Tinseltown Tribute

To celebrate Oprah's 20th anniversary, celebrities have been busy recording surprise messages of congratulations. Tom Hanks is up first!

"The first time I did The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1987, [I was] excited beyond compare," he recalls, "One of the first questions [from the audience] I received was the soul-searching, hard-bitten, straight in-your-face question: 'boxers or briefs?'

"[Oprah's] always been there, every afternoon or morning, as perennial as the air and as fresh as a cool breeze. Congratulations on 20 fabulous years, Oprah! You know what? You're good for television, you're good for America and you're good for the people of our world."

"Oprah, happy 20th anniversary!" says Gwyneth Paltrow. "One of my favorites [was] when I was on the show and Oprah surprised me with a [video message from] my mother [actress Blythe Danner]. There was a montage of photos from when I was little and it was so touching. It was just very thoughtful and it made me feel really good.

"Oprah, you are just an amazing woman and I wish you would run for president! I would vote for you and so would everybody else. We love you."

"Happy 20th anniversary, Oprah," congratulates Celine Dion. "I just want you to know how lucky I am that I know you, as an artist, as a friend. I love you very much—I am a big fan of yours. To count you as a friend of mine is something incredible. You're such an inspiration. I love you!

"When you went to Africa, it was something very touching knowing that a lot of those kids, they walked for two days and more than that without shoes to get to that party. It made such a difference in their lives, giving them hope and something to cuddle and something to bring back to their own soul and heart. Through your shows you've changed the perspective of the world, you've changed so many wonderful things. You give hope to people—that's tremendous, extraordinary.

"The show that I remember most was when you brought my whole family on the show. I was talking with you and you said, 'We have a surprise for you.' I turn around and my 13 brothers and sisters and both my parents appeared. You flew them in and that was an incredible moment for me and I'll never forget. I love you a lot—you stay well. Congratulations!"

"Oprah, happy 20th anniversary!" says Cameron Diaz. "I've been watching you since I could flip the channels myself...okay, I've been flipping them a little bit longer than that! I've been watching you and growing with you and becoming a better person because of you. Thank you for all of your wisdom, all of your knowledge, all of your grace—everything that you've given me and given to all women and to the country—and allowed us to see the world in a different way. Thank you so much and happy anniversary!"

"Hi Oprah! Congratulations on your 20 years—they're 20 years of work but they're also 20 years of things that you have given to so many people," says Uma Thurman. "I know this because I've watched you for probably as long. I used to run home from school and turn you on, and just go into the places that you explored. [This is] something that always has fascinated me: Who are we and why do we do what we do? The way you communicate with people and what you bring out in them has been something that's really enlightened me in my life. So thank you!"

"I just wanted to be one of many to say, 'Happy, happy 20th anniversary to you!'" says Sarah Jessica Parker. "I feel very privileged to have been your guest on more than one occasion. I hope for all of our sakes—please God—let there be 20 more! Many, many congratulations!"

"Hi Oprah! Congratulations on your 20th season," says Reese Witherspoon. "You're number one on my TiVo®, by the way! My favorite episode is—I think was the first Angel Network—where you gave the scholarships. I just sobbed! Usually I sob probably once a week watching your show.

"Also, after I had a baby, all you can do is just sit there and nurse the baby and watch Oprah! So thank you for all the hours of entertainment and thank you so much for having me as a guest!"

"Congratulations, Oprah, on 20 years of you being you!" says Queen Latifah. "Thank you for helping me quit smoking. You had a doctor on who showed what a healthy lung looked like and one with lung cancer looked like, and that was really the connection I needed to make to help me become strong enough to really work hard to put the pack down, which I have done successfully! So thank you for everything! God bless."

See more anniversary messages from Tom Cruise, Jennifer Aniston and more of your favorite celebrities.