Experience The Controlled Chaos Behind Cuba Gooding Jr.'s 1997 Oscars Acceptance Speech

Experience The Controlled Chaos Behind Cuba Gooding Jr.'s 1997 Oscars Acceptance Speech

If you saw Cuba Gooding Jr. deliver his acceptance speech when he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1997, then you know what passion, dedication and excitement looks like. The "Jerry Maguire" actor's litany of thank-you's and I-love-you's was emotional, fast-paced and unstoppable.

But little did you know, things were just as exciting behind the scenes. Recently released footage of the ceremony shows what was going on in the stage production box while Gooding Jr. was giving his insanely enthusiastic and moving speech. The video shows just how much effort goes into getting a single person up onto the stage for an approximately one-minute speech.

At the end of the sequence, the lighting director shouts "What a fucking opening! Woo! Phenomenal!" Indeed.

See the clip above, as well as Gooding Jr.'s full speech without the cues, below.

Before You Go

Sandra Bullock

2014 Oscars Red Carpet

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