When you really love what you do, you will wait for the right time to win an Oscar. And for sound engineer Kevin O’Connell, the 21st time is the charm.
The fellow from Long Island in New York had finally won an Oscar after a 20-time losing streak with the Second World War movie Hacksaw Ridge.
Previously, he had worked sound mixing for high-profile movies like Top Gun, A Few Good Men, Twister, Spider-Man, and Transformers, but lost 20 times in every Oscar nomination. His first nomination was in 1983 for Terms of Endearment; and prior to Hacksaw Ridge, his last Oscar nomination was in 2007.
O’Connell finally went up the stage at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, California to receive his Oscar at 59 years old.
Winning the Oscar after his 21st try only means that he has beaten himself in getting the record for most nominations without a win.
Upon receiving the award, O’Connell acknowledged his wife and two sons in the audience, as well as director Mel Gibson. Moreover, he thanked his late mother Skippy O’Connell who gave him his first job in sound 39 years ago.
It was a dream come true for Skippy O’Connell to have her son win the award. She had asked Kevin to work hard, someday win an Oscar and thank her from the stage in front of the world.
“Mom, I know you’re looking down on me tonight,” O’Connell said. “So thank you.”
An overwhelmed O’Connell said backstage, “I can’t even tell you the experience that it was for me. As much as I thought I knew what it was going to feel like, I didn’t. It’s the greatest feeling I’ve had in my entire life.”
Source: Dailymail UK
