At last night’s Academy Awards Emma Stone won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in "La La Land." With the award, she also becomes the first Arizona native to win an Oscar for acting.
Stone grew up in Scottsdale and was active at Valley Youth Theater in Phoenix.
After attending high school for a short time in the Valley, Stone moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career as an actor.
As Stone sat in her chair at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood waiting to hear if she won the Oscar for Best Actress in "La La Land," another crowd was on its feet here in Phoenix at the Valley Youth Theater. Stone started her acting career there under Director Bobb Cooper.
“We had a big Oscar viewing party last night in her honor," Cooper said. “My heart started thumping and when they read her name. Huh … it brought me to tears.”
Stone first walked into his theater at age 11, performing more than 20 productions.
“We had spent an incredible amount of time, I mean hours and hours and hours, doing shows and rehearsals,” Cooper said.
When Stone took off for Hollywood, she stayed in touch with her first director.
Which explains why, after thanking her family, Stone said, “Thank you, Bobb Cooper!”
Remembering all of her hard work at the Valley Youth Theater.
