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From Lupita Nyong’o to Ke Huy Quan, Here’s List of 7 Most Iconic Oscars Speeches of All Time
Here’s a list of the 7 most iconic Oscar speeches.
Winning an Oscar is the ultimate dream for many artists, who strive not only to please the audience with their performances but also to work hard to earn an Academy Award or a nomination.
While some may still have that dream, many have already achieved it and experienced what it felt like to get on the stage and receive that trophy. This feeling has often been reflected in the speeches that they have delivered after winning the Academy Awards.
These acceptance speeches have been nothing less than inspiring. If you want a dose of motivation, here’s a list of the 7 most iconic Oscar speeches.
1. Frances McDormand, Best Actress, 2018
Film: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Award: Best Actress
The veteran star made a powerful speech when she went on stage to accept the Oscar. After thanking her husband, Joel Cohen, and their son, Pedro, along with her co-stars of Three Billboards. The actress also asked all the female nominees who were nominated to stand with her that night.
She urged Meryl Streep, who was sitting in the front row, to do it so everyone else would follow. She asked the men in the room to meet with all the women who stood and lend an ear to their career ambitions. She also mentioned, “I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: INCLUSION RIDER."
2. Hattie McDaniel, Best Supporting Actress, 1940
Film: Gone With the Wind
Awards: Best Supporting Actress
Hattie McDaniel made history by becoming the first African American to ever win an Oscar in 1940. She was reportedly not permitted to be a part of the ceremony, but the film producer, David O. Selznick, asked the then segregated Ambassador Hotel for permission to let McDaniel in.
She was given a separate table, away from her co-actors. But this did not stop her from giving a moving speech after she won. McDaniel stated, “It has made me feel very, very humble, and I shall always hold it as a beacon for anything I may be able to do in the future,” adding, “I sincerely hope I shall always be a credit to my race and to the motion picture industry.”
3. Lupita Nyong’o, Best Supporting Actress, 2014
Film: 12 Years a Slave
Award: Best Supporting Actress
Lupita’s Oscar speech not only made her emotional but also everyone watching her win the Oscar. She thanked her 12 Years a Slave co-stars, mentioning her best friend and her brother in the speech.
Igniting that ray of hope, Lupita made a powerful statement: “May this remind you that no matter where you are from, your dreams are valid.” Apart from her speech, she also received immense love for the angelic gown she wore, which was by Prada.
4. Ariana DeBose, Best Supporting Actress, 2022
Film: West Side Story
Award: Best Supporting Actress
Ariana DeBose truly took it upon herself to inspire others with her win, and she was successful with that.
The actress embraced being an openly queer woman of color and made sure to tell the crowd that there was “indeed” a place for them. She went back in time and recalled being a child, sitting in the backseat of a white Ford, adding, “Look into her eyes.”
She further stated, “You see an openly queer woman of color, an Afro-Latina, who found her strength in life through art. And that is, I think, what we’re here to celebrate.”
5. Ke Huy Quan, Best Supporting Actor, 2023
Film: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Award: Best Supporting Actor
Is there anything more iconic than Ke Huy Quan himself? Yes, the Oscar speech that he gave right after winning Best Supporting Actor for the hit film Everything Everywhere All at Once in 2023.
It is a fact that the majority of people thank their God or their mother while accepting the honor, but what sets Quan apart was the way he said, “My mom is 84 years old and she’s at home watching. Mom, I just want an Oscar.”
The actor mentioned that he started his journey on a boat and somehow he ended up on “Hollywood's biggest stage.” He added, “They say stories like this only happen in the movies. I cannot believe it’s happening to me. This is the American Dream.”
6. Halle Berry, Best Actress, 2002
Film: Monster’s Ball
Awards: Best Actress
When Halle Berry won this prestigious honor back in 2002, she not only created a historic moment by becoming the first Black woman to win the Best Actress honor but also delivered one of the most iconic Oscar speeches of all time.
Clearly emotional, Berry stated that the moment was a lot “bigger” than her. The veteran actress added, “It's for every faceless, nameless woman of color who now has the chance because this door tonight has been opened.”
7. Brendan Fraser, Best Actor, 2023
Film: The Whale
Awards: Best Actor
This is by far one of the most emotional moments, not just for Brendan Fraser, but for many of his fans who missed his screen presence until he made a grand comeback by starring in The Whale.
As the actor got tears in his eyes, he told the people who worked in the abovementioned movie with him that they “laid your whale-sized hearts bare so we could see into your souls like no one else.”
He also noted, “Things, they didn’t come easily to me... I just want to say thank you for this acknowledgement.”
Bonus: Viola Davis, Best Supporting Actress, 2017
Film: Fences
Award: Best Supporting Actress
Viola Davis has proven to us time and again that she is one of the greatest living actresses of our time. Her performances in various projects are a testament to that.
But it's not just her acting but also the statements she makes that make her iconic, and her Oscars speech also falls in the same category.
After winning the Best Supporting Actress award for Fences, she was not afraid to showcase her emotional and vulnerable side while reflecting on the impact that her parents had on her life and her professional front.
She paid tribute to her husband and their family. Davis stated, “I'm so glad you are the foundation of my life.”
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