The Oscars Thread

image of Oscar winner Octavia Spencer hugging Oscar winner Meryl Streep from behind; Streep is leaning into her and holding a glass of champagne
Octavia Spencer, left, and Meryl Streep at the Governors Ball following the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. [AP Photo]
MERYL!!! OMG I loved Octavia Spencer's dress so hard. Esperanza Spalding's performance of "What a Wonderful World" is one of my favorite Oscar performances ever. MERYL!!! The End.

Also: I loved Meryl's acceptance speech, which is probably one of the best Oscar acceptance speeches of all time:

[Meryl's name is announced, and as she walks to the stage, stopping to kiss Viola Davis, the voiceover says she won Best Supporting Actress for Kramer vs. Kramer and Best Actress for Sophie's Choice. She gets a standing ovation from the audience.]

Streep: Ohhhhhhh my god. Oh, come on! Ohhhhhhh ohhhh, all right. Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you. When they called my name, I had this feeling I could hear half of America going, "Oh no. [laughter] Come on: Why her? Again?" you know? But...whatever. [she gives a dismissive wave and laughs to more laughter and applause] First I want to thank Don [her husband, Don Gummer], because when you thank your husband at the end of the speech, they play him out with the music, and I want him to know that everything I value most in our lives [she gets choked up], you've given me. [In the audience, he gazes back at her and puts his hand over his heart.] And now secondly [applause], my other partner: Thirty-seven years ago, my first play in New York City, I met the great hairstylist and make-up artist Roy Helland, and we, uh, we worked together pretty continuously since the day we clapped eyes on each other. He, uh, his first film with me was Sophie's Choice, and all the way up to tonight when he [chokes up again], he won for his beautiful work in The Iron Lady, thirty years later. [applause] Every single movie in between! And, um [deep breath], I just want to thank Roy, but also I want to thank—because I really understand I'll never be up here again [she laughs; audience laughter]—um, I really want to thank all my colleagues, all my friends; I look out here and, you know, I see my life before my eyes—my old friends, my new friends—and, really, this is such a great honor, but the thing that counts the most with me is the friendships, and the love, and the sheer joy we have shared making movies together. My friends, thank you, all of you—departed and here [she touches her heart]—for this, you know, inexplicably wonderful career. Thank you so much. Thank you.
Love her.

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