POLL - VOTE: Who was the Oscars' most gracious loser?
Our Oscar's Sorest Losers Poll (click here) got 2,700 votes, plus lots of media attention worlwide. Now it's time for us to prove that we're not really so sore and grouchy around here at TheEnvelope.com. So I asked my Oscarologist pal Tariq Khan to give us his list of Oscars' 10 Most Gracious Losers Since 1990 to offset his list of sorest losers that we used as the basis of our first poll.
Below is his rundown, but he's not the last word! We want YOU to vote in our new poll. What follows are Tariq's words:
1.) Holly Hunter, best supporting actress nominee of 1993 for "The Firm" — losing to Anna Paquin for "The Piano." Hunter was a rare double nominee that year (also up for lead actress for "The Piano.") She was considered a virtual lock in the lead category, and with the supporting category so fuzzy that year, there was serious speculation that she might actually walk away with BOTH statues. But judging from her reaction, she didn't seem to want both awards. As Gene Hackman finished reading the names of all five nominees in the supporting slot, the camera showed close-ups of both Hunter and Paquin. The two "Piano" co-stars were actually seated 
side by side, which is rather unusual for two competitors. Hunter looked down at Paquin, looked up at Hackman, looked down at Paquin again with a slightly mischievous smile, then looked up at Hackman as he prepared to read the name. When Hackman announced Paquin as the winner, Hunter raised her arms and cheered. (Paquin, as you may recall, was in a state of utter shock.) Hunter clapped wildly and turned to see the reactions of "The Piano" director and producer a few rows behind her, while Paquin made her way to the podium. The question I would love to ask Hunter is if she voted for herself twice, or if she opted to mark Paquin's name in the supporting category. Judging by her exhilaration at Paquin's win, I think that she voted for her co-star. (The two reportedly became very close during the making of the film.) But everyone else tells me that Hunter surely voted for herself twice. Can someone please ask Hunter and get me the answer?
2.) Judi Dench, best actress nominee of 1997 for "Mrs. Brown" — losing to Helen Hunt for "As Good As It Gets." It was Dench's first of six nominations, and surely the veteran British stage actress must have wanted to walk out in protest when she lost to the "Mad About You" TV actress. But Dench smiled and applauded as if to agree with Academy's choice. At least Hunt went on stage and immediately said that the first time she saw "Mrs. Brown" she expected Dench to win an Academy Award. You weren't the only one, Helen.
3.) Meryl Streep, best actress nominee of 1995 for "The Bridges of Madison County" — losing to Susan Sarandon for "Dead Man Walking." It was the second time the two usuals-uspect nominees competed against each other (the first was in 1981 when Sarandon was up for "Atlantic City" and Streep was nominated for "The French Lieutenant's Women.") When Tom Hanks read Sarandon's name, Streep nearly jumped for joy, as if to say "Finally!" Of course, it was Sarandon's fourth nomination in five years without a win, so how could anyone be unhappy?
4.) Tom Cruise, best supporting actor nominee of 1999 for "Magnolia" — losing to Michael Caine for "The Cider House Rules." Two-time best actor loser Cruise thought he had a chance competing in the supporting category this time, and after his Golden Globe win, he probably did. But he still managed to flash that famous smile without any hint of disappointment when Judi Dench read Michael Caine's name. At least Caine said in his acceptance speech, "Tom, if you had won this, your price would have gone down so fast. Do you have any idea what supporting actors get paid?"
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5.) Julianne Moore, best actress nominee of 2002 for "Far From Heaven" — losing to Nicole Kidman for "The Hours." OK, so this is one where Tom O'Neil and I both agree that Ms. Moore was completely robbed of the Oscar that she so deserved. You may recall that Moore was a double nominee that year. When her performance in "The Hours" lost the supporting race to Catherine Zeta-Jones in "Chicago," Moore must have thought that meant Oscar voters were saving their praise for her by naming her best actress later in the show. But Denzel Washington declared Kidman the winner "by a nose," knowing that the final tally must have been extremely close. For the second time of the night, Moore graciously applauded and grinned at her "Hours" co-star, who won a lead Oscar with less screentime than Moore's supporting role in the same film. Kidman didn't even bother to acknowledge Moore in her acceptance speech. Don't worry, Julianne — your time will come one day!
6.) Anjelica Huston, best actress nominee of 1990 for "The Grifters" — losing to Kathy Bates for "Misery." This was so bittersweet. Huston was considered the favorite, but presenter Daniel Day-Lewis revealed Bates the winner (Huston and veteran Joanne Woodward, nominated for "Mr. And Mrs. Bridge," probably split the vote.) On the way to the podium, Bates walked past Huston and reached out to shake her hand. Huston actually had the class to reach out and offer the winner a kiss.
7.) Queen Latifah, best supporting actress nominee of 2002 for "Chicago" — losing to Catherine Zeta-Jones for "Chicago." OK, so Latifah had absolutely no chance of winning. But she seemed genuinely thrilled for her co-star's win, and mouthed a big "Yeah!" as the nearby Zeta-Jones rose to accept the award. Just out of curiosity, how many votes do you think Latifah received?
8.) Shohreh Aghdashloo, best supporting actress nominee of 2003 for "House of Sand and Fog" — losing to Renee Zellweger for "Cold Mountain." This particular race had turned into the nastiest of that year, with Dreamworks trade paper ads touting critics' predictions that Zellweger "would win" but that Aghdashloo "should win." Still, Aghdashloo was all smiles when Chris Cooper called our Zellweger's name. Zellweger in turn acknowledged all of her fellow nominees, including Aghdashloo.
9.) Felicity Huffman, best actress nominee of 2005 for "Transamerica" — losing to Reese Witherspoon for "Walk the Line." Yet another case where Tom O'Neil and I both agreed that the Oscar police should have been called for robbery! But Huffman applauded with approval when Jamie Foxx read Witherspoon's name, seeming like anything but a housewife desperate for Oscar.
10. Gloria Stuart, best supporting actress nominee of 1997 for "Titanic" — losing to Kim Basinger for "L.A. Confidential." Would it have killed the Oscar voters to give this lovely old lady the trophy, especially after they denied it to Lauren Bacall a year earlier? Still, Stuart maintained her composure when Cuba Gooding, Jr. named a surprised Basinger the winner. (But wouldn't it have been so sweet to see Stuart take the stage?)
Wouldn't it have been sweet to see Gloria Stuart win?? NO! She stunk up every scene she was in! Stuart's name belongs on one of the other lists I just read about nominee fillers.
I don't think Basinger deserved it either. One lousy actress over another.
Any one of the other three nominees should have taken home the Oscar over Basinger (or God forbid, Stuart). Julianne Moore in BOOGIE NIGHTS?! Come on people. No contest. A win for Joan Cusack for IN & OUT or MInnie Driver for GOOD WILL HUNTING also would have worked for me.
Posted by: Scott3843 | January 17, 2008 at 05:08 AM
The best gracious-loser moment precedes this poll, in 1986, when F. Murray Abraham presented Best Actress, opened the envelope, and exclaimed that he considered the winner the greatest actress in the world. Whoopi looked bemused, Bancroft looked bored, Lange whispered "Geraldine Page" to Sam Shepard. Streep? Already on her feet starting the standing ovation for Page. Class, class, class.
Posted by: dorothy | December 09, 2007 at 10:00 PM
Gracious lost:
Meryl to Cher
Meryl to Susan
Meryl to Gwyneth ( I was the other way round)
Meryl to Hilary
and the classiest one of all...........
Angelica to Kathy
Anyone remembered how bitter Tom Hanks was, when he lost out to Russell Crowe? I mean, he had already won TWO LEAD ACTOR Oscars.......and he wants more? What makes he think that he deserves to be up there alongside Jack? He was just lucky that Paul Newman had already won his for THE COLOR OF MONEY. If Mr. Newman was still oscar-less in 1995, he would have strike gold, and deservedly so, as NOBODY'S FOOL is truly his career best! And was luckier that Anthony Hopkins had won an Oscar earlier, even though the latter's perf in THE REMAINS OF THE DAY is better than his winning perf in LAMBS. Some people!
Oh yeah I almost forgot.
Peter Fonda graciously applauded, smiling widely when Jack was declared Best Actor.
Posted by: Kamal S | December 09, 2007 at 06:36 PM
Also, I think you were a little bit fuzzy on the "by a nose" comment made by Denzel Washington when he read out Kidman's name. It wasn't because he knew the details of the vote or believed he did. It was a joke. The big gimmick surrounding Nicole's performance was her fake nose. "BY A NOSE" ... Ha Ha Ha ... Funny. No?
Posted by: Oscar19_Aus | December 09, 2007 at 05:28 PM
Cate Blanchett losing to Jennifer Hudson. She actually said during an interview she thought that Hudson was going to win and she said she should win. What's funny is that not only was she nominated but her 2 Babel co-stars as well.
Jackie Earle Haley losing to Alan Arkin. Haley was maybe the first acting nominee that I've ever seen that was happy just to be there and "its and honor just to be nominated."
Posted by: Mike B. | December 09, 2007 at 04:50 PM
One of the most memorable moments of Oscar-loser graciousness came when Denzel won for Training Day. Will Smith wasn't even there - he left early because his son was feeling sick - but he just seemed so happy to be at the show up until that point, and honestly so happy for Denzel. Also, I thought Leo was legitimately happy for Forrest Whitaker last year.
Posted by: Zach | December 09, 2007 at 03:41 PM
Just a tiny correction. When Denzel Washington announced Nicole Kidman as the winner for "The Hours" (2002), his comment "by a nose" was more likely a reference to the fake nose Kidman wore when she played Virginia Woolf.
Posted by: stageman2 | December 09, 2007 at 03:23 PM
It seems to be easier to be gracious when you already have an Oscar (or two), as Streep, Binoche, and Huston all did. Holly Hunter, one of two double nominees that year (the other was Emma Thompson), was such a shoo-in for Actress that she could afford to be gracious to an 11-year old who won for playing her daughter. She also knew that Paquin's unexpected win sealed hers.
It/s nice when "losers" are seen congratulating winners, as Michael Caine could be seen doing in '03 when Adrian Brody won, and as Robert Altman did, shaking Clint Eastwood's hand on the latter's way to pick up his first Best Director prize, in 1993.
Posted by: Dennis Bee | December 09, 2007 at 12:51 PM
Meryl Streep will applaud anyone who beats her at these things simpy because is just about the classiest act around. She is also among the greatest actresses who have ever graced the screen and the fact that she has only 2 Oscars after giving so many great performances is just embarassing for the Academy. Add in the fact that she last won for Sophie's Choice 25 years ago and her other was a supporting actress award won even longer ago and you are witnessing one of Oscar's biggest failures up there with the measly 2 Oscars for Bette Davis with one not being deserved (Dangerous) and the last one being given to her in 1938 while overlooking all of her greatest work in the 1940's ending with All About Eve in 1950. Let's hope the Academy doesn't treat the great Streep as poorly as they did the great Davis.
Posted by: Bill B. | December 09, 2007 at 10:55 AM
Holly Hunter obviously took her loss the best, and she looked genuinely thrilled for Paquin when she won, but we have to remember that she was the odds-on to win for Best Actress, so why wouldn't she look happy that her co-star won an award she didn't really need?
Tom Cruise, on the other hand, was the favorite in a close-race in 1999, and could easily have done an Eddie Murphy after losing and walked out, but he took it great. I remember watching that show when it was on and my respect level for Cruise went up a notch.
Posted by: The Jack | December 09, 2007 at 09:39 AM
For me, the ultimate display of graciousness in defeat was in 2001, when Juliette Binoche lost best actress to Julia Roberts. Of course, Roberts was a slam-dunk that year and everyone else had zero chance, but in one of her red-carpet interviews before the ceremony, Binoche was classy enough to say that she actually wanted Roberts to win, "because she deserves it more than me". You won't find many actors willing to say that!
Btw, there's a bit of wonky Oscarology in this article... I don't think any pundits thought Hunter would be a double winner in 1994. And Julianne Moore must have known she had virtually no chance of winning lead actress in 2003 (deserving as she was.) It was a horse-race between Kidman and Renee Zellweger.
Would it have killed the voters to give Gloria Stuart the trophy, you ask? Probably not, but it would have killed me. People don't get given Oscars for being old and sweet. Basinger gave the better performance in a much better film - isn't that what the Oscars should be about?
Posted by: Rob | December 09, 2007 at 02:48 AM
To go alongside Meryl for 'Bridges' you should try and remember Meryl for 'Ironweed'. When Meryl lost out to Cher for 'Moonstruck' she too jumped up and looked around to see her and was clearly very excited for her 'Silkwood' costar.
Posted by: Glenn@StalePopcorn | December 08, 2007 at 06:23 PM