Joaquin Phoenix's exciting speech about equality and with references to his brother, River Phoenix

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Joaquin Phoenix opens as "Joker" 1:25

(CNN) - Joaquin Phoenix may have won his first Oscar for his role in "Joker", but the actor took his time to draw attention to serious causes.

Phoenix won the best actor award and is the second actor to win an Oscar for playing the comic villain. In his speech, he launched a message of unity, saying that whatever the cause defended by anyone - be it gender inequality, racism or animal rights - "we are talking about the fight against injustice."

"We are talking about the fight against the idea that a nation, a people, a race, a gender or a species have the right to dominate, control and use and exploit another with impunity," he said.

Joaquin Phoenix

He also said he hoped that others would be granted what he had been given before: an opportunity to be better.

“I have been a scoundrel in my life. I have been selfish. I have been cruel at times, difficult at work, and I am grateful that many of you in this room have given me a second chance, ”he said. “And I think that is when we are at our best, when we support each other. Not when we cancel our past mistakes, but when we help each other grow, when we educate each other, when we guide each other towards redemption. That is the best of humanity. ”

He concluded by quoting with emotion the lyrics of a song written by his late brother, River Phoenix, when he was 17: "Run to the rescue with love and peace will follow you."

"We are all a nation, a species, an element, and nobody has the right to use their strength, their power, to oppress others" - Joaquin Phoenix #Oscars
pic.twitter.com/weFE5HTU16

- Lau⁷ 🇨🇴 (@bangtankarma) February 10, 2020

The first person to win an Oscar for playing the character of Joker was Heath Ledger, who won it posthumously in 2009 for his role in "The Dark Knight."

This is the second time that two actors win an Oscar for playing the same character.

In 1972, Marlon Brando won the Oscar for best actor for playing Vito Coreleone. Two years later, Robert De Niro won the award for best supporting actor for playing a younger version of the same character.

In 2005, Phoenix and Ledger competed with each other in the best actor category for their roles in "Walk the Line" and "Brokeback Mountain," respectively. They lost that year to the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won by "Capote."

The prize is the first Oscar of Phoenix. He was previously nominated for "The Master," "Walk the Line" and "Gladiator."

Joaquin Phoenix Oscar 2020