Dependent on your personal philosophy and threshold for egomania Matthew Mcconaughey’s Oscar speech has been described as the best, and worst, acceptance speech ever. McConaughey took to the stage after finding out that he had won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club. He thanked the usual suspects, ‘all 6,000 members’ of the Academy, his co-stars Jared Leto (who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor) and Jennifer Garner, his director Jean-Marc Vallee and his wife and children.

matthew mcconaughey oscars speechMcConaughey also won the Screen Actors Guild award for Dallas Buyers Club

McConaughey then launched into an impressively structured monologue, explaining the three things that he needs to live his life: "One of them is something to look up to, another is something to look forward to and another is someone to chase." First on his list was his God, who he said "has graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or any other human hand" - apart from the screenwriter, casting director, director and any others involved in the production of the movie, and indeed any other movie McConaughey has starred in, including himself (surprisingly).

Matthew also sentimentally added that he looks up to his family, reminiscing about his late father, thanking his mother for teaching him to respect himself and in the process others, and his wife Camilla and their children, who he strives to always make proud. Matthew then turned to telling an anecdote about when he was 15 years old and someone he know had asked him who his hero was. After taking a couple of weeks to consider, Matthew decided that his hero was...*drum roll*...erm, himself. In ten years time.

Then ten years later when he realised he still wasn’t his own hero, he gave himself another ten years, and henceforth shall it always be until Matthew McConaughey finally feels sufficiently successful to finally be worthy of being his own idol. Sure, why not? We all need something to aspire to, why shouldn’t it be becoming your own hero?  Although it doesn’t hurt to acknowledge greatness in others sometimes, too.

Matthew McConaugheyMatthew McConaughey Thanked God, His Wife, Children, and the Academy

The speech ended with McConaughey once again addressing the three things: "So, to any of us, whatever those things are, whatever we look up to, whatever it is we look forward to and whoever it is we’re chasing - to that I say, alright, alright, alright. And then I say, just keep livin’.” “Alright, alright, alright” was a line made famous by the actor in his 1993 breakthrough role in the movie Dazed and Confused, and it seemed apt and humble of him to remember quite how far he has come in the 21 years since it’s release.

What did you make of Matthew McConaughey’s Oscars speech? Do you agree with the masses that it was an impassioned, well-composed piece?