receive a Best Picture nomination. BlacKkKlansman also earned Lee his first ever nomination for Best Director.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.