Matthew McConaughey Best Actor ACCEPTANCE SPEECH, 'Oscars 2014' [VIDEO]
Following a deeply moving performance as a man diagnosed with AIDS who became the head of a ring which smuggled drugs to treat the disease into the United States, Matthew McConaughey took home the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role in the film Dallas Buyers Club Sunday night.
Matthew McConaughey Wins Lead Actor Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club
Acknowledging fellow nominee Leonardo DiCaprio on his way to the stage with a hug, McConaughey then gave a buzz-worthy speech about looking up, looking forward, and chasing someone.
"There's a few things, about three things to my account, that I need each day. One of them is something to look up to, another is something to look forward to, and another is someone to chase," he said after briefly acknowledging the Academy, his co-stars Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner and his director, Jean-Marc Valle.
Jared Leto Wins Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club
"Now, first off, I want to thank God, because that's who I look up to. He has graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or any other human hand. He has shown me that it is a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates," he continued.
His remarks about God were among the few at the night's ceremony, as several award recipients abandoned the usual standby thank you, naming teams of agents, managers and production crews alongside family, friends, co-stars and fellow nominees.
McConaughey continued his memorable speech with a segue about how his family is who he looks forward to, even resorting to hand gestures and some additional acting to imitate how he believed his late father was celebrating his win.
"To my father, who I know he's up there right now, with a big pot of gumbo, he's got a lemon meringue pie over there, he's probably in his underwear and he's got a cold can of Miller Lite and he's dancing right now...To you dad, you taught me what it means to be a man," he said as he alternately made the wide gestures with his hands and danced in place.
His family thank you's continued with his mother, who he said taught him to respect himself and others, and his wife, Camila Alves, and kids, Levi, Vida and Mr. Stone, for being the people he wanted to make the most proud of him every day.
Then, keeping to the theme of the night, which was heroism, McConaughey thanked his hero by telling a story of when he decided his hero would always be himself, ten years into the future, even though he knew he would never obtain that status.
"You see, every day of every week of every month of ebery year of my life, my hero's always 10 years away," he explained to the audience of stars. "I'm never going to be my hero. I'm not going to obtain that and I know I'm not, and that's fine with me because that keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing."
Finally, McConaughey closed out his 3 ½-minute long speech by repeating the phrase that made his speeches noteworthy back at the Critic's Choice and Golden Globe awards in January.
"SO to any of us, whatever those things are, whatever we look up to, whatever it is we look forward to ad whoever it is we're chasing, to that I say...alright, alright, alright," the actor said. "To that I say just keep living. Thank you."
