Michael Keaton Recognizes Pittsburgh Roots in Golden Globe Speech
It was Keaton’s first Golden Globe win and keeps him in the forefront for a possible Academy Award.
In an evening full of powerful, emotional and sweaty (the air conditioning was inexplicably turned off) speeches, Forest Grove, Pa.’s own Michael Keaton may have delivered the best.
Yes, Forest Grove — a neighborhood in Robinson Township — got a shout-out as Keaton accepted the Golden Globe for best actor in a musical or comedy for “Birdman.”
“In the household in which I was raised, the themes were pretty simple,” Keaton said. “Work hard, don’t quit, be appreciative, be thankful, be grateful, be respectful. Also to never whine, ever. Never complain. And always, for cryin’ out loud, keep a sense of humor.
“My name is Michael John Douglas; I’m from Forest Grove, Pa. I’m the seventh child of George and Leona Douglas and I don’t ever remember a time when my father didn’t work two jobs. When my mother wasn’t saying the rosary or going to mass or trying to take care of seven kids in a run-down farmhouse, she was volunteering at Ohio Valley Hospital — where I was born in the hallway.”
Keaton went on to thank friends and family, including an emotional appreciation of his “kind, intelligent, funny, talented, considerate, thoughtful” son, Sean.
The win for Keaton keeps him at the forefront of the race for the best actor Academy Award, but it’s still going to be a fight. Eddie Redmayne, who played Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything,” picked up the Golden Globe for best actor in a drama; Redmayne is seen as Keaton’s chief competition, with David Oyelowo of “Selma” and Benedict Cumberbatch of “The Imitation Game” still in the race as well. As for “Birdman” itself, it fell to “The Grand Budapest Hotel” for the best comedy or musical Globe, a bad (but not fatal) sign for the comedy’s chances at Oscar’s top prize.
Oscar nominations will be announced Thursday morning; until then, PM would like to congratulate Keaton. Here’s hoping we’ll get another chance to do so next month.
