In pictures: Memorable Oscars speeches from past Academy Award winners

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In pictures: Memorable Oscars speeches from past Academy Award winners

A look back at some of the notable Oscars speeches over the years

Published: March 08, 2023 09:34 Reuters

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TAB Oscars4-1648038070956 — From Will Smith’s vague apology to Michael Moore berating George Bush, ahead of the 93rd Academy Awards this weekend, let's take a look back at some of the most memorable Oscars speeches from throughout the years. Image Credit: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

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TAB WILL SMITH 1222-1648459775352 — After delivering an open-handed slap to Chris Rock, Will Smith made a vague apology during his acceptance speech "Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. Art imitates life … love will make you do crazy things,” - Best actor winner Will Smith for King Richard, 2022. Image Credit: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

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190225 charlie — "Before the world tonight, I give praise to our ancestors who helped build this country [unintelligible] today, along with the genocide of its native people. We all connect with our ancestors. We will have love, wisdom regained, we will regain our humanity. It will be a powerful moment. The 2020 presidential election is around the corner. Let's all mobilize. Let's all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate. Let's do the right thing!" - Best adapted screenplay winner Spike Lee, with Charlie Wachtel, David Robinowitz and Kevin Willmott, for Blackkklansman, 2019 Image Credit: AP

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190225 ruth carter — "Marvel may have created the first black superhero, but through costume design we turned him into an African king. It's been my life's honor to create costumes." - Best costume design winner Ruth E. Carter for Black Panther, 2019. Image Credit: AP

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1.1681241_1801821292 — "Making The Revenant was about man's relationship to the natural world. A world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history. Our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow. Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating. We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people out there who would be most affected by this. For our children's children, and for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed. I thank you all for this amazing award tonight. Let us not take this planet for granted." - Best actor Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant, 2016. Image Credit: AFP

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James-Cameron — "I am the king of the world." - Best director James Cameron for Titanic, 1998. Image Credit: Reuters

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McDormand- — "Look around, ladies and gentlemen, because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed. Don't talk to us about it at the parties tonight. Invite us into your office in a couple days--or you can come to ours, whichever suits you best--and we'll tell you all about them. I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: inclusion rider." - Best actress Frances McDormand for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, 2018. Image Credit: Reuters

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1.1298179_413056688 — "When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you're from, your dreams are valid." - Best supporting actress Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Years a Slave, 2014. Image Credit: AFP

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TAB 200328 KATE-1585377924137 — "I'd be lying if I hadn't made a version of this speech before, I think I was probably eight years old and staring into the bathroom mirror. And this would've been a shampoo bottle. Well, it's not a shampoo bottle now!" - Best actress Kate Winslet for The Reader, 2009. Image Credit: AP

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Guillermo del Toro-1591957336980 — "I am an immigrant like Alfonso and Alejandro, my compadres. Like Gael. Like Salma. And like many, many of you. And in the last twenty-five years, I've been living in a country all of our own: part of it is here, part of it is in Europe, part of it is everywhere. Because I think that the greatest thing our art does and our industry does is to erase the lines in the sand. We should continue doing that when the world tells us to make them deeper." - Best director Guillermo del Toro for The Shape of Water, 2018. Image Credit:

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Copy of Winfrey-Viola_Davis_98030.jpg-0ef00-1650611347280 — "There's one place that all the people with the greatest potential are gathered. One place. And that's the graveyard. People ask me all the time, 'What kind of stories do you want to tell, Viola?' And I say, exhume those bodies. Exhume those stories. The stories of the people who dreamed big and never saw those dreams to fruition. People who fell in love and lost. I became an artist, and thank god I did, because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life. So here's to August Wilson, who exhumed and exalted the ordinary people." - Best supporting actress Viola Davis for Fences, 2017. Image Credit: Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP

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1.1681213_3916256051 — "We made this film for all the journalists who have and continue to hold the powerful accountable, and for the survivors whose courage and will to overcome is really an inspiration. We have to make sure this never happens again." - Best original screenplay writers Tom McCarthy (R) and Josh Singer for Spotlight, 2016. Image Credit: AP

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TAB 200329 TOM AND RITA-1585488868281 — "I know that my work in this case is magnified by the fact that the streets of heaven are too crowded with angels. We know their names. They number a thousand for each one of the red ribbons that we wear here tonight. They finally rest in the warm embrace of the gracious creator of us all. A healing embrace that cools their fevers, that clears their skin, and allows their eyes to see the simple, self-evident, common sense truth that is made manifest by the benevolent creator of us all and was written down on paper by wise men, tolerant men, in the city of Philadelphia 200 years ago." - Best actor Tom Hanks for Philadelphia, 1994. Image Credit: AFP

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tab Hilary Swank Film-Authentic_Casting_77049.jpg-c7a70~1-1557385755145 — "I want to thank Brandon Teena for being such an inspiration to us all. His legacy lives on through our movie to remind us to always be ourselves, to follow our hearts, to not conform. I pray for the day when we not only accept our differences, but we actually celebrate our diversity." - Best actress Hilary Swank for Boys Don't Cry, 2000. Image Credit: AP

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Michael-Moore — "We live in a time when we have a man sending us to war for fictitious reasons. We are against this war, Mr. Bush. Shame on you. Shame on you!" - Best documentary feature winner Michael Moore for Bowling for Columbine, 2003. Image Credit: Reuters

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Denzel-1656743397982 — "Two birds with one night... Forty years I been chasing Sidney (Poitier) they finally give it to me, what do they do? They give it to him the same night." - Best actor Denzel Washington for Training Day, 2002. Image Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

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1.1461037_2263605423 — "To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else's equal rights. It's our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America." - Best supporting actress Patricia Arquette for Boyhood, 2015. Image Credit: AFP

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1.1150673_2732970813 — "I know you're only standing up because you feel bad that I fell." - Best actress Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook, 2013. Image Credit: REUTERS

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Graham-Moore — "When I was 16 years old, I tried to kill myself because I felt weird and I felt different and I felt like I did not belong. And now I'm standing here and, so, I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she's weird or she's different or she doesn't fit in anywhere. Yes, you do. I promise you do. You do. Stay weird. Stay different. And then when it's your turn and you are standing on this stage, please pass the same message to the next person who comes along." - Best adapted screenplay writer Graham Moore for The Imitation Game, 2015. Image Credit: Reuters

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1.1298201_782406524 — "To the audiences who went to see it, and perhaps those of us in the industry who are still foolishly clinging to the idea that female films with women at the center are niche experiences. They are not. Audiences want to see them and, in fact, they earn money. So... The world is round, people!" - Best actress Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine, 2014. Image Credit: AP

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Meryl Streep — "When they called my name, I had this feeling I could hear half of America going, 'Oh no. Come on... Her, again?' You know. But, whatever." - Best actress Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady, 2012. Image Credit: INSTA/ merylstreep

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sandra — "Did I really earn this, or did I just wear you all down?" - Best actress Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side, 2010. Image Credit: Reuters

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Julia Roberts-1657949744688 — "I have a television so I'm going to spend some time here to tell you some things and sir, you are doing a great job but you're so quick with that stick, so why don't you sit? Because I may never be here again." - Best actress Julia Roberts for Erin Brockovich, 2001. Image Credit: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP

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TAB 200301 STEVEN SPIELBERG1-1583047674373 — "Oh, wow. This is the best drink of water after the longest drought of my life." - Best director and best picture winner Steven Spielberg for Schindler's List, 1994. Image Credit: Chris Carlson/AP/Shutterstock

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1.1461032_242973684 — "Call your mom, everybody. I've told this (to) like a billion people or so. Call your mom, call your dad. If you're lucky enough to have a parent or two alive on this planet, call 'em. Don't text. Don't email. Call them on the phone. Tell 'em you love 'em, and thank them, and listen to them for as long as they want to talk to you. Thank you. Thank you, Mom and Dad." - Best supporting actor J.K. Simmons for Whiplash, 2015. Image Credit: AFP

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Angelina Jolie brother James — "I'm in shock. And I'm so in love with my brother right now, he just held me and said he loved me." - Best supporting actress Angelina Jolie for Girl, Interrupted, 2000. Image Credit: Reuters

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Sean Penn and mother Eileen Ryan at the 76th Annual Academy Awards in Hollywood. February 29, 2004 — "Thank you. Thank you. You commie, homo-loving sons-of-guns. I did not expect this, but I, and I want it to be very clear, that I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me often." - Best actor Sean Penn for Milk, 2009. Image Credit: Shutterstock

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