Home / Oscars / Awards Databases / Academy Awards Acceptance Speeches
Watch the video
Year: 1982 (55th) Academy Awards
Category: Actress in a Leading Role
Film Title: Sophie's Choice
Winner: Meryl Streep
Presenter: Sylvester Stallone
Date & Venue: April 11, 1983; Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
MERYL STREEP: Oh, boy! No matter how much you try to imagine what this is like, it's just so incredibly thrilling, right down to your toes. I have a lot of people to thank and I'm going to be one of those people that tries to mention a lot of names because I know just two seconds ago my mother and father went completely berserk and I'd like to give some other mothers and fathers that opportunity. I'd like to thank William Styron for creating this beautiful character and Alan Pakula for bringing it to the stage and allowing me to play it. I would like to thank Marty Starger and ITC for finding the financing for it. Nestor Almendros, the great cinematographer. Albert Wolsky, wonderful costumer. And the crew: Tommy Priestly, the Gerardos, the De Blau brothers, Tommy Prate, Chris Newman, Denny Maitland, Wally Props, Lillian, Alba, Dixie*, Roy Helland. I'd like to thank my Polish coach Elena Bakow*. My German coaches Anne Cattaneo and David Friedman*. And the thirty-seven members of the American and European casts, whom I won't mention all of their names but for two. I feel like I owe them this because everything that I had I got from looking in their eyes and for the great love they gave me for five months. I thank Kevin Kline and Peter MacNicol. And I thank you all very much.
[*Name and spelling not confirmed.]
© Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences[Note: All winners are present except where noted; NOT all winners may have spoken.]