PETER GALLAGHER: From all of us, thank you for this grand recognition. Thora, why don’t you keep this till May 15th and give it to Mena.
I was elected to speak for this fortunate group -- I assume for reasons of seniority -- but Annette reminded me that I am The King. I’m The King, of real estate, anyway. I think I can safely say that from the time we opened this script -- and for a long, long time to come -- we feel very fortunate.
Thank you to Alan Ball for creating a world with words with room enough to welcome us all in. To Bruce and Dan for seeing the beauty in that world, and protecting it so zealously. And to Sam for casting us and being more brilliant than you can imagine. And, to DreamWorks for letting him cast us; and for protecting this movie; and ushering it out into the world so successfully. Thank you! And to our
KEVIN SPACEY: To Debbie Zane for casting this movie..
PETER GALLAGHER: To Debbie Zane for casting us. Yes! And to our families: our husbands, our wives, and our children. To our representatives. To everyone we’ve ever met. To Maureen Stapleton. To our fellow professionals. Thank you for recognizing the value of an ensemble and honoring us with the Screen Actors Awards.
KEVIN SPACEY: We rule! We rule! Come on.
PETER GALLAGHER: We rule! To ensembles everywhere!
Outstanding Performance by a
Cast in a Motion Picture
There are two tables here -- with one exception, Wes Bentley is stuck in Calgary -- and this is the reason that I was able to come to work every day. I’m so proud of this movie and I have to say to Sam Mendes: If this is my best work, you are the reason. You guided through this movie everyday and I thank God for the ground you walk on. To Alan Ball, for one of the most courageous and extraordinary scripts I ever read in my life. Congratulations to you!
I am extraordinarily proud to be an actor. I want to thank my manager, Joanne; my agent, John; my staff: Dana, Mike, Bernie, and Kate. While we all celebrate here tonight -- and we’re fortunate enough to be here -- there are colleagues of ours who are not with us. I would like to just take a moment to remind us that there are people who came before us, and there are people who are the reason that we are standing here. In two places in the San Fernando Valley they are gathered around televisions tonight; they are those colleagues of ours in the Motion Picture Homes in the Valley. I want to dedicate this to all the work they have done for us that came before us; dedicate this to them and say, “We have not forgotten you!” Thank you.
Outstanding Performance by a
Male Actor in a Leading Role
Thank you. Thank you very, very much. All right, first of all, thank you to Alan Ball for writing the screenplay of American Beauty. Thank you to Dan Jenks and Bruce Cohen who produced it with such love and enthusiasm. Thank you Sam Mendes who made us all a family and directed us with such love and freedom. Thank you so much Sam.
Thank you to my fellow actors -- You all look so serious. Okay. Kevin, thank you Kevin Spacey. Thank you very, very much. Peter Gallagher, Mena Suvari, Thora Birch, Chris Cooper, Allison Janey: Thank you so much all of you for your support and your love.
I want to thank my own family: my parents, Grant and Shirley Bening; my brothers and my sister: Brad and Byron and Jane. I want to also thank all of my friends and colleagues from the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco where I started. My own family: my children, my pride and joy -- Kathlyn and Ben and Isabel; and my husband, Warren Beatty, who is the best!
And just one last thing to all of you actresses out there: Don’t wait to have a baby, do it now. Thank you!
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Leading Role
Cast of Janet McTeer
Tumbleweeds
Transcript of Janet McTeer
Tumbleweeds
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Leading Role
Cast of Julianne Moore
The End of the Affair
Transcript of Julianne Moore
The End of the Affair
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Leading Role
Cast of Meryl Streep
Music of the Heart
Transcript of Meryl Streep
Music of the Heart
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Leading Role
I just was reminded of the other performances when I was up there watching; and Chloë’s at my table and she’s so amazing to me -- and it always feels funny that we’re in competition. I just can’t believe I’m standing here right now in front of everybody. I can’t believe we were able to do this film. I love being an actor so much.
I was able to have this experience where we could be so brave and so open with each other -- and I hope that’s how I can live my life. I hope that’s how we can all accept each other. Lisa was and is alive. I hope to meet her and I hope she’s okay with this. She’s a beautiful person and I love you just as you are. I don’t think you need any help because I know deep down you just want to be a good person and so do I.
I just want to thank my family for being so supportive, for loving me and being so wonderful. My friends: Geyer, Janine and Rochelle – we love you. My brother, and everybody. Sorry I went on for so long and thank you so much. This means so much to me!
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Cast of Catherine Keener
Being John Malkovich
Transcript of Catherine Keener
Being John Malkovich
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Cast of Julianne Moore
Magnolia
Transcript of Julianne Moore
Magnolia
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Supporting Role
