Saying that being a Best Actor 'seems strange to me,' the Oscar-nominated lead actor of 'The Master' also suggests that Daniel Day-Lewis of 'Lincoln' may have been a better choice.
- Jan 22, 2013
AceShowbiz - Joaquin Phoenix raised people's eyebrow last year when he dissed the film awards season, calling it "utter bulls***." Despite his controversial statement, the 38-year-old actor still bagged the Oscar nom for Best Actor and snatched an acting award at the London Critics' Circle Awards thanks to his movie "The Master". Following the victory, he released a statement, admitting that he couldn't believe he won the prize let alone defeating Daniel Day-Lewis.
"I struggle with the idea of winning awards for acting. Stating I'm Best Actor for something as subjective as film seems strange to me," the Puerto Rico-born thesp confessed. "To the uninitiated it implies I'm solely responsible for the creation and implementation of the character. I am not. I suppose that's why we thank our colleagues."
Phoenix managed to thank the people behind "The Master", saying, "There are those who you all know such as Paul Thomas Anderson, to whom I am eternally grateful - a man who has persistently searched for the truth. I am fortunate to have been under his guidance. Philip Seymour Hoffman for his patience and advice. Amy Adams for being angry. Megan Ellison and everyone at Annapurna for their support of the film and ensuring that I was able to cover my mortgage."
"But there are many others who you do not know by name such as Mike Kenna, who I believe was the grip but he did 20 different jobs so I can't be sure; Adam Somner, the first assistant director; Karen Ramirez in the office; Tommy - I don't know your last name... there are too many to list. The truth is, you cannot separate my work from their's."
Calling the prestigious award a "recognition of all of our work," Phoenix also gushed, "I am very cognisant of the fact that for me this award is an encouragement to continue my lifelong passion of being an actor. I will not squander this high regard." He then credited Day-Lewis as someone who probably deserved the award better than him. He said, "There's an up-and-coming actor named Daniel who's in a movie called 'Lincoln'. You should check it out."
This year, Phoenix received his third Oscar nom after he was previously nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his work in "Gladiator" and for Best Actor thanks to "Walk the Line". As said before, he stirred frenzy with his negative comment about awards season during an interview with Elvis Mitchell last year.
"I think it's bulls***. I think it's total, utter bulls***, and I don't want to be a part of it," he claimed. "I don't believe in it. It's a carrot, but it's the worst-tasting carrot I've ever tasted in my whole life. I don't want this carrot. It's totally subjective. Pitting people against each other... It's the stupidest thing in the whole world."
He, however, back-tracked on those comments during another interview on Sydney Morning Herald. "I wouldn't have the career that I have if it weren't for the Oscars. I haven't been in a lot of movies that have made a lot of money... and getting nominated [for 'Gladiator' and 'Walk The Line'] has probably helped my career tremendously," he said.
