The most inspirational story I’ve ever heard

I’m not kidding about that title, either. “Inspiration”—where to get it, where it comes from, where people go to find it—it’s an eternal question. How do you effectively end creative block? Books are written on it all the time. It’s the subject of tons of blog posts. I even wrote about it recently, too. And while that was truly an inspirational story, it’s not the most inspirational story I’ve ever heard.

That actually comes from Ron Howard, uber-producer of multi-million dollar films like The Da Vinci Code, the 24 mini-series with everyone’s favorite Jack Bauer, and A Beautiful Mind. He always works with Brian Grazer. He’s an actor, too.

Anyway, the story is about when Apollo 13 came out. He knew the movie they made was a good one, but as it turned out, got really good reviews and made more money than they’d ever expected. So he felt like he won twice (good movie, the public actually agreeing). And then when the Academy Award nominations came out and it had been nominated for Best Picture, he kind of freaked out a little bit. They had won twice, and now they could actually lose. He began to get real worked up about winning.

As it turns out, the closer they got to the actual awards, Vegas is all saying Apollo 13 is going to take the prize for Best Picture. He starts to freak out even more. In his words:

Now I’m getting really nervous, thinking I’m going to have to talk at the Oscars. I write a speech that’s a testament to this director who was overlooked. I’m excited to do it, and I go to a deeply sentimental place.

Early in the show, we start winning in the editing categories. Ron is sitting next to me on one side, and Jim Lovell [in the middle of the picture in this post], the astronaut played by Tom Hanks, is on the other. We get to Best Picture and Sidney Poitier is reading the nominees. Then he’s opening the envelope and announcing the Best Picture and a ‘b’ is rolling off his lips. I have now granulated every single movement and intonation that Sidney Poitier is making, and I’m kind of moving out of my seat thinking he’s going to say ‘Brian Grazer.’ Because in my brain I had so transported myself.

And the ‘b’ becomes Braveheart.

Before I can internalize the tremendous disappointment, Jim Lovell grabs me very hard on the wrist and says, ‘I never made it to the moon, either.’”

Side note: Jim Lovell is actually the guy who said the phrase, “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” Notice it’s often misquoted as, “Houston, we have a problem.”

Soundtrack to this Post

Only the most inspirational song ever.

Bill Conti—Gonna Fly Now