LOS ANGELES -- Celebrities say the most interesting things, and a handful took advantage of Monday's Oscars to do just that, both backstage and before an audience of a billion.
Master of ceremonies Billy Crystal got the evening off to a irreverent start, noting a jury's $8.9 million breach-of-contract verdict against actress Kim Basinger, who purchased a small town in Georgia: 'I wouldn't want to live in that town; there's going to be a tax hike.'
Clint Eastwood, upon receiving the first of two Oscars for directing 'Unforgiven': 'This is pretty good. This is all right.'
Eastwood, who first gained fame in the 1970s for a string of westerns, took a moment backstage to reflect on his failure to garner a single Oscar nomination in 39 years: 'It's easy to look down on the earlier work because some of it probably deserved to be looked down upon.'
Best supporting actor choice Gene Hackman on why he almost turned down the role of the villainous sheriff in 'Unforgiven': I thought it was too violent when I first read it. I had read it years before when Francis Coppola was going to do it. He's done a couple of films that were fairly explicit. It felt too violent. I didn't really see what Clint Eastwood saw in it at that time.'
Al Pacino has garnered -- and lost -- seven Oscar nominations, a reality he was well aware of when he accepted his first Oscar for his role in 'Scent of a Woman': 'You broke my streak.'
Neil Jordan, explaining why he was late picking up his Oscar for best original screenplay for 'The Crying Game': 'Sorry, I didn't know these nominations were coming up. I was in the bathroom when I heard it. '
Newcomer Marisa Tomei, reacting to her victory at best supporting actress over four established actresses: 'I almost tripped (on stage). Yes I was surprised.'
French filmmaker Regis Warnier, director of 'Indochine' voted best foreign film: 'I've been a moviegoer since the age of ten, so tonight I want to thank... the heroes of my youth. I mean Richard Widmark, Gregory Peck, Dorothy Malone, Linda Darnell, Stewart Granger. Because they made me dream that some day I would be a movie-maker.'
Emma Thompson, among the surest bets of the night, accepting her first Oscar for best actress in 'Howard's End': 'I really don't know how to thank the Academy, not only for this, but for this view, because it's overwhelming to see so many faces who have entertained and influenced me and thrilled me all my life. It just takes my breath away. '
Sean Ferrer, accepting the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award on behalf of his mother, the late actress Audrey Hepburn: 'She believed every child has the right to health, to hope, to tenderness and to life. On her behalf, I dedicate this to the children of the world.'
Fredrico Fellini after being handed the honorary Oscar from Sophia Loren: 'I would like to have the voice of Domingo to say a long, long thanks. I really did not expect it. Perhaps I did. But not before another 25 years.'
