Hyderabad: For filmmakers across the world, there is no bigger dream than holding the golden statue called the Oscar. It is the highest honor in cinema, a stage where the world’s best come together to celebrate art, storytelling, and performance. Winning one means your name is forever written in film history. But the Oscars are not just about awards. They are also about gratitude, as winners rush to thank everyone who shaped their journey.
Spielberg, the King of Thank-Yous
And here lies the most surprising fact. The person most thanked in Oscar speeches is not God, but Steven Spielberg. With 42 mentions, the legendary director of Jaws and Schindler’s List tops the list. His influence has touched generations of filmmakers, many of whom used their 45 seconds on stage to recognize him. By comparison, God has been thanked only 20 times.
The Top 10 Thanked Names
Behind Spielberg, Harvey Weinstein was mentioned 34 times, James Cameron 28, George Lucas 23, and Peter Jackson 22. God ranks sixth, followed by icons like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Jeffrey Katzenberg. Sheila Nevins, head of HBO Documentary Films, stands out as the most thanked woman in Oscar history.
Oscar speeches have grown longer over the decades. From under 50 words in the 1950s, they peaked at nearly 300 words in the 2010s. Some winners keep it short, but others make history. In 1998, producer John Landau thanked 54 people in just over a minute while accepting for Titanic.
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