SPEECH BY: Chloé Zhao
FILM: "NOMADLAND"
Oh, man, thank you. Thank you to the Academy. Thank you to my brilliant, brilliant nominees, fellow nominees, thank you. My entire “Nomadland” company. What a crazy, once-in-a-lifetime journey we went on together. Thank you so much. I'm so grateful to you. I've been thinking a lot lately of how I keep going when things get hard. And I think, I think it goes back to something I learned when I was a kid. When I was growing up in China, my dad and I used to play this game, we would memorize classic Chinese poems and texts. And we would recite it together and try to finish each other's sentences. And there's one that I remember so dearly. It’s called the “Three Character Classics” and the first phrase goes [speaks in Chinese]. People at birth are inherently good. And those six letters had such a great impact on me when I was a kid, and I still truly believe them today. Even though sometimes it might seem like the opposite is true. But I have always found goodness in the people I met, everywhere I went in the world. So this [holds up Oscar] is for anyone who had the faith and the courage to hold on to the goodness in themselves, and to hold on to the goodness in each other, no matter how difficult it is to do that. And this is for you. You inspire me to keep going. Thank you. Thank you.
These transcripts may not be reproduced except as brief quotes used in conjunction with news reporting about the 93rd Academy Awards®. All content Copyright 2021 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. "Oscar®," "Oscars®," "Academy Awards®," "Academy Award®," "A.M.P.A.S.®" and "Oscar Night®" are the trademarks, and the ©Oscar® statuette is the registered design mark and copyrighted property, of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Additional information regarding the "Terms & Conditions of Use" and "Legal Regulations for Using Intellectual Properties of the Academy" may be accessed online at http://www.oscars.org/legal
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Communications Department
8949 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90211-1972
Phone (310) 247-3090
FAX (310) 271-3395
http://www.oscars.org
publicity@oscars.org