In 2015, “Boyhood” star Patricia Arquette used most of her Oscars supporting actress speech to demand equal wages for women. But political speeches are consistently few and far between. Despite complaints from certain quarters, awards shows, particularly the Oscars, rarely have more than one or two truly political moments. Even now, the most notable examples of political speeches, the ones that are always mentioned, are from the freaking ‘70s. Which certainly obliterates the idea that the Oscars have grown more political and undermines the argument that it is a Big Problem.

Source: Los Angeles Times March 13, 2026 16:00 UTC