Academy Awards Acceptance Speech Database

MERYL STREEP:
Oh my god. Oh, c'mon! Oh! Alright. Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you. I -- when they called my name I had this feeling I could hear half of America going, "Oh no! Oh, c'mon why? Her? Again?" You know? But, whatever. [Laughs]

First I'm going to thank Don, 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 you've given me. And now secondly, my other partner. Thirty-seven years ago, my first play in New York City, I met the great hairstylist and makeup artist Roy Helland. And we worked together pretty continuously since the day we clapped eyes on each other. His first film with me was "Sophie's Choice," and all the way up to tonight when he won for his beautiful work in "The Iron Lady" thirty years later. Every single movie in between. And I just want to thank Roy, but also I want to thank -- because I really understand I'll never be up here again. 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, for this, you know, inexplicably wonderful career. Thank you so much. Thank you.