Joaquin Phoenix calls out 'injustices in the world' during Oscar acceptance speech

During his acceptance speech for Best Actor at the 92nd Academy Awards, Joaquin Phoenix used the platform to call out all the injustices in the world.

Phoenix also said that he himself has been cruel and selfish at times, and this speech by the actor drew him a standing ovation across the Dolby Theatre. The actor also got teary-eyed towards the end as he spoke about a lyric his brother wrote.

The actor said: "When he was 17, my brother wrote this lyric. It said, 'Run to the rescue with love, and peace will follow".

"We have to continue to use our voice for the voiceless. I've been thinking a lot about some of the distressing issues that we are facing collectively. I think at times we feel or were made to feel, that we champion different causes, but for me, I see the commonality. I think, whether we're talking about gender inequality or racism or queer rights or indigenous rights or animal rights, we're talking about the fight against injustice," the Hollywood Reporter quoted Phoenix as saying.

 

"We're talking about the fight against the belief that one nation, one people, one race, one gender or one species has the right to dominate, control and use and exploit another with impunity. I think that we've become very disconnected from the natural world, and many of us, what we're guilty of is an egocentric worldview -- the belief that we're the center of the universe," he added.

The 45-year-old also called out the human race for just thinking about themselves, and not looking at the greater good. He said that the time has come for everyone to work towards their potential.

"We go into the natural world, and we plunder it for its resources. We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow, and when she gives birth, we steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable. Then, we take her milk, that's intended for her calf, and we put it in our coffee and our cereal, and I think we fear the idea of personal change because we think that we have to sacrifice something to give something up," Phoenix said.

"But human beings, at our best, are so inventive and creative and ingenious, and I think that when we use love and compassion as our guiding principles, we can create, develop and implement systems of change that are beneficial to all sentient beings and to the environment. I've been cruel at times, hard to work with and ungrateful, but so many of you in this room have given me a second chance. And I think that's when we're at our best, when we support each other, not when we cancel each other out for past mistakes," he added.

At the 92nd Academy Awards, Joker managed to win two accolades, one was received by Phoenix while the other went to Hildur Gudnadottir for Best Original Score.

'Parasite' was the big winner at the ceremony as the South Korean drama bagged four awards--Best Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film.