As the 96th Oscars ceremony approaches, there are all sorts of things we're looking forward to. The fashion, the ‘gracious loser’ smiles and those most iconic of Oscar speeches – where a beaming Hollywood celeb makes their way onto the stage to deliver a tearjerking, hilarious or just downright authentic acceptance monologue of epic proportions. In fact, serving lewks aside, that’s the main reason we all tune in, right?
Winners are given a max of 90 seconds to thank their close ones and throw in a punchy and memorable line (of course, many go over their time limit – but the Academy’s orchestra team have been notoriously known for stepping in to get things moving). Many choose that time to make a real impact and send political messages, cryptic jabs at the academy and its lack of diversity or hot-button cultural conversations such as climate change and gender equality.
In all these years, less than 10 women have been nominated for the prestigious award.
Now more than ever, this climate has been brewing social activism from the most unexpected people – so we’re excited to see what this year’s class will bring to the stage. Although we may not be the ones displaying the gold statue on our floating shelves, we're all keen to tune in for a hint of inspiration, and of course, to be entertained.
So in true celebration – from Jennifer Lawrence tripping on her way to claim her Oscar, to Kate Winslet’s dad’s iconic whistle – here are the best Academy Award speeches of ALL time according to a mix of YouTube reviews and, quite frankly, how much we cried while watching them.
Michelle Yeoh (2023)
At last year's Oscars, Everything Everywhere All At Once swept up, taking home seven awards. Amongst them was the award for Best Actress, won by Michelle Yeoh, who became the first Asian woman to win the category.
In her beautiful speech, Yeoh dedicated the award to big dreams and to her mother. “Thank you, thank you. For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof that ... dream big, and dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime. Never give up," she said.
She later added, "I have to dedicate this to my mum, all the mums in the world, because they are really the superheroes and without them, none of us would be here tonight. She’s 84 and I’m taking this home to her. She’s watching right now in Malaysia, KL, with my family and friends. I love you guys, I’m bringing this home to you.
“And also to my extended family in Hong Kong, where I started my career. Thank you for letting me stand on your shoulders, giving me a leg up so that I can be here today. And to my godchildren, to my sisters, all of them. To my brothers, oh God, to my family. Thank you, thank you!"
Ke Huy Quan (2023)
Ke Huy Quan won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his heartfelt performance as Waymond Wang in Everything Everywhere All At Once.
In a tearful speech, Quan spoke about his early life as a refugee. “My journey started on a boat. I spent a year in a refugee camp, and somehow I ended up here, on Hollywood’s biggest stage,” he said. “They say stories like this only happen in the movies. I cannot believe it’s happening to me. This is the American Dream.”
He went on to thank his family, cast and crew, before summing up: “Dreams are something you have to believe in. I almost gave up on mine. To all of you out there, please keep your dreams alive.”
Ariana DeBose (2022)
This speech comes from West Side Story star Ariana DeBose, who won Best Supporting Actress at the 2023 Academy Awards. The actor gave an empowering and heartfelt speech on accepting the award from Daniel Kaluuya and H.E.R, where she spoke about being an “openly queer woman of colour” and told the audience, and indeed those watching from home that, “there is indeed a place for us”.
Referring to her early days in the business, she said: "Imagine this little girl in the back seat of a white Ford Focus, look into her eyes. “You see an openly queer woman of colour, an Afro-Latina, who found her strength in life through art. And that is, I think, what we’re here to celebrate.”
We know, we know, you might need more tissues.
Lupita Nyong'o (2014)
With 10 million YouTube views, it's safe to say that Lupita Nyong'o's speech on winning Best Supporting Actress at the 86th Oscars has touched many a heart. The actor won the award for her role in the Steve McQueen movie 12 Years A Slave, and she paid homage to McQueen and her co-stars so authentically before paying tribute to her brother and best friend – and ending with a message to the audience: “May this remind you that no matter where you are from, your dreams are valid.”
Al Pacino (1993)
At 11 million views and counting, this speech is one of the most viewed perhaps due to the wit and and the fan base that Al Pacino carries to this day, or perhaps because we need him to have received a few more since... He accepted the award presented by Jodie Foster, for Best Actor in his role in Scent of a Woman.
Olivia Colman (2019)
All hail, The Queen… of acting, Olivia Colman, whose Oscars acceptance speech in 2019 was certainly one of the more entertaining of the bunch. The comedy value started before Colman even reached the stage as the camera panned to her, totally shocked, as her name was announced, before being embraced and kissed by her husband, Ed on one side and a tearful Emma Stone on the other.
When she did manage to make it up onto the stage, she began her speech with, “It's genuinely quite stressful, this is hilarious, I've got an Oscar”, before poking her tongue out at the teleprompter when she was told to wrap up and simply pointing and saying “Lady Gaga” at the star, who was sitting in the front row.
Sandra Bullock (2010)
The ever so humble Sandra Bullock used the majority of her speech, which has been viewed over five million times, to champion every other woman nominated in the category including Meryl Streep, Gabourey Sidibe, Helen Mirren and Carey Mulligan. She received the Oscar for her box office hit The Blind Side.
Natalie Portman (2011)
Natalie Portman couldn't hold back the tears as she accepted her Best Actress award for her role in Black Swan. After thanking her family and colleagues, Natalie, whose speech has over 14 million views to date, took the opportunity to shout out the "people in films that no one ever talks about" such as hair and makeup artists and film stylists. Bravo, Natalie!
Gerda Weissmann Klein (1995)
If you've got any tissues left, you're going to need them for this one, because many viewers dubbed Gerda Weissmann Klein's speech the most emotional speech they'd ever heard. Klein, a Holocaust survivor, won the award of Best Documentary Short Subject for One Survivor Remembers, where she recounted her own story of survival from a six-year ordeal as a victim of Nazi cruelty, including the loss of her parents, brother, friends and wider family. She said, “I have been in a place for six incredible years where winning meant a crust of bread and to live another day. Since the blessed day of my liberation I have asked the question, why am I here?”
She also encouraged the audience to remember the Holocaust, telling them: “You cannot do it in any better way than when you return to your homes tonight to realise that each of you who know the joy of freedom are winners.”
Daniel Kaluuya (2021)
The ever-talented Daniel Kaluuya won the award for Best Supporting Actor back in 2021 for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah. In his speech, he paid tribute to Chairman Fred Hampton – who he portrayed in the film – and his work in civil rights, however it was his shoutout to his parents that is perhaps more likely the reason why his speech stuck out to so many people.
“I’d like to thank my mum,” he said. “You gave me everything. You gave me your factory settings. So I could stand at my fullest height. Thank you so much for showing me myself, and there’s so much work to do. That’s on everyone in this room. This ain’t no single man job. I look at every single one of you. We’ve got work to do.”
At the end of his speech, the star thanked his parents for bringing him into the world, saying, “My mum and my dad... they had sex. It's amazing! I'm here!”
Halle Berry (2002)
Another tearjerker for you here, because when Halle Berry gave her speech as the first Black woman to win the Best Actress award for her role in Monster's Ball, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. “This moment is so much bigger than me,” Berry said as she struggled to speak through tears while recounting her acting heroes. “It's for every faceless, nameless, woman of colour who now has the chance because this door tonight has been opened.”
Roberto Benigni (1999)
Roberto Benigni's Best Actor win for Italian movie Life Is Beautiful stole the show at the 1999 Oscars. The Italian actor had quite possibly the best reaction ever as he made his way to the podium by jumping partway across the tops of the seats - what a legend!
Eddie Redmayne (2015)
This quirky, beautiful, heartfelt and witty acceptance speech by Eddie Redmayne is one of our faves, too. Redmayne accepted the Best Actor award for his role as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything with a real spring in his step, and he didn’t shy away from displaying real excitement and joy. With over 15M views to date it’s definitely one of those you want to watch again and again to bring a bit of joy to your day.
Emerald Fennell (2021)
We are obsessed with Emerald's speech for its relatable quality. When the star won the Oscar for the Best Original Screenplay for Promising Young Woman at the 93rd Oscars, her speech made every girl who had had a teenage on-screen crush that just never materialised feel seen.
“They said write a speech and I didn’t, because I just didn’t think this would happen, and I’m going to be in trouble with [producer] Stephen Soderbergh,” she admitted.
Adding: “So, the only speech I ever wrote was when I was 10, so I had a look to see if there was anything useful from it, but it mostly thanked Zack Morris from Saved By The Bell, my very supportive husband. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been as much a part of my life as I’d hoped, and so that speech is not that useful.”
Kate Winslet (2009)
It's no wonder that Kate Winslet's acceptance speech made it in the top five most watched (with 19 million views). The British actress, who was presented with the Oscar for Best Actress by former winner Marion Cotillard, struggled to hold back her emotions and displayed overwhelming gratitude as she picked up the gong for her role in The Reader.
Heath Ledger (2009)
Right behind Leonardo DiCaprio with over 27 million views is one of the most emotional Oscar speeches of all time. When the late Heath Ledger won Best Supporting Actor for his role as the Joker in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight – one year after his death – his family accepted the award on his behalf. As you can expect, there wasn't a dry eye left in the room.
Robin Williams (1998)
The late, great, Robin Williams was nominated no less than three times before he won his first Oscar in 1998 for the Best Supporting Actor in Good Will Hunting. While fans perhaps expected a speech full of his usual impressions, he was instead endearingly shy and gracious. He closed his speech with what his father told him when he chose to become an actor: "Wonderful, just have a backup profession like welding."
Matthew McConaughey (2014)
Matthew McConaughey transformed from rom com king to serious Hollywood contender after his role in Dallas Buyers Club, where he plays an electrician suffering with AIDs. In 2014, he was presented with his first Oscar for Best Actor by a hilariously awkward Jennifer Lawrence. He delivered an emotional speech thanking God, his colleagues and family, which remains as one of the most-watched Oscar speeches on YouTube.
Leonardo DiCaprio (2016)
The world rejoiced when Leo finally won his first Oscar in 2016. Hollywood's most loved heartthrob was crowned Best Actor for his role in The Revenant and as a result, delivered an exceptional acceptance speech – so much so that it is still the most watched Oscar speech on YouTube with over 54 million views to its name. Look out for Kate Winslet's adorable reaction, too.
After weeks of speculation.
