The Oscars (2022 TV Special)

Ariana DeBose: Self - Winner

Quotes 

• Self - Winner: : Oh, my god. Yikes. Okay. Oh, my word. You know what?

  [Holding up the Oscar:] 

  Self - Winner: : What is this? You know what, now you see why that Anita says, "I want to be in America." Because even in this weary world that we live in dreams do come true. And that's really a heartening thing right now. If I took the time to say thank you to every single beautiful person who has lifted me up on this stage you'd find people would be sitting here until next Oscars, so I'm not going to do that. But just allow me to say that it was the summer of a lifetime and I am the most privileged and grateful to have spent it with all of you. My god, thank you, Steven Spielberg; you're stuck with me now. Yay! Thank you, Kristie Macosko Krieger and Tony Kushner and the divine inspiration that is Rita Moreno -- you are staring at me right now. And I'm so grateful. Your Anita paved the way for tons of Anitas like me. And I love you so much. I'm gonna wrap this up and talk about my family. My mother, who is here tonight. Mama, I love you with my whole heart, and this is as much yours as it is mine. Some of my tribesmen, my family: my love Sue, Jonathan, Diana, Anthony Calamita. I couldn't do what I do without each and every one of you. So, lastly, imagine this little girl in the backseat of a white Ford Focus. Look into her eyes. You see a queer, openly queer, woman of color, an Afro-Latina, who found her strength in life through art. And that's what I believe we're here to celebrate. Yeah! Yeah! So, to anybody who has ever questioned your identity -- ever, ever, ever -- or you find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: There is indeed a place for us. Thank you to the Academy and thank you all.