Director Ryan Coogler spoke about writing his blues-infused vampire film “Sinners,” nominated for a record 16 Oscars, for his late uncle, whom he imagined celebrating the occasion with some blues music.
Rose Byrne, who learned of her best actress nomination in the middle of the night in Australia, talked about the intensive work of fine-tuning her turbulent character during a five-week rehearsal process.
Leonardo DiCaprio hailed the deep communal experience of people sitting in a theater together, immersing themselves in a movie.
And Amy Madigan said her little dog was looking up at her, seemingly asking: “Why are we up so early?”
Across Hollywood and beyond, Oscar nominees reflected in interviews with The Associated Press on the work that led to their recognition. Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Ryan Coogler, for “Sinners”
“I wrote this script for my uncle who passed away 11 years ago. I got to imagine that he’s listening to some blues music right now to celebrate. I love making movies. I’m honored to wake up every day and do it. I was writing last night. That’s why I didn’t get too much sleep. Honestly, bro, I still feel a little bit asleep right now.” — In an interview. Coogler is nominated for best picture, director and original screenplay.
Leonardo DiCaprio, for “One Battle After Another”
“At the end of the day it’s about trying to be in films that are memorable. To me what matters is great ideas and original filmmaking. The only thing I feel strongly is inherent in us as a species is the idea of us getting together and feeling any great piece of music, of opera, the communal experience of watching a film together and picking up on emotions with a population of people around you.” — In an interview. DiCaprio is nominated for best actor.
Rose Byrne, for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”
“We did the movie in 27 days for like $8.50, and it was two takes, maybe three. And the blessing was, for five weeks, (director Mary Bronstein) and I met three days a week and just rehearsed. We just talked through the script, page after page after page. That preparation was such a gift. And Mary pushed for that. This role was an absolute gift for an actress to have. I just didn’t want to (expletive) it up.
On receiving the news: “It’s the middle of the night in Australia. I was falling asleep and then (husband Bobby Cannavale) starts FaceTiming me (from New York) because I wanted to try and stay up but it was so late. And then he started screaming, it was like ‘They said your name!’ and then my parents came in the room, they’re like ‘Oh my God’ and then we were all screaming, and that was it. Now I’ve had a shot of adrenaline and I’m wide awake.” — In an interview. Byrne is nominated for best actress.
Delroy Lindo, for “Sinners”
“It took a few beats for it to kind of sink in. And right after, as I was on the phone with my son, I saw that I had 179 texts. The totality of the excitement of my son, my gratitude, hearing it from my son, with the number of texts that were on my phone, I was able to kind of relax and enjoy the moment. … I didn’t start looking at any of the texts for another hour or so. I didn’t look at the full list of nominees. — In an interview. Lindo is nominated for best supporting actor.
Amy Madigan, for “Weapons”
“I’m sitting in my little study room with the fireplace going … with my little dog, Woody, about six inches away from me. He’s just looking at me like, ‘Why are we up so early?’ He is not a morning person and I am not a morning person unless I’m working. So he’s a little dazed but that’s OK.
When I was nominated the first time, it was 40 years ago, which just gives you an inkling about how long I’ve been doing this. And I just continue to love actors and acting, all the people that it takes to make a film with … It’s about the work, finally, and I really do believe that people are responding to people’s work and they’re responding to mine, and that feels really nice.” — In an interview. Madigan is nominated for best supporting actress.
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, for “Sentimental Value”
“I hope that people in Norway can also take ownership of this movie and that it’s Norwegian, and that it sort of builds this pride in Norwegian cinema. It’s a very complex feeling of pride and joy and happiness. And it’s not just in this moment, it goes all the way back to when you’re a kid, and … wanting to be an actor and hoping to be actor. It’s a very difficult job. And so to get this recognition means so much to me. We’ve met a lot of audience members who have been very emotional after seeing the movie and have shared a lot their personal stories with us and felt like they needed to in the moment, immediately, and I feel very privileged to have had that experience. — In an interview. Lilleaas is nominated for best supporting actress.
Ruth E. Carter, for “Sinners”
“This is a major step in the development of our voices in Hollywood, and this is a major step for the culture to be leading in nominations for my body of work. ‘Malcolm X,’ ‘Amistad,’ ‘Black Panther,’ ‘Wakanda Forever’ and now ‘Sinners.’ My trajectory has been about telling the story of culture, and I’m really proud, because history is being erased. Our history is being erased as we speak. And so to have this responsibility of telling our stories and being as authentic as I can, and being awarded for it is a celebration. I thank the lord that Ryan Coogler was born because he continues to tell stories that are important to the culture.” — In an interview. Carter is nominated for best costume design and is now the most nominated Black woman in Oscar history.
Ludwig Göransson, for “Sinners”
“We woke up to a bunch of amazing, beautiful texts and calls. And it’s very much like a family affair, this film. Everyone on “Sinners,” we’ve been working together for a long time and we’re kind of like a family. What’s cool about this film, and what’s incredible about this movie, is that it’s about blues music. It’s about a guitar player. … Anything we’re hearing today on the radio and from Western culture, you know, wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for blues. Ryan (Coogler) was able to show that in the movie and through the movie.” — In an interview. Göransson is nominated for best original score and original song for “I Lied to You.”
Ejae, for “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters”
“It just doesn’t feel real even right now. I’m just still trying to digest the situation. It’s just definitely a dream come true. And that’s why, you know, we write — to have a song that everyone can sing, and not just sing, but make them feel good, because the lyrics (are) very uplifting, and challenge them to sing those high notes.
“For me, also, it’s the fact that there are Korean lyrics in it. It is just kind of really crazy to see everyone from all different countries and races singing it. So, I’m just forever grateful to be a part of this incredible film that I wish I grew up watching, too.” — In an interview. Ejae is nominated for best original song for “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters.”
Diane Warren, for “Dear Me” from “Diane Warren: Relentless”
“It’s awesome. Look, it is not easy to be nominated. And there’s a lot of songs, and from bigger movies or whatever. … I always say this, I really mean it from my heart, that to be nominated is winning because these are the best of the best in the fields of film, music, that vote for you. And the fact that a song of mine earns their respect means everything to me.” — In an interview. Warren is nominated for best original song for “Dear Me,” her 17th nomination.
Liza Marshall, for “Hamnet”
“We continue to be amazed by people’s deep emotional connections to the film. At the end, people don’t get up, they sit and watch the credits, because they want a moment in the dark before they step out into the real world again. It’s connecting with people on a deep emotional level which we always wanted, but it’s so exciting that it’s happening.”
On star Jessie Buckley: “There’s something about her that’s primal. When you watch her she is not acting, she is just being. There are so many moments in the film where you can see the story playing across her face, with no words. I can’t think of another actor who can do that in quite that way.” — In an interview. Marshall is a producer of “Hamnet,” a best picture nominee.
Joachim Trier, for “Sentimental Value”
“I’m in Los Angeles actually because I’m trying not to be (character) Gustav Borg, the father who’s away all the time, you know, so I have my family with me here for a moment now. And it’s such joyous news that we’re all kind of celebrating and being happy here. Got up very early and are very, very happy and grateful. It was a very, very happy surprise. I know the other four (directing) nominees. I am big fans of them. I think they’re really great. And I’m so honored to be in this group. For me, this is the win.” — In an interview. Trier is nominated for best director.
Kaouther Ben Hania, for “The Voice of Hind Rajab”
“When I started making this movie, my main obsession or idea, because the voice of this little girl wasn’t heard when it was needed, was how to make her voice echo all over the world. So, the fact that we are nominated today, it’s a spotlight that the voice of Hind Rajab needs. So I’m very grateful to the members of the academy who voted for this movie because they recognize that cinema is not always an escape. It can be confrontational. It can be something about truth, and about what is happening and something that we should not look away from.” — In an interview. “The Voice of Hind Rajab” is nominated for best international feature.
Kleber Mendonça Filho, for “The Secret Agent”
“I think ‘The Secret Agent’ is very much about power, power being used to squash someone. Unfortunately, it’s something that doesn’t look like it’s going to go out of fashion anytime soon. And it’s really something to see such a Brazilian film that comes from Brazilian history translate just about anywhere. I seem to get a good connection just about anywhere the film is screened, and of course I’ve had some very strong reactions in the United States.” –In an interview. Filho is writer-director of “The Secret Agent,” nominated for best picture and best international feature.
Alexandre Desplat, for “Frankenstein”
“I’m very happy. It’s (director) Guillermo (del Toro’s) dream project since he was a kid, but it’s also the third movement of a triptych, which starts with “The Shape of Water,” (about a) creature, “Pinocchio,” a creature and then “Frankenstein,” the creature. So, it’s three stories about love, empathy for people who are different. The way Guillermo gave me the space to write music is, I think — (how it) goes from a little solo violin to a huge symphonic orchestra with choir — it’s everything a composer can dream of.” — In an interview. Desplat is nominated for best original score.
Nicholas Pike, for “Sweet Dreams Of Joy” from “Viva Verdi!”
I’m feeling very anxious all of a sudden. But exciting, you know, really exciting. I’m super excited that a contemporary operatic aria has been nominated, which doesn’t happen very often. I’ve done a couple of music-centric documentaries, and I find them incredibly exciting to work on because they are about the art form, you know? And so this one in particular being about Verdi and Verdi’s music and his retirement home that he built for opera singers and musicians — I mean what could be more amazing than that?” — In an interview. Pike is nominated for best original song for “Sweet Dreams Of Joy.”
Bryce Dessner, for “Train Dreams” from “Train Dreams”
“It’s a wonderful piece of news. I won’t lie. I’ve won Grammys before, but Oscars always felt like a whole other world. It’s a really beautiful small film … and it’s wonderful to have collaborated with Nick Cave on this song. He’s a huge influence and musical hero of mine and of my band, The National. And to get to do this with him is extra special. I think especially right now in the time we’re living in, with so much conflict and suffering in the world, I think that a film about empathy and about grief really is something that everyone can relate to, regardless of where you’re sitting.” — In an interview. Dessner is nominated for best original song for “Train Dreams.”
Maggie O’Farrell, for “Hamnet”
“Novelists are lone wolves. We just sit in our bedrooms making up stories and no, I never in a million years expected this would happen. When (director and co-writer Chloé Zhao) and I first talked, I said I didn’t want to do it because I had never written a screenplay before and I had moved on to other things, but Chloé’s very persuasive. I think as the novelist, you have to go into this process knowing that the film is never going to be a replica of your book. And it shouldn’t be. It needs to be something different. I think of the book as my baby, and the film as a niece or a nephew.” — In an interview. O’Farrell, who wrote the novel “Hamnet,” is nominated with Zhao for best adapted screenplay.
Associated Press wirters Ryan Pearson, Jake Coyle and Andrew Dalton contributed to this report.
