First-time nominee Lupita Nyong'o won best supporting actress for 12 Years a Slave at the 2014 ceremony, but it was her acceptance speech that soared above the rest of the evening's stars. After the usual thank-yous to her costars, family, friends, and teachers, as well as a moving tribute to the real-life slaves whose stories inspired the film, she ended with a statement of encouragement that was all the more inspiring for its pure simplicity:
"When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you're from, your dreams are valid."