Casey Affleck's Oscar 2017 Acceptance Speech

At the 89th Academy Awards, Brie Larson announced Casey Affleck as the 2017 Oscar winner for Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. This was the first Oscar win for Affleck. The actor was previously nominated for an Oscar in 2007 for his performance in THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD. Affleck, younger brother of Ben Affleck, got choked up as he accepted his award and paid tribute to fellow Actor in a Leading Role nominee Denzel Washington saying, "One of the first people who taught me how to act was Denzel Washington, and I just met him tonight for the first time. Thank you."  Read the full transcript of Casey Affleck's Oscar acceptance speech below: 

Casey Affleck's speech transcript:

"That means so much to me thank you. One of the first people who taught me how to act was Denzel Washington and I just met him for the first time tonight – thank you. And to all the other nominees who did great work, I'm proud to be in your company. You guys are very brave and I admire what you do. And I'm only here really because of the talents and good will of so many people that are impossible to name, but most of all Kenneth Lonergan, who made this part and without this part and without his writing I wouldn't be here for sure. Man, I wish I had something bigger and more meaningful to say, but I'm really proud to be a part of this community and I look out at all of you and I have this whole year and I'm just dumbfounded that I'm included. It means a lot to me. Thank you also to Matt Damon for creating this opportunity {…} and to Patrick and Boomer and to so many people of course my mother and my father for mostly (usually) believing in me in doing this and {…} thank you all very much."

In MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, Casey Affleck plays Lee Chandler. When his beloved older brother dies, handyman Lee Chandler returns to his hometown, a close-knit fishing community in Massachusetts. There, Lee struggles to cope with his current grief and a tragedy from his past while also summoning the strength to comfort his teenage nephew, who has been left in his care.

See the full list of 2017 Oscar winners!