SUSAN SARANDON:
Oh, my. Thank you, members of the Academy, for including me in the fine presence of these other great actors and for giving me this opportunity to thank people that are so dear to my heart for making this happen. First of all, Sister Helen Prejean, who is here tonight, for trusting us with your life and bringing your light and your love into all of our lives. Sam Cohn, my dear friend Elaine Goldsmith, Arlene Donovan, you should be so happy because this would not have happened without you. Big thanks to Martha Luttrell and Nancy Seltzer for their support.
To the crew who worked so hard and so well for so little to keep me safe and make me laugh and do their job, I thank you. The crew, the rest of the ensemble, especially Celia, Ray Barry, R. Lee Ermey, Roberta Maxwell, Lois Smith. All those mothers and fathers without whose strong performances the film would not have been as balanced and had as much dignity as it did, I thank you for that. Big thanks to Sean Penn for your intelligence and your courage and your humor, and your hair-do. It was a great dance. Thank you so much.
To my kids, Eva, Jack Henry, and Miles. Thanks for being such good sports, and who were in the movie and did a great job. And finally, to my partner in crime and in all things of the heart, the writer, the producer, the director, the spirit, Tim Robbins. You kept us on track, you fought so hard. Thank God for your stubbornness. Thank God for everything about you. We would not have anything without you. This is yours as much as mine. Thank God we live together. May all of us find in our hearts and in our homes and in our world a way to nonviolently end violence and heal. Thank you.
