Alumna Amy Madigan wins Oscar for best supporting actress

Marquette alumna Amy Madigan, Arts '72, won her first Academy Award on Sunday, March 15, earning the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role as Aunt Gladys in "Weapons."

Madigan received the honor 40 years after her first Oscar nomination for her role as Sunny Sobel in "Twice in a Lifetime." When asked what felt different in this awards cycle, she offered a straightforward answer as part of her speech.

"What's different is that I got this little gold guy," Madigan said with a laugh.

Madigan's character, Aunt Gladys, is a mysterious and eccentric figure at the center of "Weapons," a horror movie built around a community reeling after all but one child from the same classroom vanishes on the same night at the same time.

She was selected from a nomination group that included Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas from "Sentimental Value," Wunmi Mosaku from "Sinners," and Teyana Taylor from "One Battle After Another."

Madigan's four-decade career includes roles in "Uncle Buck," "Field of Dreams," "Gone Baby Gone" and "Streets of Fire." She set an Oscars record for the longest gap between nominations, serving as the lone representative from "Weapons" on the ballot.