Thu, July 10, 2003

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
66th Annual Academy Awards
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, California
March 21, 1994

Tom Hanks

Here's what I know:

I could not be standing here without that undying love that was just sung about by – not Bruce, but Neil Young. And I have that in a love that is so close to fine, we should all be able to experience such heaven right here on Earth.

I know, also, that I should not be doing this. I should not be here but I am because of the union of such filmmakers as Ed Saxon, Ron Nyswaner, Kristi Zea, Tak Fujimoto, Jonathan Demme (who seems to have these attached to his limbs for every actor that works with him of late), and a cast that includes Antonio Banderas who second to my lover is the only person I would trade for, and a cast that includes, many other people, but the actor who really put his film image at risk, and shone because of his integrity – Mr. Denzel Washington, who I really must share this with.

I would not be standing here if it weren't for two very important men in my life – two that I haven't spoken with in a while, but I had the pleasure of just the other evening – Mr. Rolly Farnsworth, who was my high school drama teacher, who taught me that, "act well the part, there all the glory lies," and one of my classmates under Mr. Farnsworth, Mr. John Gilkerson. I mention their names because they are two of the finest gay Americans, two wonderful men that I had the good fortune to be associated with, to fall under their inspiration at such a young age. I wish my babies could have the same sort of teacher, the same sort of friends.

And there lies my dilemma here tonight. I know that my work, in this case, is magnified by the fact that the streets of heaven are too crowded with angels. We know their names. They number a thousand for each one of the red ribbons that we wear here tonight. They finally rest in the warm embrace of the gracious creator of us all – a healing embrace that cools their fevers, that clears their skin, and allows their eyes to see the simple, self-evident, common-sense truth that is made manifest by the benevolent creator of us all, and was written down on paper by wise men, tolerant men, in the city of Philadelphia, two hundred years ago.

God bless you all. God have mercy on us all. And God bless America.

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