80th Academy Awards Backstage Quotes
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80th Oscar® News
Here are some the the comments made by the winners to those of us in the backstage press room:
They put me to rest. I don’t really have to do anything at all. I think the main thing I would say about feel about that idea is that, you know, more than anything else, it’s not because you need to undergo some kind of exorcism because the house is haunted when somebody says it’s time to go home. It’s more you’ve unleashed a curiosity that’s more or less insatiable. And therefore, in that moment, when the job’s done, that curiosity doesn’t just lie down and leave you alone. So it takes time, it takes time, because you, you know I know this might seem bizarre to you, but I actually was happy exploring Plainview’s life; therefore, I was reluctant to stop doing it. But, yeah, time, a little bit of time. And plus, life distracts you in the most wonderful way. – Best Actor winner Daniel Day-Lewis after being asked how he puts a character to rest
I don’t know. I mean, Philip Seymour Hoffman, for me, is one of the most amazing actors of all time. There’s no one moment of not truth in his performances. I go to the away, blown way with everything that he does. Hal Holbrook, I didn’t know his work prior to this, because I don’t live here. When I saw “Into the Wild,” I have a heart attack almost, and I almost have to leave the theatre in Toronto with the scene in the truck when he wants to adopt him. I said, “There’s no way that nothing can really go up” how can I say “beyond that performance.” That’s an amazing, intimate moment of a man, who is really putting away the mask and being really transferring in front of audience. Casey Affleck, the whole journey is a piece of jewellery, jewellery, like every piece on time in order to create a really a spectrum of a ghost. And Tom Wilkinson, I haven’t ever seen a madman so funny, crazy, dangerous, and the same time so heartbroken. So, I think it’s who should win? I don’t know. This is a lottery. I won. That doesn’t mean I am better than the other one, than the others, the rest at all, that’s for sure. – Javier Bardem praising his fellow nominees
Here’s the thing with that. I always thought it would be a silly movie because nobody would believe it. I have an unbelievable life story, and I think that I would have to write it. I don’t know anybody else that could. – Original screenplay winner Diablo Cody after being asked who should write her life story
When we were kids, we would get really excited, we’d watch the Oscars every year and she’d sit there and talk about what the people wear and what they said and how it was all a fix and she would go on about all these things. And it’s amazing for her to be here. And Bono, getting a text from Bono is the biggest thing that can happen to an Irishman and tonight…it was one of those moments, getting praise from the high chieftain of our culture. – Glen Hansard who won Best Original Song with partner Marketa Irglova, discusses his night
It was industrial material used by McDonald’s to thicken their milkshakes, and I’m not kidding. That’s actually true. – Achievement in Cinematography winner Robert Elswit explaining what he used to shoot realistic oil in There Will Be Blood
Well, there’s nothing to like or dislike about the business today for me because actually, I didn’t keep up with the business. I’m an absolute dummy with a computer. I have one, but I don’t really know how to use it. And I’ve come from the the old studio system with kind of hands on work and that was my background. And most of the films that people know about were done without benefit of computer generation. So, I can’t speak to what’s happening today so much, but I do think that I miss the community that we had then. People seemed to be working together more in those days. They are more separate these days, and that’s what I regret, is that the community we had seems to be getting more separate. – Honorary Oscar winner Robert Boyle
Well, there are so many actors and actresses. I’m a very, very big fan of Peter Sellers, I wanted to marry him when I was a child. And Meryl Streep, of course, she’s one of the greatest actresses ever. Daniel Day Lewis. Wow, wow, there are a lot of actors who are so inspiring. Cate Blanchett. I’m a very big fan of Toni Collette too. – Best Actress Marion Cotillard talks about influences
I really just had a reverse Zoolander moment when I think I heard someone else’s name and suddenly slowly heard my own. I’m still recovering from that moment, and I have absolutely no idea what happened after that. So, you know, you can tell me my dress fell off and I’d believe you, so don’t be cruel. – Supporting Actress winner Tilda Swinton describes the moment her name was called.
Well, it’s just a really great mix of unusual things at that moment in time. Chinatown was co existing with the Barbary Coast which was like the “wild west,” and at the same time on Nob Hill some of the wealthiest people in the country were up there. And this is all in a very small area, so it was very volatile, it was right at the edge of two centuries, so you had horses and cars existing simultaneously with electric lights and gas lights and there’s political intrigue, and it was just a very volatile mix of great things. And then you throw an earthquake in there, come on, that goes good with popcorn. – Animated Feature winner Brad Bird discussing an upcoming project about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
Everywhere. It’s very…it is a very eclectic look. I mean, as I said, I started with historical research, and by reading accounts of her ambassadors at court, she was very aware of her appearance, the power of her appearance, and she used that. And then the balance of the portraiture of the period, which is very symbolic, means that I wanted to reinterpret that such as it was relevant to an audience today as opposed to being historically over-accurate and therefore distracting. – Costume Design winner Alexandra Byrne discussing where she got her inspiration for her work on Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Special thanks to Freeman Formalwear for Ian Evans’ tuxedo.