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Frances McDormand Oscars speech in full: Best Acress winner calls on female actors to demand 'inclusion riders'

Actress used her platform to celebrate all women in the film industry and demanded better inclusion from Hollywood

Roisin O'Connor
Monday 05 March 2018 08:07 GMT
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Oscars 2018: Frances McDormand uses acceptance speech to demand inclusion rider from Hollywood

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Frances McDormand paid powerful tribute to the women at this year's Oscars ceremony during her acceptance speech for the Best Actress award.

The 60-year-old beat Meryl Streep, Saoirse Ronan, Sally Hawkins and Margot Robbie to be named the Best Actress at the 90th Oscars - for her role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

McDormand used her platform to champion all of the women in the film industry, from actresses to directors, screenwriters to cinematographers.

“Okay, so I'm hyperventilating a little bit. If I fall over, pick me up cause I've got some things to say," she began.

“So I think this is what Chloe Kim must have felt like after doing back-to-back 1080s in the Olympic halfpipe. Did you see that? Okay, that's what it feels like.

“I want to thank Martin McDonagh, look what you did. We are a bunch of hooligans and anarchists but we do clean up nice. I want to thank every single person in this building.

“And my sister Dorothy. I love you, Dot. And I especially want to thank my clan, Joel and Pedro "McCoen". These two stalwart individuals were well-raised by their feminist mothers. They value themselves, each other and those around them. I know you are proud of me and that fills me with everlasting joy.

“And now I want to get some perspective. If I may be so honoured to have all the female nominees in every category stand with me in this room tonight, the actors - Meryl, if you do it, everybody else will, c'mon - the filmmakers, the producers, the directors, the writers, the cinematographer, the composers, the songwriters, the designers. C'mon!

“Okay, look around everybody. Look around, ladies and gentlemen, because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed.

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“Don't talk to us about it at the parties tonight. Invite us into your office in a couple days, or you can come to ours, whatever suits you best, and we'll tell you all about them.

“I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: inclusion rider”.

For all the details on what went down at this year's Oscars ceremony visit here. You can also check out the winners in full here.

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