BLOG: Best Quotes From The 86th Annual Academy Awards
— Jenn McBride
Managing Editor, CBSLA.com
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Historical drama 12 Years A Slave claimed three coveted awards, including Best Picture, at the 2014 Oscars, but the force of Gravity also proved to be unstoppable as the sci-fi thriller won seven of the 10 Academy Awards for which is was nominated.
Performance honors went to Matthew McCounaughy and Jared Leto for their emotional roles in Dallas Buyers Club, as well as Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine and Lupita Nyong'o for her portrayal of Patsy in 12 Years A Slave.
The following are some of the most memorable quotes from the night's big winners:
Actor/Producer Brad Pitt, winner Best Picture for 12 Years A Slave, on his less-than-glamourous start to the day:
"I had to clean up dog poop today... in my bedroom."
Cate Blanchett, winner Best Actress for her role as Jasmine in Blue Jasmine, on her celebratory plans:
"Well, I called the children. My youngest has stopped vomiting, so that's good. I say I called, but that's a bit predictable. Probably getting into my pajamas, but I'm hopefully going dancing. But remember, it's easy to dance in your pajamas. So yes, I'll say that."
Lupita Nyong'o, winner Best Supporting Actress for her role as Patsey in 12 Years A Slave, on what the award means for her home country of Kenya:
"I know I mean a lot to my countrymen, and I am so grateful for that kind of support from the entire world actually; that the entire world did not have a say in whether I got this or not, but the fact that I won in so many people's hearts, that is incredible, and I am so grateful for that."
Matthew McConaughey, who won Best Actor for his portrayal of Ron Woodruff in Dallas Buyers Club, said he needs three things every day: something to look up to, something to look forward to, and someone to chase.
"Now, first off, I want to thank God 'cause that's who I look up to. He has graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or any other human hand. He has shown me that it's a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates... To you, Dad, you taught me what it means to be a man. To my mother who's here tonight, who taught me and my two older brothers — demanded that we respect ourselves. And what we, in turn, learned was that we were then better able to respect others. Thank you for that, Mama. To my wife, Camila, and my kids — Levi, Vida — and Mr. Stone, the courage and significance you give me every day I go out the door is unparalleled. You are the four people in my life that I want to make the most proud of me. Thank you."
Jared Leto, winner Best Supporting Actor for his performance as transgender drug addict Rayon, who loses her battle with AIDS, in Dallas Buyers Club:
"This for the 36 million people who have lost the battle to AIDS and to those of you out there who have ever felt injustice because of who you are or who you love, tonight I stand here in front of the world with you and for you. Thank you so much and goodnight."
Leto also thanked his mother, who sat beside him in the front row:
"In 1971, in Bossier City, Louisiana, there was a teenage girl who was pregnant with her second child. She was a high school dropout and a single mom, but somehow she managed to make a better life for herself and her children. She encouraged her kids to be creative, to work hard and to do something special. That girl is my mother and she's here tonight. And I just want to say, I love you, Mom. Thank you for teaching me to dream."
Backstage, he also was kind enough to let journalists hold his Oscar:
"Does anybody want to try it out for size? You can. If anybody wants to fondle. Here, pass it around, but if you have swine flu, please don't touch. I think this is the first, the first person to ever give their Oscar away for an orgy in the press room."
Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews, winners Makeup and Hairstyling for Dallas Buyers Club, on working with a limited budget for McConaughey and Leto:
"Matthew and Jared came to the film so committed and beautiful, and we saw their work and what. Of course, they lost the weight, and everybody understands that they lost almost 50 pounds. But the committed work they were doing, the acting was insane. And we also; this is a labor of love. We have to do this because they're bringing their A‑game, and we have to do it for them and for Jean‑Marc, our director; we all as the crew members needed to bring it for them. And so we said, '250 bucks, 75 bucks, we'll do it.'"
Alfonso Cuarón, winner Directing for Gravity, on balancing the humanity of the film's characters with its extremely technical nature:
"The amazing thing actually is not so much the visual effects aspect, but the surprising thing was Sandra [Bullock]. That under the conditions that she was performing, the relationship actor/director was as if we were doing just a scene at the dinner table... It's like she had to absorb absolutely everything. Her power of abstraction was fantastic. And no, not because I did a good job, it's because Sandra is amazing."
Chris Buck, winner Animated Feature Film for Frozen, along with Jennifer Lee and Peter Del Vecho:
"We'd like to dedicate this to our guardian angel, that's my son, Ryder Buck. Thank you, Ryder."
Buck's son, Ryder, who had battled cancer, was killed in an accident on a Southland freeway in October 2013.
Spike Jonze, winner Best Original Screenplay for Her, on what inspired the film:
"Well, I had the idea this sort of, the concept for, of a relationship with an artificial intelligent entity, but then I also had an idea just to write about relationships, and it was sort of the merging of those two things together. And ultimately, I think I was more inspired to write about relationships, and intimacy, and the challenges of intimacy."
Catherine Martin, winner Costume Design for The Great Gatsby, on collaborating with her husband, legendary director Baz Luhrmann:
"I think that the language of clothes and the language of environment work hand‑in‑hand as story‑telling tools in what is a visual medium, filmmaking, and it's certainly something that Baz considers down to the very last detail. One has to remember that actors are saying about 30 percent of a film are usually close‑ups; in my husband's movies, sometimes more. So what you're looking at are clothes and they become an indicator of who the person is, what they're doing, how they're feeling and where they are, and I think you can't — you know, I think the most successful, obviously, visual interpretations of ones that are collaborative, so I think it's quite good to be the same person. Even though it can be schizophrenic at times, you're arguing with yourself."
Steven Price, winner Original Score for Gravity, on apologizing to his parents during his acceptance speech for making so much noise when he was growing up:
"My house was basically full of music. My main memories of growing up are the record player in the living room at home and we basically just — my mom claims I learned to speak from listening to records, and that was kind of it. So it was all the Beatles and Stones and that sort of stuff and we used to dance around the living room. o that kind of started me up on playing lots of instruments and that sort of thing. And I've kind of done nothing else ever since…"
