Oscar Nominee Reactions

Sally Field (Supporting Actress) – “I’m spinning and beyond thrilled on so many levels. To be included in this amazing group of extraordinary craftsman and exquisite talents has been an honor in itself. But now for us all to receive so much recognition from the Academy I’m deeply appreciative and overwhelmed, and basically, I still can’t believe I got the role.”

Emmanuelle Riva, Amour:
“I am truly happy, touched, and honored to receive, today in New York, a nomination for the role of Anne in AMOUR by Michael Haneke. For me,  it is an immense gift, at this stage of my life, to be chosen by my sisters and brothers, for what I do as an actress. I never thought,  while working throughout the years in Europe and France, that one day, i would cross the Atlantic Ocean, come to the United States, and be nominated. It is quite surreal for me.  Shooting AMOUR with Michael Haneke was a complete joy for me, as I felt an absolute trust in him and we were in complete synch. Michael is the very music of his own film.”

Denzel Washington’s statement regarding his Best Actor Oscar nomination for Flight: ‘Flight’ was one of the most challenging roles I’ve ever had in my career, and it was an honor to be directed by Robert Zemeckis. It’s always nice to be asked back to the show, and it will be fun to share the evening with our nominated screenwriter John Gatins.”

Michael Haneke, Amour:
“I am very happy and gratified by the Oscar nominations that AMOUR has received today, and that the voting members of the Academy have taken the film so strongly to their hearts. It is fulfilling to discover that a film has found the audience and critical acclaim that AMOUR has garnered.  I have been very fortunate on both those fronts, but it is especially rewarding to discover that a film has found favor among one’s industry peers who know, in particular, the effort that goes into getting a film – any film – made.  I am also especially happy for all the people who made AMOUR with me.  It is a joyous occasion for us all.  Many thanks.”

 Steven Spielberg (Director/Producer) and Kathleen Kennedy (Producer) – “We are absolutely thrilled and astonished with the 12 nominations. It is such a tribute to the work of those who joined us in this 12-year journey to bring LINCOLN to the screen. We humbly thank the Academy members who honored so many of us.”

Tony Kushner (Adapted Screenplay) – “I’m tremendously honored to be a nominee in the company of so many writers and filmmakers whose work I admire. I’m very grateful to Steven and Kathy, to Daniel, Sally, Tommy Lee and the whole cast, to Rick, Joanna, Janusz, Mike and John and everyone who made Lincoln happen. I’m overwhelmed by the Academy’s response to the film. I heard that I’d been nominated while waiting to take off on a plane from JFK to LAX. James Gandolfini, who’s sitting in front of me, gave me a hug and a kiss, so I’m about as happy as can be. ”

Joanna Johnston (Costume Designer) – “I’m thrilled and honored to be nominated, it was an extraordinary experience with a remarkable team who are all part of this recognition. It is my first nomination and I’m so happy to be part of this unique body of talent.”

David Magee, Screenwriter Life of Pi:

“I’m honored that the Academy included me in this year’s nominees for Best Adapted Screenplay for “Life of Pi.” 2012 has, to my mind, one of the strongest years for films in recent memory and I couldn’t be happier to be part of this incredible list of writers and screenplays.

Everyone on the creative team for “Pi” contributed to making this screenplay possible. I owe the greatest debt to Ang Lee, not just for inviting me along on this journey, but for the creative insight that he provided into every scene and line of dialogue I wrote, and for his gentle insistence that I never settle for ‘good enough.’

In the best of collaborations, it’s easy to lose track of who made which suggestion for a better line or how a scene evolved as the result of a design element, a brilliant reading, or a moving score. They all deserve credit. I couldn’t be happier that so many on our team were recognized with nominations for their work as well, and that “Life of Pi” is listed among the nominees for “Best Picture.””

Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer, and Alain Boublil,  “Suddenly,” Best Original Song Nominees, LES MISERABLES: 30 years in the making and 3 days in the writing – this is how “Suddenly” came to life 30 years after the original show was created. We wrote this song for the film on a suggestion from Tom Hooper, after he asked us to revisit a specific chapter of Victor Hugo’s novel. In this chapter Jean Valjean discovers an overwhelming feeling of love for the little girl Cosette, whom he rescues as promised to her mother – and this happened to him … “Suddenly.”

Paco Delgado, Costume Designer, LES MISERABLES I am very proud to be a part of this special film, and am especially happy for all of the recognition it has received. I was supported by a  great wardrobe team who worked with such passion. It is amazing to get a nomination for a film we all worked so hard on. Thank you very much.

 Filmmaker MALIK BENDJELLOUL, “Searching For Sugar Man”  “It is a true and surrealistic honor to realize SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN has been nominated for an Oscar. Being from Sweden, the Oscars were like a far-fetched fantasy you heard about growing up as a kid – something only one could dream of. The story of Rodriguez is unlike any I have ever known and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to share his incredible journey with audiences worldwide. Thank you to the Academy, to Sony Pictures Classics, and to all those whose efforts and passions made this possible.”

 -Mark Andrews, Director, “Brave”  – “We are incredibly honored by today’s Academy Award nomination. ‘Brave’ has been an adventure from the beginning – starting with our research trips to Scotland, the crew embarked upon a journey that inspired us all and forever changed our fates. Thanks to the Academy from all of us here at Pixar.”

Alan Arkin, nominated for Best Supporting Actor for “ARGO”  “I am of course very excited about the nomination this morning. Ben Affleck is an amazing director, and I am so happy that “Argo” was recognized in seven categories!”

Ang Lee’s reaction to the 11 Academy Award nominations LIFE OF PI received this morning.  “I am deeply honored and frankly a little overwhelmed by all of the nominations that ‘Life of Pi’ has received this morning. So many talented people gave everything they had to this film, both in front of and behind the camera, and to see all of them receive this kind of recognition is something I am incredibly grateful for.”

Director Tim Burtons reaction to the Best Animated Feature Oscar nomination for FRANKENWEENIE “Frankenweenie is a very personal film for me. The idea of telling a feature length version was in the back of my mind for many years. Stop Motion was the perfect medium for this project, and one I’ve always loved for its expressiveness and dimensionality. I’ve worked with so many incredible artists: animators, cast members, set builders, and puppet makers, all who have helped bring this film to life one frame at a time. I’m so honored that the Academy has recognized this film as one of its nominees.”

Amy Adams’ reaction to her  nomination for Best Supporting Actress in The Master  – “It is such an honor to receive this recognition from the Academy. Working with Paul Thomas Anderson was a unique and wonderful opportunity that I am so grateful for. I’d also like to send congratulations to the other nominees and to my co-stars Philip and Joaquin.”

Jay Cassidy, Editor Silver Linings Playbook  — “I am so glad to see all the collaborators on SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK recognized by the Academy and I am honored to be included.”

Crispin Struthers, Editor Silver Linings Playbook  “I still can’t quite believe it. I am grateful to David O. Russell for including me on this amazing project and thrilled to be honored alongside Jay Cassidy and the rest of our incredible cast and crew. Excelsior!”

Robert De Niro, Supporting Actor Nominee, Silver Linings Playbook  “I am very pleased that the Academy has chosen to honor the many individuals who were a part of “Silver Linings Playbook”

Jacki Weaver, Supporting Actress Nominee, Silver Linings Playbook  ” I am completely over the moon by this morning’s news. To be nominated twice now is incredible, and to be a part of this wonderful film and amazing cast makes things even sweeter. I am so happy for David O. Russell and could not be more thrilled”.

– Bruce Cohen, Donna Gigliotti, Jonathan Gordon, Producers of Silver Linings Playbook  “We are ecstatic and so humbled that the Academy recognized so many members of our phenomenal SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK family with nominations this morning, including David O. Russell, our extraordinary writer/director in both
categories, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver, our magnificent lead cast members in all four acting categories, our brilliant editors, Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers and Best Picture. We are so happy for
everyone involved with the film.”

Bob Richardson, Cinematographer Django Unchained  “I feel deeply privileged to be nominated alongside Quentin and the amazing cast and crew of Django Unchained. If you can dream it, you might just accomplish it.”

Stacey Sher, Reginald Hudlin and Pilar Savone, Producers of DJANGO UNCHAINED  “We are thrilled with all the nominations for DJANGO UNCHAINED and the Best Picture nomination is a victory for all of us. It’s a testament to the whole cast, crew and our brilliant writer/director Quentin Tarantino who worked so hard on this movie. We are extremely proud and thankful.”

Wylie Stateman, Sound Editor, Django Unchained  “It’s easy to be proud of our battle-hardened post-production team, a familiar talented group of faces assembled by Quentin over a number of years. On their shoulders I stand. Django Unchained is a compilation of emotions, mixed and driven by Quentin’s unique historical perspective.”

Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg, directors Kon-Tiki  “Being nominated means everything to us as directors- it means the world for the film! We are both in LA with our families and upon hearing the news we ran around in the corridors, hugging each other, waking up the whole hotel.”

Harvey Weinstein  – “I am blown away! I can’t say thank you enough to the Academy for their support of our films. We have a tremendous group of actors and film makers who we had the pleasure of working with this year and I am so happy that their achievements are being recognized.”

David Silverman, Director, “Maggie Simpson in: ‘The Longest Daycare’ “ “This amazing recognition from the Academy is the craziest wake-up call I’ve ever received. I’m very grateful to Jim Brooks, Al Jean – and especially Matt Groening, for creating “The Simpsons.” They all gave me the opportunity to explore the world of pantomime with what are normally very verbal characters. I also have to give a shout-out to my parents – who I just spoke to – and thank them for allowing me to draw on the walls as a child. It kind of worked out!”

Statement from director Kim Nguyen on behalf of WAR WITCH, nominated for Best Foreign Language Film: “This movie has been a truly amazing 10 year journey and we are honored to be included in such an outstanding list of filmmakers from around the World. I will always remember when Rachel Mwanza, after being the first African woman to ever win the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlinale, returned home to the Congolese streets of Kinshasa and was greated by passionate chants and overwhelming pride. So, in the case of WAR WITCH, these recognitions do make a difference. They bring back pride to a nation that greatly needs it. I dearly thank the Academy Members for supporting this film, it is a great privilege and an honor.”

 Peter Lord, diector of The Pirates! Band of Misfits, “This is amazing! We tried to do something a little different with THE PIRATES, in terms of tone and comedy, and it’s just brilliant that the Academy has responded to it in such a wonderful way.”

Joint Statement from PRODUCERS GRANT HESLOV, BEN AFFLECK AND GEORGE CLOONEY on behalf of the film’s BEST PICTURE NOMINATION: “We would like to thank the Academy for acknowledging ‘Argo’ in this extraordinary way. This is a great tribute to everyone who worked on the film — from our incredible cast to our tremendous crew.
We are honored to have made a film that tells the story of these unsung heroes and it’s so terrific that it’s getting this kind of recognition.”

Statement from ALAN ARKIN on behalf of his SUPPORTING ACTOR NOMINATION: “I am of course very excited about the nomination this morning. Ben Affleck is an amazing director, and I am so happy that “Argo” was recognized in seven categories”

Statement from CHRIS TERRIO on behalf of his ADAPTED SCREENPLAY NOMINATION: “Ben Affleck was recognized by the Academy for his first screenplay, and he’s given me a tremendous gift by making a film in which I could be nominated for mine. We thought of ‘Argo’ as a movie about the power of fantasy and storytelling, portraying an event in which creative thinking literally changed history. I’m moved that the Academy has recognized the creative thinking of the team that brought our movie to life.”

Statement from COMPOSER ALEXANDRE DESPLAT on behalf of his ORIGINAL SCORE NOMINATION: “I felt the suspense of ‘Argo’ this morning as I waited to hear the nominations, as if the score was playing in my head. It is a great honor to be nominated. I wish to thank Ben who offered
me a wonderful canvas to work on with ‘Argo.’ It is such an inspiring film. It was a joy to work again with George and Grant. The fabulous musicians from around the world who performed on the score truly contributed to the success.

Statement from EDITOR WILLIAM GOLDENBERG on behalf of his FILM EDITING NOMINATION: “I am thrilled and honored by the nomination, and proud to be part of the ARGO team. I love working with Ben and am grateful for the opportunity.”