Amy Madigan Rises
- May 6
- 2 min read
By Seth Voorhees
When I think of legacy, I think of a person who, through their actions, can have a long-lasting impact that carries on.
This year, I was more interested in the Academy Awards than at any time in recent memory. Partly because, as a fan of horror, this year was the best year for the genre. Historically, the Oscars have looked down on horror, never taken it seriously, and have given only a few sprinkles of recognition over the years. Best Picture, The Silence Of The Lambs (1991), The Shape of Water (2017), and Parasite (2019). Other recognitions: Get Out (2017): Best Original Screenplay, Black Swan (2010): Best Actress (Natalie Portman), Misery (1990): Best Actress (Kathy Bates), The Exorcist (1973): Best Adapted Screenplay, Sound, Rosemarys Baby (1968): Best Supporting Actress (Ruth Gordon), Bram Stokers Dracula (1992): Best Costume Design, Makeup, Sound Effects Editing, An American Werewolf in London (1981): Best Makeup, Aliens (1986): Best Visual Effects, Sound Editing, The Fly (1986): Best Makeup, The Omen (1976): Best Original Song Score, and The Substance (2024): Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
This year for Horror, three movies were recognized: Frankenstein, Sinners, and Weapons. To recap, out of the nine nominations, Frankenstein won three: Best costume design, Best makeup and hairstyling, and Best production design.
Sinners was nominated for twelve and won four: Best actor (Michael B. Jordan deserved it hands down), Best original screenplay, Best cinematography, and Best original score. Weapons was nominated for one and won: Best Supporting Actress (Amy Madigan) All great victories, and congratulations.
To me, though, the losses were just as significant and not surprising, because they still showed that the Academy is not sold on Horror.
Among all the victories, there was one that I believed captured the hearts of most horror fans. That was Amy Madigan winning Best Supporting Actress for her role in Weapons. A victory well deserved. It was her first win, coming 40 years after she was nominated in 1986 for her role in Twice in a Lifetime. With her win, she also became the first woman to win an Oscar for playing a villain.
Like most millennials, my first real introduction to her was for her role as Annie Kinsella, wife of Ray Kinsella (played by Kevin Costner) in Field of Dreams. A wonderful role that she performed beautifully.
It was great watching her accept her award. The way the audience reacted showed you their pure love and pride for her. Listening to her speech, you could hear the humility and gratitude.
Also, I appreciated that her speech had no politics, no agenda, nothing but joy and acceptance, the way a speech should be. She kept it focused on those who supported her journey, including her husband.
She was already loved and adored, and respected, and now, as a true horror fan, the horror community has another reason to love her. It begs the question: did she open the door that will lead the genre to be taken seriously? The horror community certainly appreciates and thanks her for bringing our genre more credibility. I cannot wait to see what she does next to build on an already wonderful legacy.
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