For married A-listers, there’s no better time to gush about your spouse than during your Oscar acceptance speech.
Best Supporting Actress winner Anne Hathaway and Best Picture winner Ben Affleck gave sweet shout-outs to their significant others during their acceptance speeches at Sunday’s Academy Awards, and they’re not the only ones to get mushy after winning the golden statue. We pulled together the top 10 spouse thank-yous of all time, so get your tissues ready.
Ben Affleck: Best Picture, 2013
Ben Affleck picked up his second Oscar for “Argo,” which won Best Picture (his first Oscar win was for Best Original Screenplay for “Good Will Hunting” in 1998), and thanked his wife of seven years, Jennifer Garner, in his acceptance speech: “I want to thank you for working on our marriage for 10 Christmases. It is work, but it’s the best kind of work, and there’s no one I’d rather work with.”
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLqZ9lpAEtY]
Anne Hathaway: Best Supporting Actress, 2013
Anne Hathaway won her first Oscar for her role as Fantine in “Les Miserables.” In her acceptance speech, she named the day she met her husband of seven months, jewelry designer Adam Shulman, as the best moment of her life. “My husband. By far and away the greatest moment of my life was the one when you walked into it. I love you so much,” Hathaway said.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMdObtyIej4]
Meryl Streep: Best Actress, 2012
Meryl Streep picked up her third Oscar for “The Iron Lady” (she also won in 1983 for “Sophie’s Choice” and in 1980 for “Kramer vs. Kramer”) and bucked tradition by thanking her husband of 34 years, sculptor Don Gummer, in the beginning of her speech instead of the end. “When you thank your husband at the end of the speech they play him out with that music, and I want him to know that everything I value most in our lives, you’ve given me,” she said.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27SGeNswqWE?list=PLLUIfTsR0CfQNUm1cAYz14o3QNYAkrFZ9]
Natalie Portman: Best Actress, 2011
After winning the Oscar for her role in “Black Swan,” Natalie Portman thanked her then-fiance, Benjamin Millepied, who was the film’s choreographer. “My beautiful love, Benjamin Millepied, who choreographed the film and has now given me my most important role of my life,” Portman said, referring to her pregnancy. The two married in August 2012.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYvUm1YJBSs]
Colin Firth: Best Actor, 2011
Colin Firth won an Oscar for his role in “The King’s Speech” and concluded his sweet speech by thanking his wife of now-15 years, film producer Livia Giuggionli. “Livia, for putting up with my fleeting delusions of royalty and who I hold responsible for this and really everything good that’s happened since I met her,” he said.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aO5R6ezqio]
Mo’Nique: Best Supporting Actress, 2010
Mo’Nique had some inspiring words to say about her husband of six years, Sidney Hicks, after she won the Oscar for her role in “Precious.” “To my amazing husband Sidney, thank you for showing me that sometimes you have to forgo doing what’s popular in order to do what’s right. And baby, you were so right,” she said.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxxqA4NhQM4]
Jeff Bridges: Best Actor, 2010
Jeff Bridges took home the Oscar for his role in “Crazy Heart” and sweetly complimented his wife. “I especially want to thank my gorgeous wife, Sue. We’ve been married 33 years. We have a beautiful family, three girls, Isabelle, Jessie and Haley. Thank you guys, I wouldn’t be up here without you,” he said. The couple boasts one of Hollywood’s longest marriages.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AAZCNd3Cj4]
Cuba Gooding, Jr.: Best Supporting Actor, 1997
In one of the greatest Oscar speeches of all time, an exuberant Cuba Gooding, Jr. yelled over the exit music to fit in his thank-yous, though he gave a shout-out to his wife of now-18 years, Sara Kapfer, first. “Tom said don’t forget to thank your wife. I will never forget to thank my high school sweetheart and the mother of my children, Spencer and Mason. I love you, Sara,” he said. Gooding won the Oscar for “Jerry Maguire.”
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnCMqr1QRQw]
Tom Hanks, Best Actor, 1995
Tom Hanks won the Oscar for Best Actor two years in a row (he won for “Philadelphia” in 1994) and, fighting back tears, echoed the words of his Oscar-winning character, Forrest Gump, to thank his wife of now-24 years, actress Rita Wilson.”I am standing here because the woman I share my life with has taught me and demonstrates for me every day just what love is,” Hanks said.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd420MYpGek]
Steven Spielberg: Best Director, 1994
Steven Spielberg won his first Oscar for directing “Schindler’s List” (he also received the award for Best Picture for “Schindler’s List” and for Best Director in 1999 for “Saving Private Ryan.”). He credited his wife of now-11 years, Kate Capshaw, with helping him through the film’s difficult shoot. “I want to thank my wife, who’s here with me tonight, for rescuing me 92 days in a row in Krakow, Poland, last winter when things got just too unbearable,” he said.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bRNEZVNVSs]
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