20 Incredibly Inspiring Oscar Acceptance Speech Quotes
Updated: Jul. 01, 2021The big awards can be almost as entertaining as the movies they celebrate. Read these gems from favorite acceptance speeches throughout the years.
Believe in yourself
“God bless that potential that we all have for making anything possible if we think we deserve it. I deserve this.” —Shirley MacLaine, Best Actress, Terms of Endearment, 1984
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Telling it like it is
“I am king of the world!” —James Cameron, Best Director, Titanic, 1997
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Spread the love
“I call upon you to draw from the depths of your being to prove that we are a human race. To prove that our love outweighs our need to hate. That our compassion is more compelling than our need to blame. That our sensitivity to those in need is stronger than our greed.” —Elizabeth Taylor, Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, 1993
Celebrate creativity
“I want to thank anyone who spends part of their day creating. I don’t care if it’s a book, a film, a painting, a dance, a piece of theater, a piece of music. Anybody who spends part of their day sharing their experience with us. I think the world would be unlivable without art.” -Steven Soderbergh, Best Director, Traffic, 2001
Cheer a support system
“…never once in my life did my parents ever say, ‘What you’re doing is a waste of time.’ Never. And I grew up, I had teachers, I had colleagues, I had people that I worked with all through my life who always told me what you’re doing is not a waste of time… I know there are kids out there that don’t have that support system, so if you’re out there and you’re listening, listen to me: If you want to be creative, get out there and do it; it’s not a waste of time. Do it. OK?” —Michael Giacchino, Best Original Music Score, Up, 2010
Dare to dream
“When I’m being true to myself, I can avail myself to extraordinary things such as this. You have to allow for the impossible to be possible.” —Lupita Nyong’o, Best Supporting Actress, 12 Years a Slave, 2014
Don’t forget to set the alarm
“I won and I get to scream and jump a little. But I got to go back to work tomorrow.” —Benicio del Toro, Best Supporting Actor, Traffic, 2000
Thirsty much?
“Can I have my champagne now?” —Cate Blanchett, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, The Aviator, 2004
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Uncover the past
“You know, 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.” —Viola Davis, Best Supporting Actress, Fences, 2017
Know your priorities
“There’s a few things, about three things to my count that I need each day. One I need something to look up to, another something to look forward to, and another is someone to chase.” —Matthew McConaughey, Best Actor, Dallas Buyers Club, 2014
Thank your one and only
“And I am standing here because the woman I share my life with has taught me and demonstrates for me every day just what love is.” —Tom Hanks, Best Actor, Forrest Gump, 1997
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Remember who paved the way
“This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll. It’s for the women that stand beside me: Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett, Vivica Fox. And it’s for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened.” —Halle Berry, Best Actress, Monster’s Ball, 2002
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