John Ridley says he regrets not thanking Steve McQueen when he collected his Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay earlier this month.
Rumours have surface of a feud between Ridley and McQueen - allegedly caused by Ridley refusing McQueen a writing credit on 12 Years A Slave.
Ridley picked up the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar and McQueen triumphed with Best Picture, but they both failed to thank one another in their acceptance speeches.
Speaking Entertainment Weekly, Ridley said: "I do regret it. But just 24 hours earlier at the Spirit awards I sincerely went on and on about Steve and my work with him. You know, the guy changed my life.
"At the Oscars you have 30 seconds to talk and it's like the oxygen drops out of the room.
"I know [when I heard my name called] I hugged my wife twice, I know David O Russell - again this person people think I have beef with - was the first guy to hug me, I know Meryl Streep reached out and touched my arm."
Ridley teamed up with McQueen for the first time with 12 Years A Slave, as he adapted Solomon Northup's slavery memoir for the big screen.
12 Years A Slave won three Oscars: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Lupita Nyong'o.