Title of the Speech: Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar Acceptance Speech

Summary

Phoenix’s speech started as a simple expression of gratitude. He said he didn’t feel like he was superior to
any of the artists who were there with him in the theater. At the end of the day, everyone shares the same
passion and that passion is what keeps him going.

For him, his success is, more than anything else, an opportunity to give voice to the voiceless.

“No nation or people has the right to exploit others,” he said. But we do it anyway. Some obvious examples
are gender discrimination, racism, attacks on the LGBTQ community, exploitation of animals, and the
environment.

His speech also appeals to people’s love for animals. He wants us to connect with their suffering, and remind
us of that which defines human beings: love and creativity. If we can create new, more sustainable systems
that respect animals and the environment, everyone wins.

My most favorite part of his speech was when he said: "When we support each other, not when we cancel
each other out for past mistakes, but when we help each other to grow when we educate each other when
we guide each other towards redemption, that is the best of humanity."

Voice and Articulation

He is a native American speaker so he was very articulate. Although, his voice sounded shaky because of all
the emotions he was feeling during that moment. He delivered the speech from a place of such authenticity
from the heart, you can hear it from his voice alone. That in itself is a great example of inspirational speech
for us.

Gestures/ Posture/ Body Movements

He was standing when he delivered his speech while holding the Oscar trophy with his right hand. His hand
gestures were minimal, from swinging his arms from time to time to fully express his points, to touching his
face and beard in some parts of his speech. There were not many body movements aside from when he was
turning from one side of the theater to the other to make sure he’s connecting with everyone while
delivering his piece.

Eye Contact

His eyes speak even before he started opening his mouth. You can see in his eyes how emotional he was
receiving the award. With a lot of things going through his mind at that moment, he was still able to keep
good eye contact with his audience to make them feel and understand the sense of his speech more. At some
point, I think he looked down at his script to make sure he was on track with his speech which was okay.
Overall, his eye contact with his audience was still maintained.
Facial Expressions

His face showed nothing but authenticity, vulnerability, and humility. You can see in his facial expressions
that he was humbled by the award he was given. You can also see how much love and passion he has for his
advocacies that he fully expressed in the entirety of his speech. A speech can never be delivered successfully
just by words, your audience also needs to see what you are saying reflect in your expressions.

Diction

His enunciation throughout his speech was on point, making the audience fully understand him. His delivery
was very simple, making you feel that it was coming from the heart, which made it very effective. His choice
of words was also simple yet smart, he didn't use any highfalutin words that can or will confuse his audience.
Overall, he was able to delivery his speech successfully and making sure he made his mark to everyone who
was in the audience that night.