Oscars 2016: Sam Smith dedicates original song win to LGBT community

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Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Twice is nice for Sam Smith. He and songwriting partner Jimmy Napes picked up the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Writing’s on the Wall,” after winning the same honor at January’s Golden Globes.

In an upset, Smith beat out frontrunner Lady Gaga for the win, and went on to dedicate his award to the LGBT community, citing actor Ian McKellen’s recent comments about gay people being underrepresented at the Oscars.

“I stand here tonight as a proud gay man, and I hope we can all stand together as equals one day,” Smith said in his speech.

The “Stay With Me” singer is the second Bond-theme crooner to win this distinction, the other being Adele’s megahit ballad for 2012’s Skyfall.

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“Writing’s on the Wall” bested Lady Gaga’s “Til It Happens to You” from the documentary The Hunting Ground; “Simple Song #3” by David Lang from Youth; “Earned It” by The Weeknd from Fifty Shades of Grey; and the J. Ralph/Antony Hegarty effort “Manta Ray” for Racing Extinction.

Follow EW’s live Oscars coverage here, and see the full list of winners.

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