NATHAN LANE: Well, what a wonderful surprise. We’re all very grateful for this and for the people who are not here: Dianne Weist, Gene Hackman, Calista Flockhart, and Dan Futterman – who are all incredible.
I am so overwhelmed. This seems to be the year of the independent film. I really didn’t think we had a chance but...[Laugh]
I am very grateful. I am very happy to have a commercial success finally.
We would like to thank Mike Nichols especially for his guidance and Elaine May for her brilliant script and everyone at United Artists especially. I would like to thank on behalf of everyone, especially for myself, I would like to thank Robin Williams for his incredible personality and his incredible generosity and love and his support. I made a true friend and this is certainly his more than anyone else’s. Thank you very much. [Applause]
The scenario for me is someone shakes me on the shoulder and says wake up and realize I’m in shorts on my sofa in the middle of summer in my back room. And they tell me I wake up and say, a little bit like a cloved cat really, end up on the ceiling jittering and then I come down. So I had this weird dream I was in a tuxedo. I was nominated with Woody, Ray, Tom, and Billy Bob and they laugh at me. To all you guys, to be in your company, I can’t quite express what this means.
However transity it might be I hope we as a group, on behalf of all actors here tonight, in some way represent the diversity of continuing film making globally in some small way.
They tell me that this (statue) weighs 10 pounds. 9, 6.67 of it goes to Noah and Alex who played young David Helfgott. [Applause]
Thanks to Scott Hicks anf Jan Sardia for allowing me to work woth actors like Lynn Redgrave, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and John Cousins.
And I just wanted to add that I have said to David Helfgott himself, that he does have my permission whole heartily to get up and do me at parties. Thank you. [Applause]
Oh, thank you. I’m unemployed at the moment so this really exciting.
As all we actors know, no performance is without collaboration. And I could name every single crew member and actor on Fargo, but we all followed two men: Joel and Ethan Coel of Minnesota and North Dakota for inspiration and forgave them and probably did some of our best work.
Two of my goals as an actor are to confound expectations and to gain the respect of my peers. And if that’s what you’re telling me tonight, thank you very much. I am very grateful. [Applause]
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Leading Role
Cast of Gena Rowlands
Unhook The Stars
Transcript of Gena Rowlands
Unhook The Stars
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Leading Role
Cast of Kristin Scott Thomas
The English Patient
Transcript of Kristin Scott Thomas
The English Patient
