‘The slap’, protests and tears: what makes a memorable Oscar speech?

Daniel Kaluuya thanked his parents for having sex and Will Smith referenced slapping the host. Academy awards bring out the best and worst in winners, but is there a right way to do it?

If Da’Vine Joy Randolph is, as predicted, announced as winner of the supporting actress Oscar at the 96^th Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles next weekend, the actor from Philadelphia will have to stride up to the podium and come up with the goods yet again. She has already spoken well at both the Golden Globes and Baftas when honoured for her role in The Holdovers. Let’s hope she has something left in the bag.

For Wendy Shanker it is a familiar predicament. The American script-doctor is regularly called upon to write a few wise words for potential award winners and at this time of year her phone is red hot. “It can be difficult if you’ve already done acceptance speeches, like Da’Vine. She will want to have kept back something that’s unique for the Oscar. But then she might not get it,” she said this weekend. “So I often help clients find that fine balance between making the most of it and hanging everything on it.”