I don’t what it is about that “Dallas Buyers” cast, but they proved to be pretty classy guys at last night’s Oscars. Lead actor winner Matthew McConaughey praised God for his first Oscar win – a breath of fresh air during a night in which He seemed to be all but forgotten. But, before McConaughey praised the Almighty, his costar Jared Leto also shared a beautiful message in his acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor.
Leto, like McConaughey, was a first time Oscar winner last night. As such, he took advantage of the opportunity to share his mom’s courageous story:
In 1971, Bossier City, Louisiana, there was a teenage girl who was pregnant with her second child. She was a high school dropout and a single mom, but somehow she manage to make a better life for herself and her children. She encouraged her kids to be creative, to work hard and to do something special. That girl is my mother and she’s here tonight. And I just want to say ‘I love you mom, thank you for teaching me to dream.’
I want to thank Jared Leto for using the Oscar stage to recognize and appreciate his mother’s life giving decision. She proved that even as a teenage, high school dropout, she could succeed as a mother. She had no idea her son would win an Oscar one day.
Does this not prove that every human life has potential? Even if it was not his intention(a quick Google search suggests the actor is pro-choice), I hope Leto’s speech will encourage other scared, young women out there who are debating what to do about their pregnancies, to give their unborn child a chance. Their son or daughter may thank them on stage one day.
Watch Leto's whole speech here: