Saturday, November 23, 2024

Exclusive: Will Smith’s Oscar Acceptance Speech Lifted “River to My People” Line from “Lawrence of Arabia”

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Will Smith’s tearful Oscar acceptance speech — his tears were like a river. And Will said in the speech he was being called upon to be “river to my people.”

Yes, well, Anthony Quinn said the exact same thing in “Lawrence of Arabia.” The French Prince lifted that line without attribution. Sharp eared spies in Hollywood alerted me to the simularities.

The speech is so tedious and self serving who knows where else it comes from? And it was clearly written for Will between the slap and the opening of the envelope.

line comes in at 2:07

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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