James Martin Celebrates ‘Fantastic’ Moment Of Becoming The First Person With Down Syndrome With An Oscar

Mar 19, 2023 by apost team

Actor James Martin has not only made a name for himself in Hollywood, but he has made history.

Martin was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on March 12, 1992, making him 31 years old. However, when he was born, his parents were told by doctors that there was a chance he might never speak. The family learned that Martin had been born with Down syndrome. However, Martin has shown that he has certainly found his voice and is using it for the better.

He has found his footing in the entertainment industry, working as an actor. On top of that, Martin is also very vocal about educating others about folks with disabilities and working hard to raise awareness about Down syndrome.

The 95th Academy Awards took place in 2023 and were historic for several reasons. Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian to win Best Actress for her role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” But the memorable night did not end there.

Rising star Martin made history at the awards ceremony when he became the first person with Down syndrome to win an Oscar. Martin has only been in Hollywood for a few years, but it’s evident that his talent has taken the world by storm. He has been honored with a few other awards as well and has received plenty of support from his family and peers. Still, his performance in the 2022 short film “An Irish Goodbye” is what has truly cemented him as a star in the entertainment industry, making history along the way.

According to the Irish Times, doctors told Martin’s parents when he was born that there was a chance he would never speak. He has Down syndrome and has always persevered to reach any and all of his dreams.

The rising star grew up with a love for attending soccer matches in Northern Ireland alongside his sports reporter father, Ivan Martin. Harry McConkey, a manager with Ballinamallard United FC, recounted the first time he met Martin back in 2019.

“After the game, James came over to interview me with his Dictaphone as he was working with his daddy,” McConkey said. He explained that he had taught several children with Down syndrome and was “blown away” by Martin’s “confidence” to interview him with such “brilliant questions.” McConkey continued:

“We lost the game in the dying seconds and James said to me, ‘Harry I can’t believe you lost, you’re too good to be at the bottom of the championship’. It was probably one of the most uplifting experiences in my time in football, and in life. When I went into the changing room I told them, the players, all about him.”

Martin had been working at a Starbucks in Ireland just a few months before the 95th Academy Awards. He had already worked in the entertainment industry, as well, in the 2016 TV show “Marcella” and the 2017 TV movie “Ups and Downs.”

At the 2023 Oscars, Martin made history when he became the first person with Down syndrome to win an Oscar. He received the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film for his role in “An Irish Goodbye” – a short film written, produced and directed by Tom Berkeley and Ross White that starred Martin, Seamus O’Hara, Paddy Jenkins and Michelle Fairley.

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Martin’s parents were over-the-moon about his win. Ivan told UTV that Martin has “spent his life pushing the envelope.” He elaborated, "People are very good at saying, 'You can't do this and you can't do that'... he's done it and he does it consistently."

Ivan continued, "I couldn't believe it. I mean, we're sitting at home pumping the air, you know, this is sensational.

Martin had a huge reason to celebrate at the award ceremony considering his monumental win. On top of that, though, it was also his birthday! According to CBS, the entire room of celebrities and fans sang happy birthday to the respected actor.

"This award is actually the second most important thing about today, because it's this man's birthday," Berkeley said. "He's out here in Hollywood, wearing a leopard print suit jacket, we'd love to use the rest of our time up here to sing for James."

Prior to winning an Oscar, Martin had also won a BAFTA for his work in the film. He spoke about his celebrated career and how much it meant to see that people were rooting for him.

"I'm the first person with (Down syndrome) not just getting a Bafta but also getting an Oscar, especially in the time of my birthday – it's just fantastic,” Martin shared.

Martin’s girlfriend, Barbara Norris, told the BBC that the award win was “the icing on his birthday cake,” as Martin and his loved ones had much to commemorate that night. "It shows to everyone that it's changing your mindset on how people with disabilities can achieve as much as everyone else can," she said.

Martin reminded everyone of a very important message: "I always tell people, never judge a book by its cover, we're all human beings we know how to act.”

What do you think about James Martin’s historic win? Have you seen any of the projects he’s acted in? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends.