Former Chicago actor Jordan Peele wins screenplay Oscar for ‘Get Out’

Jordan Peele, the Chicago-trained writer and actor who wrote “Get Out,” won the best original screenplay Oscar on Sunday for his feature film debut.

He became the first African-American to win in the category.

Among the people he thanked were the fans who made his politically conscious, low-budget horror film a sleeper hit.

“I love you for shouting out at the theater, for shouting out at the screen,” he said.

At the time of his nomination in January, Peele became the third filmmaker in history to win Academy Award nods in the same year for best picture, best director and best original screenplay for his feature film debut.

A New York native, Peele came to Chicago after college and performed sketch and improv comedy at iO and Second City as well as Boom Chicago, which presents Windy City-style comedy in Amsterdam. He went on to perform on Fox’s”Mad TV” and then with another Second City alum, Keegan-Michael Key, on Comedy Central’s “Key & Peele.”