When Emma Thompson Pretended To Be Jane Austen

Emma Thompson's win for Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes (1995).

Instead of speaking as herself, she read a speech from the point of view of Jane Austen, and what Jane might have thought if she'd attended.

This is one of my favourite things.

Full speech is as follows (with my sincere thanks to futurefighter2008 for transcribing it):

Thank you very much. Good Heavens. Um, I can't thank you enough, Hollywood Foreign Press, for honouring me in this capacity. I don't wish to burden you with my debts, which are heavy and numerous but, um, I think that everybody involved in the making of this film knows that we owe all our pride and all our joy to the genius of Jane Austen. And, um, it occurred to me to wonder how she would react to an evening like this... This is what I came up with.

Four a.m., having just returned from an evening at the Golden Spheres, which despite the inconveniences of heat, noise and overcrowding was not without its pleasures. Thankfully, there were no dogs and no children. The gowns were middling. There was a good deal of shouting and behaviour verging on the profligate, however, people were very free with their compliments and I made several new acquaintances.

Here was Lindsay Doran of Mirage, wherever that might be, who's largely responsible for my presence here, an enchanting companion about whom too much good cannot be said. Mr. Ang Lee, of foreign extraction, who most unexpectedly appeared to understand me better than I understand myself. Mr. James Shamis, a most copiously erudite person and Miss Kate Winslet, beautiful in both countenance and spirit.

Mr. Pat Doyle, a composer and a Scot, who displayed the kind of wild behaviour one has learned to expect from that race. Mr. Mark Kenton, an energetic person with a ready smile who, as I understand it, owes me a great deal of money. [Breaks character, smiles] TRUE!! [back in character] Miss Lisa Henson of Columbia, a lovely girl and Mr. Garrett Wiggin, a lovely boy.

I attempted to converse with Mr. Sydney Pollack, but his charms and wisdom are so generally pleasing, that it proved impossible to get within ten feet of him. The room was full of interesting activity until 11 p.m. when it emptied rather suddenly. The lateness of the hour is due, therefore, not to the dance, but to the waiting in a long line for a horseless carriage of unconscionable size. The modern world has clearly done nothing for transport.

P.S. Managed to avoid the hoyden Emily Thompkinson, who has purloined my creation and added things of her own. Nefarious Creature! Thank you.

• Category

  Film & Animation

[veritas0290]

If only every actor/actress gave acceptance speeches like this, awards ceremonies would be abundantly more enjoyable!!!!

[160p2GHz]

What on Earth are you talking about? Why would they be confused? It's not as if we don't read Austen in the U.S.

If you're attempting to refer to someone in the audience, the only two people I recognized who they showed at great length were Nicole Kidman who is Australian and Jane Seymour who is English. Regardless, none of them looked confused. Seymour looked a little stiff if anything.

[ARXSFO]

Wow... You are 100% correct, Mr Squamish4244. What a uniquely fun acceptance speech.

[squamish4244]

Speeches like this would relieve the utter banality of the circle-jerk that is the Hollywood awards ceremony.

[Ramsay Clarke]

Jane Austen is one of the most popular authors in the US... I know this even as I live in Canada

[dracopticon]

Amazing AND super-beautiful. Is there no end to Emma's gifts?

[shadowflower93]

That's my hero. Right there.

[Jamie Zelene Glades]

BRILLIANT

[Wings2flyhigh1]

She is amazing

[inator2011]

I think it's really interesting to note how many British actors have gone to university and studied something like literature as compared to their American counterparts. It adds another layer to the roles they choose to play.

[David Hutton]

Every Youtube video I watch of her the more I love her.