It’s the big night tonight, the highlight of the calendar for film buffs and award ceremony addicts, and perhaps insomniacs eagerly anticipating a break from the infomercial circuit. It’s the biggest awards ceremony of all tonight: The Academy Awards.
If you are tempted to stay up until all hours to watch it unfold you know there’s one element you need, you absolutely have to have, for a good Oscars ceremony. You need some decent speeches; anything else could very, very easily have been garnered, and fully appreciated, by a quick perusal of the morning news, without sacrificing your sanity and body clock to the small hours of Monday morning.
In case you want a reference for the best you can reasonably hope for, we’ve put together 5 of the most memorable Academy Award acceptance speeches.
Matt Damon & Ben Affleck – Best Writing (Original Screenplay), 1998, Good Will Hunting
When Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote Good Will Hunting it was a way of telling their story on their terms. Their ecstatic acceptance had all the giddy joy of a couple of men who couldn’t believe they had pulled it off.
Gwyneth Paltrow – Best Actress, 1999, Shakespeare in Love
Tears can be a cliché, especially in the often shallow world of Hollywood award season. But when Gwyneth Paltrow burst in tears while collecting the best Actress Oscar for Shakespeare in Love it was genuine, and people loved her for it.
Robin William, Best Supporting Actor,1998, Good Will Hunting
Robin Williams’ Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting proved more than ever that his serious acting capabilities were beyond question. His acceptance speech reminded people why he’d become famous in the first place: comedy.
Michael Moore – Best Documentary Feature,2003, Bowling for Columbine
Arming Fox News with years of ammunition to despise ‘liberal’ Hollywood, it’s Michael Moore getting drowned out by boos and an orchestra just keen to go on with it, and a bit of applause.
Heath Ledger – Best Supporting Actor, 2008, The Dark Knight
Ledger’s posthumous, but no less deserved, award for his incredible portrayal of The Joker was an occasion in itself, and one fitting of honouring the talent that had been lost, and the family he left behind.
Cuba Gooding Junior – Best Supporting Actor, 1996, Jerry Maguire
Everybody’s happy and grateful to win an Oscar. It’s a given. Not many are as happy and grateful as Cuba Gooding Junior in 1997, collecting the award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Jerry Maguire.
