If you run into Anthony Hopkins anytime between now and February, try to avoid bringing up the fact that his role as master film director Alfred Hitchcock in Hitchcock is a potential Oscar favorite. That’s because in an interview with the Huffington Post Hopkins makes it quite clear that he finds Oscar campaigning one of the most degrading things an actor could do.
When informed that the film has Oscar buzz, Hopkins expresses disdain for the whole campaign process. He says, “Quite honestly, my agent phoned me and said, ‘Tony, you’ve got to get to New York because there’s talk of this and that.’ I said, ‘I can’t go to New York because I’m doing two films here. I’m working again on Monday, I was working Friday; I can’t possibly get to New York.’ He said, ‘Well, you’ve got to try and get out of it.’ I said, ‘No, I’m working with this film company.’ In a way, I’m sort of relieved that I don’t have to get embroiled in all this publicity face to face. Because, (a) I can’t do it, and (b) it makes no difference. You know, I’ve been around — I’ve got the Oscar myself for Silence of the Lambs — and having to be nice to people and to be charming and flirting with them … oh, come on! People go out of their way to flatter the nominating body and I think it’s kind of disgusting. That’s always been against my nature.”
He goes on to point out how disturbed he is at the lengths actors will go to try and win an Oscar. He says, “You know, kissing the backside of the authorities that can make or break it; I can’t stand all that. I find it nauseating to watch and I think it’s disgusting to behold. People groveling around and kissing the backsides of famous producers and all that. It makes me want to throw up, it really does. It’s sick-making. I’ve seen it so many times. I saw it fairly recently, last year. Some great producer-mogul and everyone kisses this guy’s backside. I think, ‘What are they doing? Don’t they have any self respect?’ I wanted to say, ‘Fuck off.'”
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That’s awesome!