Melissa told Oprah Winfrey that even though she was favored to win at the Oscars, she tricked herself to believe she wouldn’t.
“From all those years of going to auditions… [I learned to] leave and forget about it, she explained on The Oprah Winfrey Show. “I learned how to play a mind game with myself.”
But the trick worked a little too well, as Melissa’s complete shock also made her so flustered she made a mistake in her speech.
The Academy reports that Melissa was the first person in Oscar history to say the F-word during an acceptance speech!
“I find that shocking!” Melissa said. “I grew up with it as a part of my vernacular. I accepted it as that, I brought my son up that way… but I also told him, ‘Not in front of grandma!’ ”
Regardless of the F-bomb drop, Oprah says her Oscar is Melissa’s “I am worthy award,” which really made Melissa tear up!
Watch Melissa’s acceptance speech below!