Night of the Oscars: the curiosities of the most memorable speeches

Night of the Oscars

Finally here we are: the night of the Oscars is almost upon us and soon we will hear the famous phrase resound in the houses of half the world that, in our hearts, everyone would like to be able to hear live. "And the Oscar goes to ..." is the classic preamble to the nomination of the winner. Five magical words that collect within them a load of unimaginable tension: fatigue, sacrifices, disappointment, satisfaction, boundless joy.

These and other emotions have accompanied, and will continue to do so, the night of the Oscars over the decades . Trying to retrace some famous speeches of thanks, we will therefore try to bring to mind the unforgettable moments in our opinion linked to the event including some boycotts, record actresses, very short speeches and timeless friendships.

Notte degli Oscar: the most memorable speeches

The record of Meryl Streep Joe Pesci and the shortest speech ever Martin Scorsese and his three friends The boycott of Marlon Brando The walk in the armchairs of Roberto Benigni The sincerity of Julia Roberts

Meryl Streep's record

To date, Meryl Streep is the most nominated actress in the history of the Oscars. In fact, twenty-one nominations obtained by the interpreter. An absolute record that is unlikely to be undermined. Suffice it to say that, in second place in this particular ranking, Katherine Hepburn and Jack Nicholson rank equally with twelve nominations each. In fact, it seems that Streep plays some sort of individual championship.

If the nominations do not find it hard to reveal themselves even in recent years (the last one dates back to 2018 for the film The Post directed by Steven Spielberg), the most recent victory dates back to 2012 when the actress won the award for the best female performance thanks to the biopic The Iron Lady. Just during that thank you speech, Streep exclaimed:

«When my name was said, I thought I heard half of America say“ Oh no! Oh, why her? Again?!? ". Well, who cares. "

Also during the thanks, the actress says that she will no longer go on that stage. But I would never say never; given the numbers and her skill, other surprises could come true.

Joe Pesci and the shortest speech ever

«It's my privilege, thank you». These are the only words of thanks spoken by Joe Pesci, on stage during the night of the 1991 Oscars. The Italian-American actor has just won the award for best supporting actor thanks to his role in Goodfellas, by Martin Scorsese. Joe Pesci got the better of colleagues of the caliber of Andy Garcia and Al Pacino, so we can only imagine the irrepressible enthusiasm due to the news.

Yet on that stage the actor just utters those quick words. We do not know if his is a gesture of protest, or an act due to excessive emotion. We only know that it is one of the shortest speeches ever and that, at least for once, the director of the ceremony did not have to intervene to kick the winner off the stage (since it often happens that the speeches are longer than the time allowed to arrangement of the winner).

Martin Scorsese and his three friends

The relationship between the Academy and Martin Scorsese is quite controversial. There is certainly no bad blood and, over time, there have been a few digs between the New York director and the Mecca of Hollywood. The interesting fact is that Martin Scorsese, to date, is the second director ever based on the number of nominations obtained. In fact, nine career nominations have been received, the latest dating back to last year thanks to the direction of The Irishman (film available in the Netflix online catalog).

In 2007, at his eighth nomination, Scorsese finally made his wins the Oscar for directing The Departed. It is a historic moment but, to make that moment even more unique, it is the three directors who opened the envelope and awarded the prize. In fact, we are dealing with an exceptional trio made up of Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Three historical friends who, together with their fourth partner, Scorsese, contributed more than ever to relaunch the US film industry in the seventies: four friends even more than four colleagues as well as pillars of the history of cinema.

The boycott of Marlon Brando

It is 1973. During the night of the Oscars it is the turn of the award for best leading actor. In nominations there are Michael Cane, Peter O’Toole, Laurence Olivier, Paul Winfield and Marlon Brando who won the second statuette in his career thanks to his interpretation of him in The Godfather, by Francis Ford Coppola. The applause of the audience is as thunderous as the surprise of seeing not the actor but Sacheen Littlefeather, a representative of the American Indians on stage.

«Marlon Brando has asked me to tell you that he cannot accept this award for a very simple reason: the way in which American Indians are treated today by the film and television industry ".

These are the words spoken by Littlefeather that infuriate some present, so much so that the The woman's speech is crowned with howls and whistles. Obviously, it will be the last Oscar won by Brando. But what is even more curious is knowing where the statuette that he should have received ended up. In fact, the prize remains in the hands of Roger Moore (007 actor who should have delivered the trophy) as Littlefeather refuses to accept it from his hands.

The walk in the armchairs of Roberto Benigni

The moment, for Italian cinema, is truly unforgettable: Sofia Loren screams at the top of her voice the name of Roberto Benigni to award him the Oscar for best foreign film won thanks to Life is Beautiful (title available in the Disney + catalog). The Italian actor, incredulous and full of joy, begins to yell as usual and literally climbs into the seats of the audience walking on the backrests. He will stop only in front of the seat occupied by Steven Spielberg who, laughing, supports him so as not to drop him.

The genuine and passionate speech of the Italian director is one of the craziest ever seen on the stage of the Oscar. Dante is mentioned (in unsuspected times and long before the disclosure that Benigni will then stage all over the world) and above all Benigni thanks his parents for having granted him the most precious gift of all: poverty. That evening, La vita è bella also won the award for best soundtrack and, above all, the unexpected award for best actor (Benigni again), thus becoming the most awarded Italian film at the Oscars.

The sincerity of Julia Roberts

After two unsuccessful nominations, in 2001 Julia Roberts managed to win the Academy Award for Best Actress thanks to Steven Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich - Strong as the truth . The performer is really incredulous and she wants to enjoy every single moment on that stage. Thus, he begins by warning the conductor to get comfortable because he will probably exceed the 4 minutes allowed for thanks:

"Sir, he's doing a great job, he's really quick with that stick, because he doesn't sit down for a little'? Because I might never go up on this stage again. ”

Indeed, at least until today, Roberts has not been able to go on stage at the Academy anymore and yet her speech represents a unique case of genuine emotion and at the same time fun. «I love being on this stage! I love the world! I'm so happy! Thank you! ".

lei We just have to wait for the night of the Oscars on April 25th, hoping to be able to expand the list of unmissable speeches that made this ceremony unique.