Thread by @jmj

Storytime:

In 2009, I graduated from USC Film School & took a job at UTA Digital.

We were nerds at UTA. The misfits who watched YouTube videos while co-workers dreamed up film projects with clients like Johnny Depp.

In the nerd area, I sat next to a 22 year-old named Charlie.

Charlie was hilarious, but he didn't act like someone who wanted to become an agent. People just assumed he would quit & move back home one day.

People brushed Charlie off because he dressed a bit goofy (we all wore suits and ties) & didn't graduate from an Ivy League school.

Background: Charlie moved to LA from New Jersey with Hollywood dreams & thought he would be a barista.

He somehow found his way into UTA as an assistant & just seemed excited to have a foot in the door.

Getting coffee & answering phones for agents was better than Starbucks.

Anyways, I remember Charlie telling me that he was writing screenplays. Everyone in LA writes screenplays. I love you... But c'mon Charlie.

I never asked to read his screenplays. We were both busy doing our best not to get fired. Hollywood is tough like that.

I eventually left UTA. I gave Charlie a hug & wished him luck. He told me that he'd be leaving soon too to focus on writing.

We kept in touch on Facebook & I saw he left UTA to be a copywriter.

I was happy for Charlie. It wasn't screenwriting, but he'd get paid to write.

Last week, I was watching the Academy Awards and eating Sugarfish with my wife. Soooo LA... I know.

The Bradley Cooper + Lady Gaga performance was cool and all, but I really was bored of the show.

Then they announced Best Adapted Screenplay. Alright. Let's see who it is...

"The Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. BlacKkKlansman written by Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, Spike Lee."

Charlie Wachtel. I know someone with that name. Funny.

Wait... that's Charlie on stage. WTF. Charlie just won an Oscar for best screenplay!!

Charlie grabbed the Oscar like a total boss. He stuck out his tongue & celebrated right next to Spike Lee.

I watched a dream come true. Charlie from the nerd area at UTA. The goofy kid from New Jersey who served agents coffee.

Won the most coveted writing award in Hollywood.

I later found out that Charlie optioned the book rights to "Black Klansman" by Ron Stallworth after it had gone out print.

The story was never going to be told. But Charlie found it.

He wrote the screenplay on spec (i.e. unpaid) with his writing partner.

They pitched producers on the idea, who then convinced Jordan Peele to bring the script to Spike Lee. And Spike Lee absolutely loved Charlie's script.

The most unlikely sequence of events for a story that had gone extinct.

Charlie freaking made it happen. Best Screenplay!!

Thank you Charlie for reminding me that dreams really do come true.

I wish I would have read your screenplays at UTA. My bad.

You are an absolute legend!