Alerts & Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

In Their Own Words: The Complete 2011 Oscar Acceptance Speeches

By Indiewire

Indiewire

Related Stories

The Academy and ABC Set the 2025 Oscars Date

Lily Gladstone at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images)

Best Actress Continues to Taint the Oscars Diversity Record

Gareth Unwin: Just a massive thank you to the UK Film Council, for supporting this film and David Seidler for trusting us with his heartfelt story. Rosie, I love you. Simon, thank you for supporting me over the years, but thank you Academy, this is a boyhood ambition come true tonight.

Tom Hooper (“The King’s Speech”), Achievement in Directing

Wow, thank you to all the members of the Academy. This is an extraordinary honor. I’d like to congratulate my fellow nominees, Darren, David, David, Joel, and Ethan. Your work this year has been extraordinary. I’m honored to be nominated alongside you. Thank you to my wonderful actors. The triangle of man love which is Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and me. I’m only here because of you guys and Helena, I hope that reference doesn’t make you too jealous. Thank you to all my cast, to my wonderful crew, to my producers, Iain, Gareth, and Emile, to David Seidler, whose extraordinary journey from childhood stammerer to the stage of the Kodak I find so profoundly moving.
Most of all, thank you to my parents, my mum and dad, who are in the audience tonight. And I know there’s been a lot of thanking of mums, but this is slightly different because my mum in 2007 was invited by some Australian friends, she’s Australian in London, to a fringe theater play reading of an unproduced, unrehearsed play called “The King’s Speech.” Now she’s never been invited to a play reading in her entire life before, she almost didn’t go because it didn’t sound exactly promising, but thank God she did because she came home, rang me up and said, “Tom, I think I found your next film.” So with this tonight, I honor you, and the moral of the story is listen to your mother.

Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”) Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.

Thank you so much to the Academy this is insane and I truly sincerely wish that the prize tonight was to get to work with my fellow nominees. I’m so in awe of you. I’m so grateful to get to do the job that I do. I love it so much. I want to thank my parents, who are right there, first and foremost for giving me my life and for giving me the opportunity to work from such an early age and showing me everyday how to be a good human being by example.
And I want to thank my team who works with me every day. Aleen Keshishian, my manager, for 18 years and my agents Kevin Huvane and everyone at CAA. Bryna and Tamar at ID, my friends who are everything to me no matter what’s going on in my career. And everyone who has ever hired me, Luc Besson, who gave me first job when I was 11 years old. Mike Nichols, who has been my hero and my champion for the past decade and now Darren Aronofsky, you are a fearless leader, a visionary. I am blessed to have just gotten to get to work with you every day for the period of time we did.

So many people helped me prepare for this role. Mary Helen Bowers spent a year with me, training me, Michelle Rodriguez and Kurt Froman and Olga Kostritzky, Marina Stavitskaya, and my beautiful love Benjamin Millepied, who choreographed the film and has now given me my most important role of my life. And also there are people on films who no one ever talks about that are your heart and soul every day. Margie and Geordie who did my hair and makeup, Nicci, who dressed me, and Kate and Laura Mulleavy, who designed the beautiful ballet costumes, Joe Reidy, our incredible AD, first AD, and our camera operators J.C. and Steve who gave me so much soul behind the camera everyday you gave me all of your energy. Most importantly, my family, my friends, and my love. Thank you so much.

Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”) Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

I have a feeling my career has just peaked. My deepest thanks to the Academy. I’m afraid I have to warn you that I’m experiencing stirrings. Somewhere in the upper abdominals which are threatening to form themselves into dance moves. Joyous as they may be for me, it would be extremely problematic if they make it to my legs before I get off stage.
So I’m going to do my best to be brief with my gratitude first for being on this extraordinary list of fellow nominees. Something quite formidable and possibly the greatest honor of this. All the crew and my fellow cast members, those who are not here, and those who are, Geoffrey, Helena, and Guy, whose virtuosity made it very very difficult for me to be as bad as I was planning to be. And David Seidler whose own struggles have given so many people the benefit of his very beautiful voice and Tom Hooper for the immense courage and clear sightedness with which he interpreted that. The men who finessed this to the screen, Gareth, Emile, Iain, Xavier, and of course, Harvey, who first took me on 20 years ago when I was a mere child sensation.

And all the people who have been rooting for me back home. Also Jessica Kolstad, my friend, Paul Lyon-Maris, and Chris Andrews for bearing with me through some of the less fortunate moments as well as the good ones and my very fortunate friendship with Tom Ford who to whom I owe a very big piece of this. And to the Anglo-Italian-American-Canadian axis, which makes up my family and Livia for putting up with my fleeting delusions of royalty and who I hold responsible for this and for really everything that’s good that’s happened since I met her. Now if you’ll all excuse me, I have some impulses I have to tend to backstage. Thank you very much.

Melissa Leo (“The Fighter”), Performance Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Oh my, oh my God. Oh wow really, really, really, really, really, truly wow. I know there’s a lot of people that said a lotta real real nice things to me for several months now, but I’m just shaking in my boots here. Ok, alright. Thank you David O. Russell. I want to thank the actors, Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, he might run out for a second, Amy, my sweet sister Adams, Jack, our lovely daughters. OK. Yeah, I am kind of speechless. Golly sakes, there’s people up there too. When I watched Kate two years ago, it looked so [EXPLETIVE DELETED]. Alice Ward, your beautiful family that opened your hearts. I saw Mick here earlier. Dick, a shout out for Nana? Alright Dick’s not in the room.
Thank you so much, opening your hearts to all of us to make this film. I thanked David, I’ll thank him again. My family, my beautiful son who is traveling right now in South America and can’t join me. It’s ok, I’m ok Jack. My Mom and my Dad and my brother and my friends and my family. I want to thank the very most of all, the Academy of Motion Picture Sciences, the Board of Governors, and all their members, whom many of you are here today. This has been a extraordinary journey in getting to know what the Academy is about and first and foremost, thank you Academy, because it’s about selling motion pictures and respecting the work! Thank you so much.

Christian Bale (“The Fighter”), Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Bloody hell. Wow, what a room full of talented and inspirational people and what the hell am I doing here in the midst of you? It’s such an honor. David O. Russell, what a great spirit, you know, on the set. Just fantastic, and thank you so much mate for making the work that all of us actors did actually mean something. You know, I mean that’s the director’s job of translating it to the audience and making it mean something. Thank you for that. Thank you to Pamela Martin, likewise, as our editor. The just incredible work of every actor. Melissa, I’m not going to drop the f-bomb like she did, I’ve done that plenty before.

Amy, Jack, Mark, man, you know the guy who just got this whole thing going right from the get go. Everybody in Lowell, all the actors from there. Dicky and Micky, where my quacker? Is he up there? Dicky’s out there somewhere mate, eh mate? You’re the best. You’re the best. I can’t wait, and listen. He’s had a wonderful story and I can’t wait to see the next chapter of his story, you know? If you wanna, if you wanna be a champ, if you wanna get trained with him go meet with him. Dickeklund.com, go do it. Check him out, ok. Alright, he deserves it. Our producers, Mark, David, Todd, incredible. Relativity, and Paramount for just pushing this out there and letting people know it exists. So many movies are just brilliant but nobody ever knows about them, you know. So we’re so lucky to be here tonight and have people recognize that. My team, led by Patrick and Boomer and Carlos and Jen and Anna and Julie, thank you so much for everything that you do.

Christian Bale accepting the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Photo credit: Michael Yada / ©A.M.P.A.S.

And of course mostly, my wonderful wife, I didn’t think I was like this. My wonderful wife who’s my mast through the storms of life, I hope I’m likewise to you darling and our little girl who’s taught me so much more than I’ll ever be able to teach her. Thank you, thank you so much.

Sussane Bier (“In a Better World”), Best Foreign Language Film

This is a real Oscar? Thank you so much, the Academy, what an honor. I am so truly honored and grateful and happy, thank you very much. I really need to congratulate my fellow
nominees whose movies were amazing. And I really want to thank Tom Bernard and Michael Barker at Sony Classics for believing so strongly “In a Better World.” All my, all my creative partners whether they are in this room or in Denmark or Sweden, this one belongs to all of you as much as it belongs to me. Thank you very much.

Lee Unkrich (“Toy Story 3”), Best Animated Feature Film

Oh boy. I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but thank you to the Academy. I wouldn’t be standing here if it weren’t for the vision of three incredible guys. John Lasseter, Ed Catmull, and Steve Jobs, the founders of Pixar Animation Studios, which by the way, is the most awesome place on the planet to make movies. To my producer, Darla Anderson, screenwriter
Michael Arndt, my cast and crew, everyone at Disney and Pixar, every single person who had absolutely anything to do with making Toy Story 3 and getting it out into the world, I share this with you. To my grandmother, who always insisted that she’d see me up here someday. To my parents, my wife, Laura, my kids, Hannah, Alice, and Max, I love you all so much. And finally, thank you to audiences all over the world who came out in historic numbers and embraced a movie about talking toys that hopefully had something very human to say. Thank you. Thank you! Thank you!

Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs (“Inside Job”) Best Documentary Feature

Charles Ferguson: Forgive me, I must start by pointing out that three years after a horrific financial crisis caused by massive fraud, not a single financial executive has gone to jail and that’s wrong. Thank you, but this is, this is also, this is about the movies, in fact, and that’s what this is. So, thank you all for this profound honor. You’ve made us very, very happy. Thank you all. Let the record show, I’m not wearing jeans.

Audrey Marrs: Having only made two films, I still feel that Charles and I are newcomers to this community, but from the beginning we’ve been made to feel incredibly welcome and supported for which I’m immensely grateful. Thank you so much to the Academy and to Sony Classics, Michael and Tom, and much love and gratitude to my family. Thank you so much.

Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter (“The Social Network”), Achievement in Film Editing

Angus Wall: We want to thank everybody that Aaron thanked, first and foremost and a special thank you to David, who, it’s indescribable working with you and thank you for starting my career 20 odd years ago. Also, a big thank you to our wives, who allow us to have incredibly passionate love affairs with our families and our work.

Kirk Baxter: To my daughter, Bronte, find something you truly love doing and great things can happen. The hard part is, you got to meet someone like Fincher. Cheers.

Angus Wall: And thanks very much to the Academy.

Wally Pfister (“Inception”), Achievement in Cinematography

Good God, what have you done? Thank you so much, this is a phenomenal honor for me. Thank you to the Academy for this great honor and for the respect you have shown for all cinematographers. I got to take a breath here for a minute. Breathe it in for a second. Where’s that thing that shows you how much time, there it goes. None of what I did would have been possible without the incredible vision of my master Christopher Nolan. His work…you’re taking up my time. His work has inspired me for 12 years and continues to, he’s a brilliant filmmaker as we all know. Much thanks to Emma Nolan, to Warner Brothers, to my fantastic union crew, and my family, Anna, Nick, Claire, and Mia and to my Mom and Dad. Thanks so much!

David Seidler (“The King’s Speech”), Original Screenplay

The writer’s speech, this is terrifying. My father always said to me, I would be a late bloomer. I believe I am the oldest person to win this particular award. I hope that record is broken quickly and often. I’d like to thank my daughter, Maya, my son, Mark, for having faith in their dad as I have faith in you. And I would like to thank my producers, my director, my cast, there’s so many people and they are saying “wrap up now.” I’m sorry. I would like to thank her Majesty, the Queen, for not putting me in the Tower of London for using the Melissa Leo “f” word. And I accept this on behalf of all the stutterers throughout the world. We have a voice, we have been heard, thanks to you the Academy.

Aaron Sorkin (“The Social Network”), Adapted Screenplay

Aaron Sorkin accepting the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Photo credit: Michael Yada / ©A.M.P.A.S

Thank you. It’s impossible to describe what it feels like to be handed the same award that was given to Paddy Chayefsky 35 years ago for another movie with “network” in the title. His was an original screenplay, this is an adaptation of a book by Ben Mezrich, so I’m accepting this on his behalf as well. There are a lot of people who’ve worked hard in my corner for a long time, it seems like the right moment to thank them. My assistant Lauren Lohman, my researcher, Ian Reichbach, my long suffering press rep, Joy Fehily, and all the women of Prime, Rich Heller, Bill Tanner, Andy Forshay, my agents Ari Emanuel and Jason Spitz who never blow my cover and reveal that I would happily do this for free and my Mom and Dad, who made a life for me where I get to be a part of nights like this.

I wrote this movie, but David Fincher made this movie and he did it with an ungodly artfulness. Someone this talented has no business being the nicest guy in the world, but he is and he made the movie of any screenwriter’s dreams he had help from Amy Pascal, Michael Lynton, and everyone at Sony whose only mandate was to make it good. From Dana Brunetti, Ceán Chaffin, Mike De Luca, and America’s best living film producer, Scott Rudin and from Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer, Armie Hammer again, Rashida Jones, Rooney Mara, and a cast and crew that followed their leaders example that good enough was never good enough. This movie is going to be a source of pride for me every day for the rest of my life that is an un-repayable gift all I can say is thank you. Roxy Sorkin, your father just won the Academy Award, I’m going to have to insist on some respect from your guinea pig. Thank you very much.

Randy Newman (“We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3”), Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)

I’m very grateful for this and surprised. My percentages aren’t great. I’ve been nominated 20 times and this is the 2nd time I won. At the Academy, at the lunch they have for the nominees, where they have like a Randy Newman chicken by this time, the, Mr. Mischer said that it’s not really good television to take a list out of your pocket and thank a lot of people. It’s not my style anyway, but it is in this case. I mean to have worked for Pixar doing the six pictures I’ve done, this one Lee Unkrich and worked with Mitchell Froom, Chris Montan at Disney.

I just have to thank these people. I don’t want to, I want to be good television so badly, as you can see. I’ve been on this show any number of times and I’ve slowed it down almost every time. No wonder they only nominate 4 songs, what about cinematography. So there’s 5. They could find a fifth song from someone. But hell with it. Think it might have beat me. Anyway, I thank you all very much for this. The Academy has been enormously kind to me as has the Music Branch and I love you all. Thank you very much.

Luke Matheny (“God of Love”), Best Live Action Short Film

I should have gotten a haircut. Hey everybody. Thanks to the Academy for this amazing honor. I need to salute my fellow nominees Tanel, Michael, Ian, and Ivan. I invite the world to check out these films that you can find them on iTunes. I think that you’re going to love them. Also, thanks to everyone at NYU’s graduate film program. First among them, Bobby Webster, my cinematographer, Gigi Dement, Stefanie Walmsley, Ryan Silbert, Steve Dibianco, my actors Marian Brock, Chris Hirsh, Emily Young, also Levi Abrino, Rob Meyer, Casey Smith, Nick Ordway, the rest of the crew, which I’ll thank on like the thank you cam or something they do after that, everyone at Paradigm, Ouat Media, and finally my mother, who did craft services for the film, my dad, the great state of Delaware, and last, but not least, my brilliant composer, and the love of my life, Sasha Gordon. You’re my dream come true.

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (“The Social Network”), Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)

Trent Reznor: Wow, is this really happening? When we finished work on “The Social Network,” we were very proud of our work and happy just to be involved in this film. And to be standing up here in this company is humbling and flattering beyond words. I’d like to especially thank the Academy for recognizing our work here and David Fincher. David Fincher, thank you so much for the opportunity. Also like to thank my wonderful wife, Mariqueen, I love you so much.

Atticus Ross: Time’s nearly out, so I’m going to improvise a little. David, everyone who brought the film to life, thank you so much. Trent, I think you’re a genius, a great friend, and a genius. My wonderful wife, Claudia, and our three children. I love you. Thank you.

Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon (“Strangers No More”), Best Documentary Short Subject

Karen Goodman: Wow, what a great year for docs. Thank you most of all to the exceptional immigrant and refugee children from 48 countries at Tel Aviv’s remarkable Bialik-Rogozin School. You’ve shown us that through education, understanding, and tolerance, peace really is possible.

Kirk Simon: Love and gratitude to our visionary executive producer Lin Arison, HBO’s finest, Sheila Nevins, our co-producer and editor Nancy Baker, cinematographer, Buddy Squires, the courageous principal, Karen Tal, the children who opened their hearts to us and the precious Oliver and Allegra Simon.

Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann (“The Lost Thing”), Best Animated Short Film

Shaun Tan: Wow, this is quite surreal. Our film is about a creature that nobody pays any attention to, so this is wonderfully ironic. The award really goes to our producer, Sophie Byrne, the true champion of this project for the past 10 years. Alongside Andrew and our splendid animation team of Leo Baker and Tom Bryant. The Oscar also goes to John Kassab, Mike Yezerski, Adrian Medhurst, Tim Minchin, Screen Australia, and everybody whose supported us with such generosity and patience. Many thanks to our families and friends, to my wife Anari, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], and to Perth and Melbourne this one is to you too.

Andrew Ruhemann: Thank you, a very quick one, just say I love my wife, Jennifer Nadel, who is out there and my business partner and great friend, Jonathan Battsek, and everybody at Passion Pictures. And this is dedicated to all lost things everywhere. Thank you.

Robert Stromberg and Karen O’Hara (“Alice in Wonderland”) Achievement in Art Direction

Robert Stromberg: Why didn’t I lose that 20 lbs? First of all, the other nominees, Guy, all you guys deserve to be up here. Everyone at Disney from Iger and Ross and Bailey, Bruce Hendricks, Art Repola, the great Joe Roth. The Art Department led by Stefan Dechant, Crissy Wilson, and Todd Cherniawsky. This great set decorator. I’m standing here because of three people, Ken Ralston, the great Richard Zanuck, and the wacky world of Tim Burton. There he is! (Robert Stromberg)

Karen O’ Hara: Tim, this is yours. Thank you.

Robert Stromberg: Meet me with a saw because half of this is yours. There’s one last bit of art direction for a Tim Burton Film. There it is. Thank You Academy and to my wife and kids and I dedicate this to my Dad.

Colleen Atwood (“Alice in Wonderland”) Achievement in Costume Design

Thank you to the Academy and especially to my fellow nominees who are just so much fun to sit with tonight and who have been so supportive, it’s great to be part of such a great group of people. The story, “Alice in Wonderland,” was described by its publisher in 1865 as a story valued for its rare imagination, priceless humor, and power to transport the reader into a world of pure fantasy, a gift to us all. The heart of any movie lies with the director and I’ve been incredibly lucky on this and many films to work with the singular Tim Burton.
Tim’s imagination along with the amazing cast Johnny’s incandescent Hatter, Mia’s Alice for all girls, all times, Helena’s the fearless big headed Queen, and our crystalline snowflake princess, Anne Hathaway, made my job a delight. We had the support of a production team headed by Richard Zanuck and Katterli Frauenfelder. Supported by Joe Roth, Suzanne and Jen Todd, and Disney, but I couldn’t have done it without my team Christine Cantella and my entire group. Thank you all very much.

Rick Baker and Dave Elsey (“The Wolfman”), Achievement in Makeup

Rick Baker: Oh man, I’m smiling so big, my face hurts. I just want to thank my beautiful wife, Silvia, for knowing me so well and for being so right. I’m so glad I listened to you honey. Go Dave.

Dave Elsey: Crikey. Thank you to Benicio Del Toro, to Anthony Hopkins, also to Universal Studios for their legacy of horror monsters that we love so much. Thank you to our entire crew and thank you to my beautiful wife, Lou. I love you. It was always my ambition to lose an Oscar one day to Rick Baker, this is better. Thank you.

Richard King (“Inception”), Achievement in Sound Editing

I owe this 1000 percent to Chris Nolan. As artists and crafts people it’s all about the opportunities we get and I just want to thank you Chris, wherever you are for making great movies and inviting me along for the ride. I want to thank Lee Smith, Emma Thomas, my sound editing crew, who I share this award with, Lora, Gary, and Ed, who were just here, and all my love to my wife, Sue, and my son, Sam. Thank you.

Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo and Ed Novick (“Inception”), Achievement in Sound Editing

Gary Rizzo: Oh my gosh, this is, this is unbelievable. Thank you, thank you to all the Academy voters. Thank you to our family and our wonderful wives, Susan, Laura and Jennifer. We need to thank everybody at Warner Bros Post-Production and we need to thank all the hard working boom operators and utility sound people that worked on the production crew. Union, of course. We need to, you know we really, we share this award with Lee Smith with Richard King with Michael Babcock, with Alex Gibson, Alan Meyerson, Hans Zimmer, and of course, the mighty Christopher Nolan. Chris is the architect with the soundtrack in every way. He is the creative force behind every decision that we made and so this is as much of a win for him as it is for us. So congratulation Chris, and thank you very much.

Daily Headlines

Daily Headlines covering Film, TV and more.