The oscars are almost upon us which means an evening – or morning for us Brits- of wonderful gowns, a glitzy ceremony, endless red carpet interviews, painted smiles and awful jokes.
One area of the Oscars which can often make or break not just the ceremony itself but also the recipients career is the tightrope that is the acceptance speech. Get it right, you’re an oscar winner who not only deserved it but also received it with the humility, humour and happiness worthy of someone lauded by their peers, get it wrong and you’re an arrogant egotistical show-off who probably didn’t deserve the award anyway. Here’s a quick list of do’s and don’ts for those lucky enough to earn the revered statuette.
Do: Be self-deprecating. The academy and the public at large, loving nothing more than seeing someone they know is truly great at their profession having the good nature to pretend they’re not. Rather than shouting about how the academy got it bang on by giving it to you, a little quip about whether there’s been a mix up or if they spelt a fellow nominees name wrong on the winners envelope can make you look truly magnificent.
Examples: Colin Firth: “I have a feeling my career’s just peaked.” Sandra Bullock: “Did I just wear you all down?”
Don’t: Tell everyone how awesome you are. You’ve won the oscar, you’re the best at your chosen profession that year, you’re being applauded and praised by all, now’s not the time to remind everyone of your greatness. Some academy award winners get so caught up in the moment they actually believe they’re the second coming of christ and we should somehow worship at the altar that is their ego.
Following James Cameron’s god awful acceptance speech- you know the one I’m on about. Quentin Tarantino made this joke on the Howard Stern show. “Man goes to heaven and sees another man in a directors chair shouting orders at a film crew. Wow! Says the man to St Peter, James Cameron’s in heaven? No, says St Peter, that’s God, he just thinks he’s James Cameron.”
Examples: James Cameron: “I’m king of the world!” Sally Field: “I can’t deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me!”
Do: Thank the right people: Not even the most gifted filmmaker, actor, cameraman, writer, could win an oscar without the help of some pretty talented people around them, then there’s the friends and family who’ve supported you throughout. The trick is not to go overboard, we don’t want to hear you thanking the key grip or the best boy.
Example: Kim Basinger: “I just want to thank everybody I’ve ever met in my entire life.”
Don’t: Forget the people that matter. It’s al very well thanking the key grip and the best boy, or the one that held your latte while you were having your make-up done, but try not to forget the person that actually gave birth to you, or the wife sat in the front row smiling adoringly at you as you bang on about how great the director is.
Christian Bale seemed to stumble when it came to thanking his wife, looking at one moment like he actually forgot her name.
