| A special day for the nominees |
| Category: 2005 |
from USA Today
USA TODAY’s Donna Freydkin, William Keck, Susan Wloszczyna, Cesar G. Soriano and Karen Thomas were working the phones Tuesday, getting the details from the stars about their Oscar nomination moment. Among the exchanges:
Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace) was in New York.
Q: Did you believe it was going to happen?
A: “Oh no, not at all. It’s the Oscars. Too much. Too incredible for me.”
Q: Growing up in Colombia, did you watch the Oscars?
A: “Never. Maybe because I didn’t have cable at home.”
Q: What was your view of the Oscars?
A: “They were a pretty big thing. Every time we had a (Colombian) Oscar nomination, we went afterward and saw the movie with my family.”
Q: You got through the Maria premiere, but how do you feel about taking on the Oscars with all these huge stars?
A: “I’m just blessed.”
Q: Nervous?
A: “I’m not nervous. I’ve won a lot (of nominations) and have been able to talk to people that I’ve admired. I know I’m going to have good people around me, so I shouldn’t be feeling nervous.”
Q: Who are your personal favorite performances of the year?
A: “I liked Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda) and Javier Bardem (The Sea Inside) and Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby) and Imelda (Staunton of Vera Drake). A lot of the people who were nominated today really deserved it.”
Q: Have you seen all the nominations in your category?
A: “I haven’t seen Being Julia. I have to. I saw all the other movies with the women.”
Q: Who has told you they loved your film?
A: “Kate Winslet. It was fantastic. I saw her at the Broadcast Film Critics (Awards). She said she loved the film. I was like, ‘Oh my God — this is Kate Winslet.’ So amazing.
Q: How did you hear about your nomination?
A: “I was watching TV. My boyfriend was with me and I was talking on the phone with my mom in Columbia. It was an amazing reaction from my boyfriend and my mom. We couldn’t believe it was real. Screaming and crying.”
Q: Who will you bring with you?
A: “I don’t know. I would love to go with my boyfriend.”
Q: And an extra ticket for your mom?
A: “That would be perfect!”
Q: What will you wear?
A: “It’s too early, but everyone’s asking me about it. I’m so unprepared. I don’t know what to do.”
Q: You’re the Oscar newcomer …
A: “It’s just amazing that I’m nominated with people I admire. It’s a dream I never dreamt.”
Q: What was it about your film that got it so far?
A: “It’s a very, real human movie. I think people appreciate that. I think I’m because of my work and a lot of other people — my publicists, my agents — people who believed in me.”
Q: How will you use this opportunity?
A: “I’m showing that I can do a little bit more than people expected from me. It’s good exposure for me. I’m the new kid. I need exposure and this is the best exposure I could ever have.”
Q: What kinds of roles have you been offered?
A: “A lot of roles. All very different, but I’m just waiting for one specifically for me. I want people to come to me saying, ‘I thought about you for this role.’ When I read the script I have to feel that I could do it. After Maria, I have to do a very good movie.”
- W.K.
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