Alejandro Inarritu celebrates a big, and bilingual, win for 'Birdman'

Alejandro Inarritu celebrates a big, and bilingual, win for ‘Birdman’

Alejandro Inarritu holds up his director Oscar for "Birdman" backstage.

Feb. 23, 2015 8 AM PT

“It’s so good, it feels like Mexico today,” Alejandro G. Inarritu joked to reporters backstage after winning the Oscar for directing. “I haven’t been speaking English.”

Indeed — the first few questions he had faced were from Spanish-speaking media, and the “Birdman” director answered in that language before switching to English.

“I haven’t figured out why I did what I did with this film, why I took these chances,” he said. “I think it’s when you lose fear. ... Fear is the condom of life. It doesn’t allow you to enjoy things.”

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And then, amid his explanation, he mimed taking off said device — hands above the belt, mind you — and tossing it away.

“So I did it without, and it was real. It was making love for sure.”

Later in the night, after accepting the best picture prize as one of the producers of “Birdman,” Inarritu was asked what the wins mean for him as a Mexican. He responded: “I don’t feel different from any of you here. I cannot have this stupid border and passports. Naked and in tighty whities, we are all the same.”

During his press Q&A for the director award, Inarritu asked a favor of those assembled in the room.

“For me to be here tonight is unreal. I would like if you could say something for me,” he said, noting that while onstage he had forgotten to thank one very important person.

“I would like you to say, ‘This is for my mom’” Inarritu said, adding: “My mom is part of this journey.”

Then he repeated the request -- in Spanish.