Reese Witherspoon may have been behind the scenes, but she was still putting on a show.
On the heels of her Golden Globe win for Big Little Lies, the acclaimed actress stepped backstage at the 2018 Golden Globes to take questions from the press with the rest of the cast and show team. Following a question about the show's director change for Season 2, a reporter wondered if Witherspoon had an impression of Oprah Winfrey that she could share.
"Do I have an Oprah impression?" the accomplished star asked the room before launching into the Cecil B. DeMille Award honoree's signature "You get a car" speech, except with a fitting adjustment to "You get a Golden Globe."
The brief performance sparked immediate laughter from those in the room.
The women's camaraderie took center stage Sunday night as Witherspoon poignantly introduced Winfrey before she was presented with the annual high honor. "I got to work with Oprah on our movie A Wrinkle in Time, where we spent four hours in the makeup trailer almost every day," the actress shared with the room of celebrated men and women. "Guys, if you can find a way to be stuck in a small space with Oprah for four hours, do it. It's like going to Wharton Business School combined with a spiritual retreat all in one. I learned everything from how to make the best English muffin to what it's like being the only woman as a board member at a huge company. And her hugs? OK, Oprah's hugs could end wars, solve world peace. It's like your oldest, dearest friend has just seen you after the longest journey of your life. It's that good."
"When I learned I'd get to introduce Oprah tonight, I began asking people, 'If you could say one thing to Oprah, what would you say?' And they all said different things, but every answer started the same: Tell her thank you. Tell her thank you for teaching us, for inspiring us, for encouraging us. Thank you for seeing us," she continued. "So, Oprah, thank you for your grace and your generosity and your wisdom. And thank you for your powerful contributions to the world of film and television. In this and everything you do, you've changed our lives."
Winfrey went on to give one of the standout speeches of the night as she powerfully paid tribute to the women who have silently suffered from racism, sexism, harassment and assault and forged on to provide for their families and survive.
As she brought the audience to its feet several times, Winfrey poignantly concluded by addressing young girls watching at that moment. As she assured, "I want all the girls watching here now to know that a new day is on the horizon and when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say "Me too" again."