Jared Leto’s MTV Movie Awards speech on AIDS

Photo: Jared Leto accepting his award for Best Transformation from Lupita Nyong’o at the MTV Movie Awards.

There were two noteworthy moments at last night’s MTV Movie Awards: first, Zac Efron having his shirt ripped off onstage as he accepted the award for Best Shirtless Moment from Rita Ora has given us the GIFS that mean this will be the least productive Monday of 2014. Secondly, Jared Leto’s poignant speech while accepting the award for Best Transformation.

Leto won for his role in the Dallas Buyers Club, beating co-star Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale for American Hustle, Elizabeth Banks for Catching Fire and Orlando Blood for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

“We’ve made a lot of progress in the battle against AIDS, but it’s not time to celebrate just yet,” Leto said during his speech. “There’s no cure; the epidemic rages on. But here’s to the hope that one day, we’ll put an end to this plague, and the world will rejoice, knowing that no one will ever have to suffer the indignation of this sickness again, nor the intolerance, the fear or the prejudice that lives alongside it. Love who you want to love, live how you wish to live, and never let anyone ever stop you from turning your dreams into your reality.”

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