Oscar Quotes

The Oscar winners speak – often coherently. Here’s a selection of noteworthy quotes in the order they were delivered in last night’s show from the podium.

George Clooney, Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Syriana: “I would say that, you know, we are a little bit out of touch in Hollywood every once in a while. I think it’s probably a good thing. We’re the ones who talk about AIDS when it was just being whispered, and we talked about civil rights when it wasn’t really popular. And we, you know, we bring up subjects. This Academy, this group of people gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 when blacks were still sitting in the backs of theaters. I’m proud to be a part of this Academy, proud to be part of this community, and proud to be out of touch.”

Steve Box, Best Animated Feature Film for Wallace and Grommit In the Curse of the Were-Rabbit: “Somebody once said if you make a bad film, you make it alone. If you make a great film, everybody made it with you.”

John Canemaker, Best Animated Short for The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation: “Peggy and I thank the Academy for this great honor. And also for your faith in hand-drawn animation, which still can pack an emotional wallop.”

Howard Berger, Best Makeup for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe: “This is really an amazing life. It all started when I was a little boy and my mother read me Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and at that point I knew I wanted to go live with the monsters.”

Rachel Weisz, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Constant Gardener: “Thank you so much to the Academy for this tremendous, tremendous honor. I share it with others, Ralph Fiennes my luminous acting partner. Fernando Meirelles our director who is brimming over with such humanity and our dignified sensitive producer, Simon Channing Williams, and of course, John le Carré, who wrote this unflinching, angry story. And he really paid tribute to the people who are willing to risk their own lives to fight injustice. And they’re greater men and women than I.”

Gustavo Santaolalla, Best Original Score for Brokeback Mountain: “I’m so proud to have work[ed] in this movie Brokeback Mountain. A movie that once again showed us that love is what makes us all very similar, in spite that we can be so different.

Michael Semanick, Best Sounds Mixing for King Kong: ” I want to thank my mother for giving me unconditional support when I chose this crazy career. You questioned me only once. Are you sure you don’t want to be a doctor? Yes, mom, I’m sure. I love you.”

Gavin Hood, Best Foreign Language Film for Tsotsi (South Africa): ” I just want to thank my fellow nominees who I’ve become deep friends with. We may have foreign language films, but our stories are the same as your stories. They’re about the human heart and emotion.”

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Best Actor in a Leading Role for Capote: “Thank you so much. And my mom’s name is Marilyn O’Connor, and she’s here tonight. And I’d like if you see her tonight to congratulate her. Because she brought up four kids alone, and she deserves a congratulations for that. Oh, I’m at the party, mom, you know? And she took me to my first play, and she stayed up with me and watched the NCAA final four. And my passions, her passions became my passions. And, you know, be proud, mom, because I’m proud of you, and we’re here tonight, and it’s so good.”

Reese Witherspoon, Best Actress in a Leading Role for Walk the Line: “I am so blessed to have my family here tonight. My mother and my father are here. And I just want to say thank you so much for everything, for being so proud of me. It didn’t matter if I was making my bed or making a movie. They never hesitated to say how proud they were of me. And that means so very much to a child. So thank you, Mom and Dad. I want to say thank you to my wonderful husband and my two children who should be going to bed. And thank you for loving me so much and supporting me. And I want to say that, my grandmother was one of the biggest inspirations in my life. She taught me how to be a real woman, to have strength and self respect, and to never give those things away. And those are a lot of qualities I saw in June Carter. People used to ask June how she was doing, and she used to say — “I’m just trying to matter.” And I know what she means. You know, I’m just trying to matter, and live a good life and make work that means something to somebody. And you have all made me feel that I might have accomplished that tonight. So thank you so much for this honor.”

Paul Haggis, Best Original Screenplay for Crash: “I just want to thank those people who take big risks in their daily lives, when there aren’t cameras rolling. When there aren’t people there to applaud. And the people out there who stand up for peace, and justice, and against intolerance. So I dedicate this to them. Thank you very much.”

Larry McMurtry, Best Adapted Screenplay for Brokeback Mountain: “And finally I’m going to thank all the booksellers of the world. Remember, Brokeback Mountain was a book before it was a movie. From the humblest paperback exchange to the masters of the great bookshops of the world. All are contributors to the survival of the culture of the book. A wonderful culture, which we mustn’t lose. Thank you.”

Ang Lee, Best Directing for Brokeback Mountain: “First of all, I want to thank two people who don’t even exist. Or I should say, they do exist, because of the imagination of Annie Proulx and the artistry of Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. Their names are Ennis and Jack. And they taught all of us who made Brokeback Mountain so much about not just all the gay men and women whose love is denied by society, but just as important, the greatness of love itself.”

Cathy Schulman, Best Picture for Crash: “Thank you to all of the members of the Academy for embracing … our film, about love and about tolerance, about truth. Thank you to the people all around the world who have been touched by this message. And we are humbled by the other nominees in this category. You have made this year one of the most breathtaking, and stunning, maverick years in American cinema, thank you.”