Academy Award Winning Alumnus

The Loyola Academy community congratulates alumnus Matthew A. Cherry '99 who took home his first Oscar at the 92nd Academy Awards on Sunday, February 9! Cherry wrote and directed Hair Love, the charming story of an African American father who must do his daughter's hair for the first time. Hair Love won the Academy Award for best animated short film.   
Cherry, who was inducted into the Loyola Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in October 2018, spent time in the NFL before turning to film making. He also directs episodes of the popular Blackish and Mixedish TV series.  
 
The Fall 2016 issue of LOYOLA magazine featured Cherry and detailed the reinvention of the NFL wide receiver turned filmmaker in the cover story "Second Act."

Learn more about 
the arts at Loyola Academy and our Second Century Campaign to build a new theater for the performing arts.  
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