While many an Oscar acceptance speech begins with ‘I never expected this’ and ‘I didn’t prepare a speech’ now actors, directors, producers and everyone involved in the film industry will have to give the prospect of winning a little thought ahead of the big day.
Tired of cutting off actors mid-speech, the producers of the Oscars have asked each nominee to submit a list of people they plan on thanking should they win in a bid to make winner’s speeches shorter.
The old school list of thank yous will now be replaced with a pre-prepared list of names, which will scroll beneath the screen, so that winners can use their allotted 45 second speeches for other purposes, like calling for equal pay ala Patricia Arquette or you know, thanking themselves, ten years from now.
So it looks like we won’t be seeing any more of this come February 28th….
Julia Roberts winning best actress for Erin Brokovich in 2001
Or this….
Cuba Gooding Jr winning best supporting actor for Jerry Maguire in 1997
And even this…
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova winning best original song for Falling Slowly from Once in 2008
But we may be seeing more exceptional speeches like these (take note nominees)….
Rallying speeches…
Patricia Arquette winning best supporting actress for Boyhood in 2015
Facing inequality…
Halle Berry winning best actress for Monster’s Ball in 2002
Inspiring dreams…
Lupita Nyong’o winning best supporting actress for 12 Years A Slave in 2012
Raising awareness…
Julianne Moore winning best actress for Still Alice in 2014
Showing serious emotion…
Gwyneth Paltrow winning best actress for Shakespeare in Love in 1999
Thanking, well, yourself…
Matthew McConaughey winning best actor for Dallas Buyers Club in 2014