HOLLYWOOD, Calif. —
Sandra Bullock won her first Oscar on Sunday night for her heartfelt performance in “The Blind Side” – and the actress gave an emotional speech to match.
“Did I really earn this or did I just wear you all down?” the humble star began, then addressing the four actresses also nominated for Best Actress.
“Gabby, I love you so much. You are exquisite,” she said to Gabourey Sidibe. “You are beyond words to me. Carey [Mulligan], your grace and your elegance and your beauty and your talent makes me sick. Helen [Mirren], I feel like we are family through family and I don’t have the words to express just what I think of you. And Meryl [Streep], you know what I think of you and you are such a good kisser.”
After thanking others who worked on “The Blind Side,” Sandra praised mothers everywhere – including her own late mother.
“I would like to thank what this film is about for me which are the moms that take care of the babies and the children no matter where they come from. Those moms and parents never get thanked,” she said. “I, in particular, failed to thank one.
“So… if I can take this moment to thank Helga B. for not letting me ride in cars with boys until I was 18 because she was right,” Sandra continued. “I would’ve done what she said I was gonna do. For making me practice every day when I got home. Piano, ballet, whatever it is I wanted to be. She said to be an artist, you had to practice every day, and for reminding her daughters that there’s no race, no religion, no class system, no color, nothing, no sexual orientation that makes us better than anyone else. We are all deserving of love. So, to that trailblazer, who allowed me to have that. And this.”
But the comedienne ended her speech with a laugh.
“I thank you so much for this opportunity that I share with these extraordinary women and my lover Meryl Streep,” Sandra said.
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