The Oscars have seen hundreds of standout acceptance speeches throughout history, from emotional addresses of gratitude to fiery political declarations. Among them, Daniel Kaluuya’s speech is one of the most legendary in Academy Awards history, taking close to 70 sentences and grabbing the attention of people all over the world.
When Kaluuya received Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Judas and the Black Messiah at the 93rd Academy Awards, he stepped onto the stage with an electric combination of gratitude, humor, and pure excitement. Not only was his speech lengthy, but it was also full of emotion, sincerity, and even a surprise joke about his parents, leaving the audience in stitches. His authentic enthusiasm and ardent words made it one of the evening’s most discussed moments. Through the years, other iconic Oscar speeches have made their mark.
Halle Berry’s tearful 2002 victory, as the first Black woman to receive the Best Actress award, was full of tears and strong words about breaking down barriers. Leonardo DiCaprio’s much-awaited 2016 speech brought to the forefront the importance of climate change, while Matthew McConaughey’s philosophical 2014 acceptance for Dallas Buyers Club brought the world his iconic “Alright, alright, alright” moment.
As the Academy Awards go on celebrating excellence in films, acceptance speeches such as Kaluuya’s show that an excellent acceptance speech can become as legendary as the award.
