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Toronto producer J. Miles Dale on his Oscar win — and spoiled speech

Toronto producer J. Miles Dale says he feels "ecstatic" about his best picture Oscar win and harbours no ill feelings after his speech was spoiled by play-off music.

Dale won an Oscar Sunday for producing The Shape of Water with famed director Guillermo del Toro

Victoria Ahearn · The Canadian Press ·
Toronto producer J. Miles Dale says he's 'ecstatic' about his best picture Oscar win. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

Toronto producer J. Miles Dale says he feels "ecstatic" about his best picture Oscar win and harbours no ill feelings after his speech was spoiled by play-off music.

Dale won the Oscar on Sunday for producing The Shape of Water along with director Guillermo del Toro. After del Toro spoke onstage, Dale tried to say a few words but was drowned out by music and it seemed his moment was over, along with the entire show.

Dale was able to squeeze in some praise for del Toro after host Jimmy Kimmel approached him and asked what he wanted to say. 

"That's OK. Guillermo said most of it and someone thanked everybody — I know how they run out of time. I get it," Dale, 57, said in a phone interview with The Canadian Press after the show ended.

"I've said it to everybody that needs to hear it from me, so the other 220 million people don't matter."

It was the first Oscar win for Dale, who also worked with del Toro on the 2013 film Mama and the horror drama series The Strain.

Guillermo del Toro, left, and J. Miles Dale at the Oscars press room on Sunday. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/Associated Press)

Shape of Water wins big

The Shape of Water had a leading 13 Oscar nominations heading into the show and won four golden statuettes. Its other wins included best production design for Canadians Paul Austerberry, Jeffrey A. Melvin and Shane Vieau.

Meanwhile, del Toro won best director and Alexandre Desplat won best original score. 

Sally Hawkins stars in the film as a mute janitor in Baltimore who falls in love with an amphibian creature, played by Doug Jones, during the Cold War.
Sally Hawkins stars in The Shape of Water as a mute janitor in Baltimore who falls in love with an amphibian creature during the Cold War. (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

The film was shot in Hamilton and Toronto and had a largely Canadian crew.

"I'm ecstatic, euphoric, we're incredibly happy and proud and surprised and shocked off our feet," Dale said.

His other credits include the films Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, and TV's Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments.

'Watershed moment' for Toronto's film industry

Backstage after the show, he said it felt like "a watershed moment" for the Toronto film industry.

"We're very proud of the Canadian talent," Dale said.

"Thirty years ago when the business just started up there, the people up there began to learn from the best in the world and now they are some of the best in the world. So we were committed to using those people all across the board on the film and we think it's a great moment for Canadian filmmaking."

Del Toro echoed his thoughts backstage.

"I've been there working for more than half a decade continuously and we wanted to show the talent ... and make it something where you don't use a rebate and escape, you know, you go to use the talent, you go to have the artistry." 
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