What a long, strange ride it’s been. For almost five months we have followed along as Lady Gaga put on the performance of a lifetime, starring in the role of Woman Who Will Do Anything for an Oscar. Wednesday night was Gaga’s last show, and she went out with a bang.

The House of Gucci star attended the New York Film Critics Circle gala to collect her award for best actress, her only major win of the season, two weeks ahead of the Oscars, where she will not be a nominee. In her 13-minute speech, Gaga showed us what we have been missing by not giving her more chances to get up on a stage and talk about how incredible it is to be an Italian girl from New York.