Most Oscar speeches disappear within a day. A list of thank-yous, a rushed joke, and the music starts. A small handful stick around for decades, repeated at parties, in memes and in film classes.
What makes them last isn’t polish. It’s usually a surprise, a raw emotion or a statement that reached well past the ceremony. Here are seven that people keep coming back to.
Sally Field, 1985
Sally Field won her second Best Actress Oscar for Places in the Heart at the 57th ceremony. Her first came for Norma Rae in 1980, so the moment carried the feeling of a long climb. She spoke openly about wanting to be taken seriously after years of being known for lighter television work.
One sentence about being liked became a pop culture shorthand almost overnight. It has been repeated, parodied and misquoted for four decades. Field has since acknowledged how often people twist the wording, yet the sentiment behind it still resonates with anyone who has craved approval.
Marlon Brando, 1973
Marlon Brando won Best Actor for The Godfather at the 45th ceremony but didn’t attend. He sent Sacheen Littlefeather, who appeared on stage in his place and declined the award. She cited the treatment of Native Americans by the film industry and on television.
The moment was met with a mix of applause and boos, and it shaped how people saw Oscar protest for years. In 2022, the Academy issued a formal apology to Littlefeather for how she was treated. She died later that same year, and her speech is now often revisited as a pioneering moment.
Roberto Benigni, 1999
When Life Is Beautiful was announced for Best Foreign Language Film at the 71st ceremony, Roberto Benigni climbed over the seat backs in front of him. He later won Best Actor for the same film. Both wins made him the first male performer to win Best Actor for a role in a non English language film.
His acceptance was a joyful, tumbling flood of broken English and gratitude. He thanked his parents for the gift of poverty and spoke of wanting to share his happiness with everyone in the room. The sheer exuberance made it a favorite replay for years.
Halle Berry, 2002
Halle Berry became the first Black woman to win Best Actress when she took the Oscar for Monster’s Ball at the 74th ceremony. She was visibly overwhelmed, barely able to speak through tears. The moment was heightened because Denzel Washington won Best Actor the same night, a rare double for Black actors.
She dedicated the win to the women of color who came before her and to those who would follow. Her words framed the award as bigger than one performance. Decades on, conversations about Oscar representation still point back to this speech.
Frances McDormand, 2018
Frances McDormand won Best Actress for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri at the 90th ceremony. Her speech was short and direct. She asked every woman nominee in the room to stand, across all categories, and look around.
She then urged producers and financiers to meet with those nominees about projects. Her mention of an inclusion rider, a contract clause meant to promote diversity in hiring, sent the term into mainstream searches. It was an unusually practical request for an awards stage.
Joaquin Phoenix, 2020
Joaquin Phoenix won Best Actor for Joker at the 92nd ceremony. His speech was unscripted in feel, halting and philosophical. He spoke about injustice, about the way people are divided, and about the treatment of animals, including the dairy industry’s separation of calves from their mothers.
Some viewers found it moving, others found it meandering, though few forgot it. He also thanked fellow nominees and spoke of second chances. The speech is often pulled up as an example of an actor using a global platform to talk about causes beyond film.
Sean Baker, 2025
At the 97th ceremony in March 2025, Anora won five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing and Best Actress for Mikey Madison. Sean Baker personally took home four of those awards in one night. That tied the record set by Walt Disney for the most Oscars won by one person in a single evening.
In his speech, Baker made a pointed plea for the theatrical experience. He urged audiences to watch films in cinemas and encouraged filmmakers to keep making movies for the big screen. Coming at a time of ongoing debate over streaming and box office habits, the message got plenty of attention in the weeks that followed.
