Matthew McConaughey winning Best Actor | 86th Oscars (2014)

Oscars

11 Mar 201404:31

Summary

TLDRIn this Oscar acceptance speech, Matthew McConaughey expresses gratitude to the Academy, his fellow nominees, and his family. He highlights three guiding principles in his life: something to look up to, something to look forward to, and someone to chase. McConaughey credits God as his inspiration, his family as his motivation, and a personal hero—himself in ten years—as the person he is constantly striving to become. His speech is filled with heartfelt reflections and ends on his signature note: 'Alright, alright, alright.'

Takeaways

🏆 Matthew McConaughey wins the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in 'Dallas Buyers Club.'
🙌 He expresses gratitude to the Academy and acknowledges the impeccable performances of the other nominees.
🎬 McConaughey thanks his director, Jean-Marc Vallee, as well as co-stars Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner.
🙏 He emphasizes the importance of three things in his life: something to look up to, something to look forward to, and someone to chase.
🙏 McConaughey attributes his success to God, stating that gratitude reciprocates.
👪 He thanks his family, mentioning his father, who taught him what it means to be a man, and his mother, who taught him self-respect.
💖 He acknowledges his wife Camila and his children for their daily support and inspiration.
🚀 McConaughey reveals that his hero is always himself in ten years, symbolizing his ongoing personal growth and self-improvement.
🎯 He explains that chasing his future self keeps him motivated and striving for continuous progress.
🙏 He concludes with a positive message, encouraging others to pursue their goals and to keep moving forward.

Q & A

What event is this transcript from?
-The transcript is from the Oscars ceremony where Matthew McConaughey won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Which movie did Matthew McConaughey win the Oscar for?
-Matthew McConaughey won the Oscar for his performance in 'Dallas Buyers Club.'
Who were the other nominees in the category for Best Actor?
-The other nominees were Christian Bale for 'American Hustle,' Bruce Dern for 'Nebraska,' Leonardo DiCaprio for 'The Wolf of Wall Street,' and Chiwetel Ejiofor for '12 Years a Slave.'
What are the three things Matthew McConaughey says he needs each day?
-He needs something to look up to, something to look forward to, and someone to chase.
Who does McConaughey thank first in his speech?
-He first thanks God, saying that God is who he looks up to.
How does McConaughey describe his father during the speech?
-McConaughey imagines his father up in heaven with a big pot of gumbo, a lemon meringue pie, likely in his underwear, drinking a cold can of Miller Lite, and dancing.
What lesson did McConaughey's mother teach him and his brothers?
-She taught them to respect themselves, which in turn made them better able to respect others.
Who are the four people in McConaughey's life that he wants to make proud?
-He mentions his wife Camilla and his three children, Levi, Vida, and Livingston.
Who is McConaughey’s hero according to his speech?
-McConaughey says his hero is himself in ten years, and he keeps chasing this future version of himself.
What is the meaning behind McConaughey's idea of always chasing his hero?
-The idea is that he will never truly attain his hero, as it represents his continual pursuit of self-improvement and growth over time.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 Introduction and Presentation of the Award

The speaker humorously opens by presenting an award, acknowledging the privilege and honor. They mention the five nominees for the category of 'Best Actor in a Leading Role,' with notable actors such as Christian Bale, Bruce Dern, Leonardo DiCaprio, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Matthew McConaughey competing for the award. After the announcement, the winner is revealed as Matthew McConaughey, followed by applause and music.

🏆 McConaughey's Emotional Acceptance Speech

McConaughey takes the stage to a standing ovation and begins by thanking the Academy and the other nominees, whose performances he praises as flawless. He acknowledges his director, Jean-Marc Vallée, and fellow actors Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner. McConaughey then shares three essential things he relies on daily: something to look up to, something to look forward to, and someone to chase.

🙏 McConaughey Thanks God

McConaughey expresses deep gratitude to God, whom he credits as the source of the opportunities in his life. He reflects on the idea that gratitude is a reciprocal force, quoting the late Charlie Lawton: 'When you got God, you got a friend.' This spiritual reflection underscores his belief in divine guidance and personal faith.

👨‍👩‍👦 Heartfelt Thanks to Family

McConaughey turns his gratitude to his family, especially his late father, whom he humorously imagines celebrating with a pot of gumbo, pie, beer, and dance. He thanks his mother for teaching him and his brothers self-respect, which in turn allowed them to respect others. He also expresses his love for his wife Camila and his children, whom he calls his inspiration to make them proud every day.

🚶‍♂️ McConaughey's Hero: Himself in 10 Years

In a memorable anecdote, McConaughey recalls being asked who his hero was at age 15. After reflection, he decided his hero would be himself in 10 years. This mindset, of always chasing a future version of himself, keeps him motivated and striving for self-improvement, though he acknowledges he'll never fully catch up with this idealized version. It is a philosophical reflection on personal growth and ambition.

👏 Closing Remarks and Inspirational Message

McConaughey concludes his speech by encouraging everyone to keep chasing their goals, whether they are guided by faith, family, or personal ambition. He ends with his iconic catchphrase, 'All right, all right, all right,' thanking the audience once more before exiting the stage.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Academy

The 'Academy' refers to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization responsible for awarding the Oscars. In the video, Matthew McConaughey expresses gratitude to the 6,000 Academy members for honoring him with the award, acknowledging their role in recognizing talent in the film industry.

💡Nominees

Nominees are individuals or groups who have been officially put forward for an award. In this context, the term refers to the actors nominated for 'Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.' McConaughey acknowledges his fellow nominees—Christian Bale, Bruce Dern, Leonardo DiCaprio, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and himself—praising their performances as 'impeccable.'

💡God

McConaughey mentions 'God' as someone he looks up to every day, emphasizing his deep sense of gratitude and belief in divine guidance. He attributes his success to God's grace, noting that his opportunities are not solely the result of human effort. This highlights his personal faith and the role of spirituality in his life.

💡Gratitude

'Gratitude' plays a significant role in McConaughey’s acceptance speech. He references it as a 'scientific fact' that gratitude reciprocates, suggesting that being thankful leads to more positive experiences. His gratitude extends to his family, God, and the people he worked with, underpinning his sense of humility despite his success.

💡Family

Family is central to McConaughey’s speech, serving as the group he looks forward to in his daily life. He specifically mentions his father, mother, wife, and children, recognizing their influence and support. His father’s memory and his mother’s teachings about respect are presented as foundational to his personal and professional success.

💡Hero

In an intriguing part of the speech, McConaughey describes his 'hero' as himself ten years into the future. This concept reflects his personal philosophy of continual self-improvement and having a long-term goal to chase. It’s a motivational theme, emphasizing the idea of growth and never fully achieving perfection, which keeps him striving forward.

💡Chasing

McConaughey talks about 'chasing' his hero, himself ten years ahead, as a way to symbolize his pursuit of self-betterment. The idea of chasing here is metaphorical, representing his journey of personal development and ambition. It highlights the speech's underlying message of never settling and always striving for a better version of oneself.

💡Respect

Respect is a value McConaughey attributes to his mother, who taught him and his brothers to respect themselves, which in turn enabled them to respect others. This teaching becomes a moral foundation in his life, helping him navigate his relationships and career, and it reflects the importance of integrity and mutual respect.

💡Opportunities

McConaughey credits 'opportunities' in his life to God, stating that many of them were beyond his control or the control of others. This concept ties into his belief in fate or divine intervention, suggesting that success isn't solely about personal effort, but also about recognizing and seizing the chances presented to you by a higher power.

💡Performance

Performance refers to the acting roles delivered by McConaughey and the other nominees. He praises all performances in the category as flawless, which reflects his deep respect for the craft of acting and the effort his peers put into their roles. The word also connects to the broader theme of the Oscars, celebrating excellence in film performances.

Highlights

The presenter introduces the award for 'Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role,' with nominees including Christian Bale, Bruce Dern, Leonardo DiCaprio, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Matthew McConaughey.

Matthew McConaughey wins the Oscar for his performance in 'Dallas Buyers Club.'

McConaughey thanks the Academy, noting the impeccable performances of all the nominees.

He expresses gratitude to his director, Jean-Marc Vallée, and co-stars Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner.

McConaughey highlights three essential elements in his life: something to look up to, something to look forward to, and someone to chase.

He first thanks God, saying that he looks up to Him and that gratitude reciprocates.

He quotes Charlie Laughton: 'When you got God, you got a friend, and that friend is you.'

McConaughey pays tribute to his family, saying they are what he looks forward to every day.

He shares a humorous and heartfelt tribute to his late father, imagining him celebrating with gumbo, lemon meringue pie, a cold Miller Lite, and dancing in his underwear.

McConaughey thanks his mother, acknowledging that she taught him and his brothers to respect themselves and, in turn, respect others.

He acknowledges his wife, Camila, and children, saying they give him courage and significance every day.

McConaughey shares a story about being asked who his hero was at age 15, and his answer was himself in 10 years.

At age 25, when asked if he had become his hero, McConaughey replied, 'Not even close,' as his hero was still himself in 10 years.

McConaughey reflects on always having someone to chase—his future self, knowing he will never attain it but continuing to pursue it.

He concludes with a positive message, encouraging everyone to keep chasing their aspirations and saying, 'All right, all right, all right.'