The 74th Annual Academy Awards (2002 TV Special)

Ron Howard: Self - Winner

Quotes 

• Brian Grazer - Winner: Best Picture : [Looking at the winner's envelope...]  Yeah, it says it was really close, which it was. Hi, Ron. Yikes. Okay. I want to thank the Academy for selecting our movie. I started out in the business as a writer - not a very good writer - but a writer, nonetheless. I've had the privilege of working with better writers, great actors and brilliant directors. I found that my calling was to tell stories as a producer and I love doing just that. In the case of "A Beautiful Mind" the story and the subject were personal and important to me, and to receive an award for making this movie is a miracle. I want to thank Universal Pictures, two very important and special people to me, Ron Meyer and Stacey Snider. I want to thank their team including Scott, Peter, Marc and Nikki. DreamWorks, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Steven Spielberg and David Geffen. I want to thank Sylvia Nasar and Graydon Carter. And my dedicated team at Imagine, Michael Rosenberg, Maureen Peyrot, Todd Hallowell and especially Karen Kehela, who is an amazing partner to me for her enormous contributions. Ron Howard, a closer friend, a better partner, a more inspired and evolving filmmaker I could never find. Thank you, Ron, for all of that. I can't pull this apart.

  [referring to his notes] 

  Brian Grazer - Winner: Best Picture : I'm so nervous. I know it's imperceptible. It's my honor to work with the profound Russell Crowe. And we wouldn't be here if it weren't for Russell Crowe. His amazing dedication, work ethic and artistry have gotten us here. The sublime Jennifer Connelly and all the fine actors on the movie. Akiva Goldsman, thank you for creating this difficult and heartrending script. And thank you James Horner for your most original and haunting score. Thank you to John and Alicia Nash. You've not only inspired a movie that has given so many a greater understanding of the vagaries of the mind, but you've given us a greater understanding of ourselves. I hope in some way our movie helped to improve the way we feel about and treat the mentally ill. And then I want to thank my little circle of love. My incredible, beautiful, amazing wife and my kids, Riley, Sage and Thomas. Thank you.

  Ron Howard - Winner: Best Picture : God bless and thank you for this support.

• Ron Howard - Winner: Best Director : Thank you. Golden boy? Well, I am not a good enough actor anymore to be able to stand up here and make you believe that I haven't imagined this moment in my mind over the years and played it out about a thousand times. So here goes. It's pretty simple, really. I'm grateful. I'm very grateful for this. I'm grateful for an entire lifetime spent involved in this creative process that we do. I'm grateful that I was raised by an extraordinary man, my father Rance Howard, and my late mother Jean Howard. I also want to mention that before my mom passed away about eighteen months ago, she predicted that this was going to happen for me on this film. Well, she also made that prediction on every movie that I've directed since 1983. So now you know a little something about my mom. Thank you, Mom. Then there are the loves of my life. My incredible wife Cheryl. Yeah, she's something. Kids at home, Bryce, Jocelyn, Paige and Reed. Thank you for all the most important reasons. I've got a great friend and a partner, Brian Grazer. Brian, thanks for helping me realize so many of my dreams in this business, including getting to direct "A Beautiful Mind," which Brian produced so passionately and Akiva Goldsman wrote so brilliantly. You know, everyone from the decision makers at Universal and DreamWorks through to the entire production team, thank you for the incredible effort. It made the difference. And of course I had a tremendous cast. This is an acting movie. And including Jennifer Connelly. And Russell. Russell Crowe. This would not be happening tonight without your creative courage and your total commitment. It has been a great journey. And I thank you. And finally, they're here somewhere, I don't know where, but thank you to John and Alicia Nash for sharing your important story with us. I'm very, very proud to know you and may you have many years of peace ahead of you. Academy, thank you so much.