From David K. Harbour to Marlon Brando, the most powerful political award show speeches
When they step up to the podium to speak at glitzy awards shows, famous actors, directors and screenwriters usually thank the awards organizations, the studios, their coworkers, and their wives, husbands and children.
But every once in a while, they transform that awards stage into a powerful soapbox — and this weekend several winners at the Screen Actors Guild took their wins as opportunities to have their say, causing a huge buzz in the film world.
So what are the most memorable awards show speeches? Here are this weekend's, along with some of the most potent from the past.
Mahershala Ali
In an impassioned and sometimes tearful speech at the Screen Actors Guild Awards this weekend, Moonlight and Hidden Figures star Mahershala Ali, a Muslim, spoke about his relationship with his mother, a Christian minister, and the need for acceptance:
David K. Harbour
His hands trembling as he read his fiery acceptance speech from a crumpled piece of paper, Stranger Things star David K. Harbour challenged his fellow actors to "go deeper and, through our art, battle against fear, self-centredness, and exclusivity of our predominantly narcissistic culture" — then talked of freaks, outcasts and monsters:
Meryl Streep
At this year's Golden Globes, Meryl Streep turned her lifetime achievement award acceptance into a tongue-lashing aimed at U.S. president Donald Trump — although she never mentioned his name. "Disrespect invites disrespect. Violence incites violence," she said. "When the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose."
Michael Moore
It's not surprising that Michael Moore turned his Oscar win political; but in 2003, when he won best documentary feature for Bowling for Columbine, a film about guns and mass shootings in America, Moore used the moment to shame then-president George W. Bush about the impending invasion of Iraq. "We like non-fiction and we live in fictitious times. We live in a time where we have fictitious election results that elect a fictitious president," he said, to a mix of cheers and jeers. Watch:
Sally Field
In 2007, the war in Iraq continued, and Sally Field used her Emmy acceptance to deliver a powerful — and temporarily flustered — anti-war message. "And let's face it, if mothers ruled the world," she concluded, "there would be no God-damned wars in the first place."
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio isn't known for keeping his politics quiet, and more than once he has used awards stages to voice his views on everything from native rights to climate change. Here are two from 2016, when he accepted multiple awards for The Revenant.
Susan Sarandon
Back in 1993, outspoken actress Susan Sarandon was a presenter with her then-partner Tim Robbins, and they used the spotlight to criticize the U.S. government for its internment of HIV-positive Haitian refugees at Guantanamo Bay.
Marlon Brando
In one of the most unforgettable awards show political statements, iconic actor Marlon Brando refused to attend the 1973 Oscars or accept his award for The Godfather because of concerns over how Native Americans were treated in the film industry. In his space, he sent Sacheen Littlefeather, an Apache activist whose appearance was met with boos, then applause, then quiet.
Sean Penn
When he won a 2009 Oscar for his portrayal of gay rights groundbreaker Harvey Milk in the biopic Milk, Sean Penn spoke in favour of gay marriage rights. "For those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the same in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support," he said. "We've got to have equal rights for everyone."
Bert Schneider and Peter Davis
In 1975, producers Bert Schneider and Peter Davis won the Oscar for feature documentary for their film Hearts and Minds, about the Vietnam War. Davis referenced the irony of getting an award while the suffering in Vietnam continued; then, instead of making a speech, Schneider read a telegram from the North Vietnamese ambassador at the Paris peace talks.
Fisher Stevens and Louie Psihoyos
In 2010 the team behind the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove, about the capture and slaughter of dolphins in Japan, took their political statement a step further, and held up a sign that read "Text DOLPHIN to 44144." When viewers texted the number, they received information on how to help dolphins in the area. Director Louie Psihoyos went to make comments, but the orchestra hurriedly played him off.
— Jennifer Van Evra, q digital staff