Oscar Live Coverage


2008 Oscar Live Coverage

  • All Times Eastern
  • 11:47 PM: Stewart closes out the show. Thanks for reading, everyone!
    • Producer Scott Rudin comes up to accept the award and thanks Cormac McCarthy, among others.


    • Ethan, who didn't speak during their previous win, says he doesn't "have a lot to add to what I said earlier." Joel talks about how they used to make movies as children, including one called Henry Kissinger: Man on the Go. He says what they do now doesn't feel all that different. Very good, gracious and funny speech, just what you'd expect from the Coens.
    • No surprise here. He was RIDICULOUSLY awesome in this. "Draaaaaaaaaaaaaaainage!" It's Day-Lewis' second win, after My Left Foot.


    • Day-Lewis says being introduced by Mirren is "as close as I'll ever get to being knighted." He recalls "the first devilish whisper of an idea" that occurred to Paul Thomas Anderson about the character. "I wish my son and my partner, H.W. Plainview, were up here with me." He thinks "Mrs. Plainview," his wife Rebecca Miller. He says he was thinking a lot about fathers and sons while making the movie, and he thanks his grandfather, his father and his three sons.
    • Cody thanks "the superhuman Ellen Page" and Jason Reitman, whom she says she's in awe of. She thanks her family for "loving me exactly the way I am."
    • Filmmakers Alex Gibney and Eva Orner are winning their first Oscars. Gibney dedicates it to "all documentary filmmakers." He says his wife wanted him to make a romantic comedy, "but after Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, that wasn't possible." He dedicates the film to its subject, Dilawar, and his father, who urged him to make the film. He wants us to move "away from the dark side and back into the light."
    • First Oscar nomination and win for Cynthia Wade and Vanessa Roth. They're very excited, clearly, and thank HBO for showing this film. I'm sure it's a great film and all, but this woman has a very irritating voice. They thank the produces who believed that "a 38 minute movie can change minds."
    • Marianelli: "It's called a movie because it's a very moving film." He thanks director Joe Wright, who wasn't nominated despite all the honors for Atonement tonight. He thanks his family.
  • 11:00 PM: Hilary Swank presents the "In Memoriam" montage of those who have passed away in 2007. Inappropriately loud clapping for some names and total silence for others is expected once again.


    • Everyone at Mahalo just said, "Rufio died?" before realizing they meant the makeup designer on Hook
  • 10:56 PM: Stewart brings back Marketa Irglova again, who didn't get a chance to speak during her thank-you's after winning. She says the song was written "from a perspective of hope" which "connects us all."
  • 10:53 PM: Steven Spielberg recalls winning for Schindler's List, calling it "one of the greatest nights of my entire life." He likens the shock of winning to "male menopause" which is...kind of odd...
  • 10:52 PM: Stewart says "that man is so arrogant," before calling them winning a lovely Oscar moment. He then notifies Travolta that his plane is parked illegally on La Brea.
  • 10:48 PM: John Travolta almost trips walking up to the podium. He's presenting Best Original Song
  • Nominees
    • Enchanted for "So Close" Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
    • Enchanted for "That's How You Know"
    • Enchanted for "Happy Working Song" Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
    • Once for "Falling Slowly" Music and Lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
    • August Rush for "Raise It Up" by Jamal Joseph, Charles Mack and Tevin Thomas
  • And the Oscar goes to:
  • Once for "Falling Slowly" Music and Lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
    • Hansard and Irglova, a couple in real life by the way, say they made this film 2 years ago in 3 weeks for $100,000. (Actually, Hansard speaks. Irglova gets cut off by the music). He thanks the Academy for taking the film seriously and urges the crowd to "make art."
  • 10:41 PM: Stewart apologizes. He has to restart to show because of a technical glitch.
    • Boyle is very old but he still takes the stage and actually seems pretty sharp. I like the white scarf. The good part of getting old is the respect of his peers. "I don't recommend the other." Calls being in the movie business a "wonderful journey" and thanks the members of the Academy's Board of Governors and Nicole Kidman. Thanks Hitchcock (whom he calls "Hitch", not to be confused with the classic Will Smith character), who gave him his first big film to work on. Hitch also introduced him to a screenwriter who became his wife. Also thanks his children and grandchildren. Also, Norman Jewison (director of Fiddler), who made moviemaking fun and Don Siegel, who "cut to the chase and gave us truth."
    • They cut to Harrison Ford during the speech, and he looks like he's welling up. Really? Indy can't cry!
  • 10:30 PM: Stewart applauds the orchestra and asks if they're too hot. He fans them to try to cool them off.
    • Rouse: His father won an Oscar and he's honored to join that company. Thanks Paul Greengrass and Frank Marshall by name, along with everyone in post-production on the film. BIG surprising night for Bourne. Wonder if they'll make another one now...
  • 10:22 PM: Jack Nicholson takes the stage. He says he loves the movies. "They entertain us, they offer us hope, they give us dramas..." Why did they give him the really boring "Movies bridge cultures" blah blah blah speech? HE'S CLEARLY bored and uninterested in what he's saying. He's there to present a montage of previous "Best Picture" winners, starting with Wings in 1929.
  • 10:18 PM: Colin Farrell presents next nominated song, from Once: "Falling Slowly," Music and Lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. He says he's "chuffed."
    • Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova perform the song.


    • Cotillard: She's hyperventilating practically, on the verge of tears. She thanks Picture House, the production company, and the Academy. "Thank you, Life. Thank you, Love! It is true, there are some angels in this city!"
  • 10:04 PM: Hill and Rogen continue as Berry and Dench to present Best Sound Mixing
  • Nominees
  • And the Oscar goes to:
    • These guys say that the previous Bourne winners thanked all their people for them. On a somber note, they remember their fallen colleague, Paul Huntsman. Award is dedicated to him. Other guy tries to speak but is cut off. They're being EXTREMELY stingy with the time this year. They must want to close it out on time.
    • They thank the Academy, Universal Studios and call working with Paul Greengrass a pleasure. They both say they are "blanking out" from the excitement of winning and are then played off the stage.
  • 10:00 PM: Stewart corrects himself, there are THREE pregnant actresses in the crowd: Jessica Alba, Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman. "The baby goes to...Angelina Jolie!" He couldn't get Angelina Jolie to show up because it's hard to get 17 babysitters at such short notice.
  • 9:52 PM: Stewart sarcastically calls Ganis' presentation "amazing" and says he always thought superdelegates made the call.
  • 9:49 PM: Academy president Sid Ganis gives his yearly dull, pointless address. He introduces a couple clips detailing how the Oscar winners are chosen.
    • They say a bunch of memorable movie quotes, including "Leave the gun, take the canoli" and "Is it safe." McAvoy then says "this is fun," which is not from anything. Brolin apologizes for his poor Jack Nicholson impression and offers to take Jack out for a drink.
    • They thank Scott Rudin for bringing them the Cormac McCarthy novel on which the film is based. "We've only adapted Homer and Cormac McCarthy." They cut to McCarthy there is the crowd!
  • 9:45 PM: Stewart salutes pregnant women at the Oscars. He mentions that "the night is young" and Jack Nicholson is still there, so we may need to "retally" at the end of the night.
  • 9:44 PM: Jessica Alba hosted the Scientific and Technical Awards and introduces a montage of winners. This always strikes me as disrespectful. The winners don't even get to come up on stage.


    • First nomination for Swinton, who's been really good in movies for years. She genuinely doesn't look like she thought she'd win.
    • Swinton: "I have an American agent who is the spitting image of this [Oscar]. The same shape, head and, it has to be said, buttocks. And I'm giving this to him...because I wouldn't be in America if it wasn't for him." Also thanks Tony Gilroy, who she says "walks on water," Sydney Pollack and George Clooney, whom she praises for putting on a nippled batsuit in Batman and Robin. It's a fun speech.
    • Suzie Templeton and Hugh Welchman come up to accept the awards. Hugh's brought some weird sculpture from the film up with him. He wants to keep "Peter and the Wolf" alive for children all over the world.
    • Winner Philippe Pollet-Villard doesn't speak English and calls himself a "bad student." He's happy and thanks his producer, whose name I'm not even going to try to spell for you.
  • 9:24 PM: Keri Russell presents the second nominated song, "Raise It Up" from August Rush by Jamal Joseph, Charles Mack and Tevin Thomas
    • Soloists and the choir from the film sing the song, including 11 year old Jamia Simone Nash
  • 9:22 PM: Stewart calls Bardem's acceptance speech "a moment." He translates that he told his mother where the library is. The entire show would have been montages, he jokes, if the Writer's Strike had continue.
    • "Oscar's salute to binoculars and periscopes." This is hilarious. Stewart says it wasn't worth dimming the lights. He then presents "Oscar's salute to Bad Dreams." It's maybe six clips. "Wow, that really would have been a waste of your time."
    • Bardem thanks the Coens for giving him one of the worst haircuts in screen history, and then thanks his mother in Spanish.


  • YouTube: Javier Bardem Best Supporting Actor (Time: 10:59)  WARNING: Commentary in Spanish


  • Javier Bardem Oscar Acceptance Speech from Oscars.org: Wow. Alright, this is very amazing. It's a great honor for me to have this. I want to & I have to speak fast here, man. Thank you to the Coens for being crazy enough to think that I could do that and put one of the most horrible haircuts in history over my head. Thank you for really proving my work. I want to share this with the cast, with the great Tommy Lee Jones, with the great Josh Brolin, with the great Kelly MacDonald. And I want to dedicate this to my mother, and I have to say this in Spanish, and I'm sorry...ama, estos para ti, estos para tus abuelos, para tus padres y la familia Matilde, esto es para los comicos de España, que han traido como tu la dignidad y el orgullo a nuestro officio. Esto is para España y esto es para todos nosotros. Thank you very much!
  • Translation: Mom, this is for you, this is for your grandparents, for your parents and the Matilde family, this is for the comedians of Spain, who have, like you, brought dignity and pride to our profession. This is for Spain, and this is for all of us.
  • 9:14 PM: A montage of previous Best Supporting Actor winners. They let Cuba Gooding Jr. relive his one Oscar moment of glory, before his career was defined by mega-hits like Daddy Day Camp.
  • 9:10 PM: Cate Blanchett presents the award for Best Art Direction
  • Nominees
    • Arthur Max (Art Direction); Beth A. Rubino (Set Decoration) for American Gangster
    • Sarah Greenwood (Art Direction); Katie Spencer (Set Decoration) for Atonement
    • Dennis Gassner (Art Direction); Anna Pinnock (Set Decoration) for The Golden Compass
    • Jack Fisk (Art Direction); Jim Erickson (Set Decoration) for There Will Be Blood
  • And the Oscar goes to:
  • 9:07 PM: The Rock presents the award for Best Visual Effects
    • They say a very enthusiastic "THANK YOU" and then quote Walt Disney: "It's kind of fun to do the impossible."
  • 9:06 PM: Stewart says the audience just "sits around making catty remarks about the outfits you're all wearing at home" during the commercial breaks. He says The Rock and Ellen Page all got into show business through pro wrestling.
  • 8:58 PM: First nominated song performed. Someone yells "whoop" when the names Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz are announced. Stewart pretends he's going to sing it himself before introducing Amy Adams to sing "Happy Working Song" from Enchanted.
    • She's doing a good job, but I can't help this has to be tough to do. All alone on stage, no backup, nothing else going on...She's a pro, though.
    • Keep it very short and sweet but are played off anyway. Thank the Academy, they're very proud, they're overwhelmed.
    • Carell pretends he screwed up and prepared to present the Best Documentary category. "Is this showing in Belgium?" he asks, nervously.
    • Bird: Thanks his junior high school guidance counselor, who asked him what he wanted to do with his life and then rebuffed him when he said "make movies." "I only realized just recently that he gave me the perfect training for the movie business." He thanks the staff of Pixar and Disney, including John Lasseter and Steve Jobs. That orchestra comes on and plays him off as he's thanking "a rat who dreams."
    • Brad Bird Oscar Acceptance Speech
  • 8:51 PM: Stewart says he's watching Lawrence of Arabia on his iPhone during the ceremony. He turns it sideways to watch it "in widescreen."
    • Chevy Chase's "Good evening, Hollywood phonies" just makes him seem like kind of a jerk. Dudley Moore's "Good evening, my pants are killing me" fares better.
    • They're playing Isaac Hayes theme from Shaft, maybe the greatest Oscar live performance ever.
    • Matt Damon and Ben Affleck thank the City of Boston. Where's their follow-up screenplay, now that I think about it? Who wins an Oscar the first time out and then never writes anything again?
    • Russell Crowe urges people "relying only on courage" to remember that "it's possible."
    • Byrne: Thanks the Academy, the producers, Cate Blanchett and her family. Keeping it nice and simple to start off the night.
    • Opens by mentioning the end of the Writers Guild Strike. Vanity Fair canceled their Oscar Party "out of respect for the writers," but Stewart says it would be more respectful to have it and just invite them.
    • "They say that the Oscars were one of the reasons to end the strike...So before we spend the next four hours giving each other golden statues, let's take a moment to congratulate ourselves."
    • Mentions this year's "slate of Oscar-nominated psychopathic killer movies...Does this town need a hug? Thank God for teen pregnancy...They needed that kind of light-hearted fare."
    • About Atonement, Stewart praises how it captures the "sexuality of Yom Kippur." He then calls Jack Nicholson "rabbi."
    • "Even Norbit got a nomination, which is great. Too often, the Academy ignores movies that aren't good."
    • Mentions that Dennis Hopper is in the crowd, so he knows where he is.
    • "Tonight is not just about the actors. It's also about directors, writers...Diablo Cody wrote Juno, such a great movie. Cody used to be an exotic dancer and now she's an Oscar-nominated writer. I hope you're enjoying the pay cut."
    • To find out your stripper name, you combine your pet's name with the street you grew up on. Stewart's stripper name is "Olympia Dukakis."
    • On Iraq War movies that didn't do well at the box office, Stewart suggests we should "stay the course" and "not let the audience win."
    • Oscar turns 80 this year, making him the frontrunner for the Republican nomination.
    • Turns discussion to the upcoming presidential election. "Have you had a chance to examine all the candidates...and pick the Democrat you'll vote for?...Normally, when you see a black or woman president, an asteroid is about to hit the Statue of Liberty."
    • This year will be the Green Oscars, so presenters will walk all the way to the microphones.

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