[Applause] [Applause] We're here to speak about the great talent of this year's five nominees for Actor in a Leading Role.

When you see Jeffrey Wright in a film, you instantly know it's going to be good because he's so good. Jeffrey, in *American Fiction*, you are funny and furious and flawed and empathetic.

And for the way that you elevate the craft, we're indebted to you.

The greats go above and beyond in their commitment to a role. Just as Daniel Day-Lewis stayed in character as Lincoln, this past year, Paul Giamatti was so committed that for the character to have a lazy eye, he wore a soft contact lens during the entire shoot, which made him blind in that eye while filming.

Would I have done that? Hell yes! But the point is, you did do it, Paul, and you were brilliant. Again, a modern-day Renaissance man, nothing better describes you, sir, Mr. Bradley Cooper, who wrote, directed, produced, and acted in his latest film, *Maestro*.

From the script to the screen, Bradley takes a transformative journey into becoming Leonard Bernstein, bringing to life all the character, charisma, and complex brilliance of an American icon.

Congratulations, brother. Cillian Murphy, he accepted the leading role of Oppenheimer before even reading the script, which must have taken much courage and trust, or simple chutzpah.

Either way, the performance is masterful, endowing his portrayal with layers of humanity, whilst his character created something inhuman.

It's riveting to watch. My congratulations, Colman. When I first worked with you a decade ago.

I saw that you were brilliant, bound for greatness. It's been exciting to watch you light up the screen over the years, most recently with your truly inspired portrayal of civil rights leader Bayard Rustin.

Colman, your genius as an actor illuminates the genius of an angelic troublemaker who was nearly buried in the history books.

Thankfully, Rustin is getting his due, as are you, Colman Domingo. And the Oscar goes to Cillian Murphy.

This is a first Oscar win and nomination for Cillian.

Murphy. Um, I'm a little overwhelmed. Um, thank you to the Academy. Um, Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas, it's been the the wildest, most exhilarating, most creatively satisfying journey you've taken me on over the last 20 years.

I owe you more than I can say. Thank you, thank you so much. Every single crew member, every single cast member on Oppenheimer, you guys carried me through.

Uh, all my fellow nominees, I remain in awe of you guys, truly. I want to thank my incredible team, uh, big shout out to Craig Bankey, Brendan Murphy, Mary Murphy, Yvonne McGuinness, my partner in life and art, my two boys, Malachy and Aran, who are sitting up there.

I love you so much. And I'm a very proud Irishman standing here tonight.

So, um, you know, we made a film, we made a film about the man who created the atomic bomb, and for better or for worse, we're all living in Oppenheimer's world.

So I would really like to dedicate this to the peacemakers everywhere, going Be that

Cillian Murphy Wins Best Actor for 'Oppenheimer' | 96th Oscars (2024)

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