What Are The Most Memorable Oscars Speeches Of All Time

The 94th Annual Academy Awards airs Monday 28th March 2022 which means the nominees are likely drafting up their speeches as we speak.

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And they’ve got their work cut out for them. Winners only have 90 seconds to pack in all their thank you’s before the exit music begins to play and they ushered off the stage.

That is 90 seconds in total to get from their seat to the podium to deliver their Oscars acceptance speech before time’s up.

There has been a mixed bag of acceptance speeches over the years — some emotional, some political, all memorable.

Here, in no particular order, are the Oscars speeches that stood out from the rest.

Angelina Jolie: Best Supporting Actress 2000

Angelina Jolie caused a stir on the red carpet and on stage at the Oscars in 2000.

Prior to the ceremony, she passionately kissed her brother James Haven on the lips as they posed on the red carpet, and then as she accepted her Best Supporting Actress win for Girl, Interrupted, she told the crowd she was “so in love with my brother right now”.

“He just held me and said he loved me and I know he’s so happy for me. And thank you for that,” she gushed in her acceptance speech.

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Gwyneth Paltrow: Best Actress 1999

Gwyneth Paltrow got emotional during her Best Actress win for Shakespeare In Love — and it wasn’t because critics thought she wasn’t a deserving winner.

Taking to the podium, the actress sobbed as she thanked her dad, director Bruce Paltrow, who was diagnosed with throat cancer months prior, her late grandpa, and a cousin who died when she was young — among a list of other family, friends and colleagues.

“To my father Bruce Paltrow, who has surmounted insurmountable obstacles this year. I love you more than anything in the world. And to my grandpa Buster, who almost made it here tonight, but couldn’t quite get here,” she cried.

“I would like to dedicate this to two young men who lost their lives very early. Harrison Kravis and my cousin Keith Paltrow. We miss you very much. And I thank you. Thank you so much, everybody!”

Julia Roberts: Best Actress 2001

When Julia Roberts won Best Actress for her portrayal as the title character in the movie Erin Brokovich, she joked she may never win again so she was going to lap up the moment.

Not even the orchestra conductor — who times winners’ speeches before queueing the play-off music to indicate their time is up — was going to stop her from going overtime.

“I’m going to spend some time here to tell you some things,” the actress told the crowd at the beginning of her speech, before directly addressing the conductor: “Sir, you’re 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.”

Halle Berry: Best Actress 2002

Halle Berry delivered an empowering speech after her Best Actress win for Monster’s Ball as she became the first Black woman to take out the category.

“This moment is so much bigger than me,” she told the crowd through tears.

“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 colour that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened.

“Thank you. I’m so honoured. I’m so honoured. And I thank the Academy for choosing me to be the vessel for which His blessing might flow.”

Marlon Brando: Best Actor 1973

Marlon Brando won Best Actor for his work on The Godfather, in which he was convincing as mafia patriarch Don Vito Corleone.

But rather than bask in the praise and prestige the award brings, Brando ditched the ceremony altogether to protest the depiction of Native Americans in Hollywood.

Instead, actress and Native American civil rights activist Sacheen Littlefeather accepted the award on his behalf.

“He very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry … and on television in movie reruns,” she said, while met with both boos and cheers from the audience.

Cuba Gooding Jr: Best Supporting Actor 1997

Fist-pumps, air kicks and many ‘I love you’s’ shouted from the stage was how Cuba Gooding Jr. accepted his Best Supporting Actor win.

With the same exuberance as his character Rod Tidwell in the 1996 film Jerry Maguire, the actor gave a speech to remember.

“Thank you, Father God, for putting me through what you put me through, but I’m here and I’m happy,” he said.

He also thanked co-star Tom Cruise — who was nominated for Best Actor that same year — for the speech-writing advice.

“Tom said don’t forget to thank your wife. I will never forget to thank my high school sweetheart and the mother of my children, Spencer and Mason. I love you, Sara,” Gooding Jr. said.

Jennifer Lawrence: Best Actress 2013

Jennifer Lawrence’s acceptance speech at the Oscars was nothing extraordinary. She won for Silver Lining Playbooks, gave her thanks on stage and that was that.

Except when she was walking up towards the podium to accept her award, the ever-relatable actress tripped on her voluminous Dior Couture gown on the steps.

“You guys are just standing up because you feel bad that I fell and that’s really embarrassing, but thank you,” she told the crown. “This is nuts.”

Sally Field: Best Actress 1985

This was Sally Field’s second Best Actress win and this time she appreciated the accolade even more.

Field won her first Oscar in 1980 for her role as the title character in Norma Rae and didn’t feel deserving at the time. This time, however, she won for the drama Places in the Heart — and her speech at the ceremony has gone down as one of the most iconic acceptance speeches in Hollywood history.

“I haven’t had an orthodox career and I’ve wanted more than anything to have your respect,” she told the audience.

“The first time I didn’t feel it, but this time I feel it. And I can’t deny the fact that you like me. Right now, you like me! Thank you.”

Matthew McConaughey: Dallas Buyers Club 2014

Matthew McConaughey gave one of the most sentimental speeches when he won Best Actor for playing a real-life AIDS patient Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club.

The actor thanked his late father who taught him “what it means to be a man”, his mum for teaching him respect, and his wife Camila and their children for giving him “significance” in life.

“There’s a few things, about three things, to my account that I need each day. One of ’em is something to look up to. Another is something to look forward to. And another is someone to chase,” he said.

“To any of us, whatever those things are: whatever it is we look up to, whatever it is we look forward to, and whoever it is we’re chasin’. To that I say: Amen. To that I say: Alright, alright, alright. To that I say: Just keep livin’. Thank you.”

Robin Williams: Best Supporting Actor 1998

Short and sweet and funny is how Robin Williams delivered his acceptance speech after winning for the drama, Good Will Hunting.

The actor opened his speech by saying, “This might be the one time I’m speechless” before thanking his co-stars and the movie’s writers Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

“Thank you, Ben and Matt — I still want to see some ID,” Williams joked, before adding, “Most of all, I want to thank my father, up there, the man who when I said I wanted to be an actor, he said, ‘Wonderful, just have a back-up profession like welding.'”

Frances McDormand: Best Actress 2018

Although she was “hyperventilating”, Frances McDormand was all about the sisterhood when she won in 2018 for her role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

The actress asked all her fellow female nominees to stand up in the auditorium so they can get the recognition they deserve.

“Look around, everybody. Look around, ladies and gentlemen, because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed,” she told the audience.

“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 … and we’ll tell you all about them. I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: inclusion rider.”

Adrien Brody: Best Actor 2003

Adrien Brody celebrated his Best Actor win for The Pianist by pashing presenter Halle Berry on stage. Brody casually made his way to the podium before planting one on the actress to her surprise.

“I bet they didn’t tell you that [kiss] was in the gift bag,” he joked as he began his acceptance speech, which went on for three minutes.

“I haven’t really written a speech because every time I wrote a speech for the past one of these things I didn’t win.”