The 87th Academy Awards
recently premiered on live television on February 22, 2015. The Academy Awards
is a prestigious award show that honors a variety of individuals who have contributed
and exemplified quality work through motion pictures and/or documentaries. Millions
of viewers witnessed many award winners used their acceptance speech as a platform
for social change within our society. According to Huff Post Entertainment,
Patricia Arquette courageously spoke of the importance of wage equality for all
women in the United States. Other award winners such as John Legend and Common
spoke about how the movie, Selma, has played a major role within the civil
rights movement and how we as the future generation are constantly seeking
justice for all men and women. According to NBC News, it states that John
Legend acceptance speech spoke about how we live in a country where we are
still confine to bondage. He also stated that there are more black men who are
held in prison today than there were during slavery. John Legend also spoke
about how the U.S. voting rights is being compromised in today’s society. Many people
believe that his speech was phenomenal because it addressed many social and
political views that needed to be addressed to millions of people.
One of the most unforgettable speeches at
the Academy Awards was Graham Moore’s inspirational speech. Graham Moore won
the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, “The Imitation Game.” According
to MSN News, Graham Moore spoke about attempting to commit suicide and how he
felt like he was weird during his teenage years. He spoke about the importance
of embracing who you are and not being afraid of being different. Many people
were able to relate to his speech in many different ways. In conclusion, this
year’s academy awards was definitely a success not because of the show itself,
but it was all of the winner’s speeches that made the night a success for the
audience and the viewers as well.