I can’t be the only one who has award acceptance speeches pretty much read to go! This one will not be the last…!
My Oscar Acceptance Speech for Best Original Screenplay
Oh my goddess! Oh my..I can’t breathe. Where’s the bathroom? I’m gonna…no don’t say that out loud Vanessa. Oh my Tom Cruise! Please, please can I talk to you after this? Like at some point? Oh! Look at you all…This is extraordinary…Oh goddess…Vanessa, calm down. I…okay. Thank you! Thank you for this honour, for this recognition and…Tom Cruise!…hell…Thank you all for…Wait…focus. Gah! I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember…and watching movies too. From those very awkward nights sitting on the green sofa beside my mother watching ‘Tequila Sunrise’ on the TV we had to turn the knob to change the channel…to watching The Exorcist with Zia Rita at 2 in the morning…I have learned and cultivated my emotional…abilities…and storytelling…uh…my storytelling…what is the word?! Joy, passion, dedication…from witnessing the movies on a level that’s as deep…cell deep…and then I got to be part of making films…oh, with my…making films with my true love Nick…babe! I love you!…and our son Jett…director of this little film that could…and our daughter, bless her heart for sharing her…time and sass…and I mean, telling stories is how we…it’s how we…(crying)…it’s how we show our love, right? It’s how we take all this (hands over body) and all this (hand on heart) and we lift it up and out and it touches everyone involved…all the crew members…the families of everyone on set, of all the actors and producers…and this mighty, glorious love expansion extends and extends and then into homes and theatres (please, yes theatres!) and into the bodies of those watching…this…this magic that we share, that we emotion in…is outrageous and gargantuan…and, I think…no I know that when love is the intention – no matter the story because…even the stories that are hard to watch or that scare us or that enrage or shrink us…all…oh no – wrap up – shit..shoot…! I want to say that it’s all for love…that this body, these stories, these awards, these gatherings…the servers, the cleaners, the sound people, the orchestra…everyone here is here for love…and I hope, I believe, we’re here as part of this global love gathering…and thank you to everyone who loved their guts out as we made this film…as we told this story and shared this story…and the music is starting! Tom, please remember to meet with me; what after party are you going to?! Meryl and Julia, also, please, can we, like, dance together or something? Thank you! Please, make love and kindness, the giving of it, please let that be our hopeful, magical intention always…tell your stories, do it with love, share the joy and say…thank you! Oh..ask for help too! Okay, okay, I’m going! Thank you! My true love Nick…I love you, Jett, Miller…I love you! Thank you!
Have you watched any Oscar-nominated films? Will you watch the show? Did you see the Golden Globes? It’s award-season in Hollywood…a sweet treat for our family of film-enthusiasts! Last night we watched Sentimental Value. Oof. Fantastic! ‘Tis a great weekend to stay home and watch movies! What are you watching?
VANESSA SHIELDS 