Lady Gaga used her Oscar night triumph to deliver a heartfelt plea for more inclusive Hollywood award ceremonies.
Speaking with media backstage after winning the Music (Original Song) category for “Shallow” from “A Star Is Born,” the singer and actress was asked by an Australian journalist to send a message to her fans in Sydney, currently celebrating Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
“One of the hardest things in life is to be brave enough to be yourself,” she said. “I wish to everyone that is going to that celebration to feel a joy inside of them.”
Recalling the rehearsal process with “A Star Is Born” co-star and director Bradley Cooper for their much-buzzed-about performance, she added, “Turns out, joy did a whole lot for me.”
But the superstar, who lost the Best Actress Oscar to Olivia Colman in “The Favourite,” didn’t stop there.
After expressing her hope that revelers of “all sexual identities” found a reason to celebrate at Mardi Gras, she added, “I also have a true dream in our future, as we evolve as humanity, that these award shows will not be male and female, but that we include everyone.”
The comments came moments after Gaga delivered a moving acceptance speech thanking family, friends and fans for their support during “A Star Is Born” ― and the rest of her white-hot career.
“I have worked hard for a long time, and it is not about winning, but it’s about not giving up,” she said. “If you have a dream, fight for it. There’s a discipline for passion, and it’s not about how many times you get rejected or you fall down or you’re beaten up, it’s about how many times you stand up and are brave.”