Oscars 2018: Frances McDormand pays tribute to 'power' of Grenfell Tower billboards stunt

Campaigners in north Kensington recreated scene from award-winning film last month in bid to raise awareness of 'lack of progress' since fire

(Reuters)

Frances McDormand, who won Best Actress for her role in Three Billboards at last night's Oscars ceremony, paid tribute during her acceptance speech to the efforts of Grenfell Tower fire activists for raising awareness of the tragedy.

Campaigners from Justice4Grenfell recreated a scene from the award-winning film last month to expose the "lack of progress" made since the fire.

The series of images were paraded through central London, saying "71 dead", "And still no arrests?", "How Come?".

McDormand paid tribute to the power of the campaign, saying "billboards still work".

"I think the idea that activists are taking that kind of statement and putting it out there. Billboards still work, so I think that it's really exciting," she said.

"It started actually with the Grenfell Tower fire investigation then it leap-frogged to (the) Miami gun control situation, it was outside the UN... that's the kind of power that an image can have and that's what we're making, we're making powerful images."

In Three Billboards, McDormand plays a mother who challenges authorities over finding the culprit for the rape and murder of her daughter.

Additional reporting by PA