Admitting that he's not impressed by people who dub him a serious awards contender, Hopkins says, 'People go out of their way to flatter the nominating body and I think it's kind of disgusting.'
- Nov 20, 2012
AceShowbiz - Joaquin Phoenix was not the only actor who didn't really like awards season schmoozing. Veteran actor Anthony Hopkins also admitted that he's not a fan of people's chatter about him being a serious awards contender for Best Actor thanks to his convincing role as Alfred Hitchcock in "Hitchcock". The Welsh actor even unapologetically called it "disgusting."
In an interview with Huffington Post, Hopkins was told that "Hitchcock" had a good amount of Oscar buzz. When he's asked about his opinion on awards season, the 74-year-old actor simply responded, "Has it got a lot of Oscar buzz? I hadn't heard that."
Hopkins then opened up, "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."
Not that Hopkins hated being dubbed an awards contender, but he just wanted his work to speak for itself. "You know, kissing the backside of the authorities that can make or break it; I can't stand all that," he said. "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, 'F*** off'."
Hopkins will be seen playing the legendary director in "Hitchcock" this coming Friday, November 23. The actor himself admitted that he once had a chance to meet the "Psycho" helmer in person before the filmmaker died. "I did in West Hollywood," Hopkins recalled. "My agent took me to this restaurant one day and said, 'There's Alfred Hitchcock down there.' I said, 'Oh, God. Can I meet him?' "
"Hitchcock had just gotten his knighthood, so we're walking past him and my agent said, 'Good afternoon, Sir Alfred.' He said, 'Hello. How are you?' He said, 'This is my client Anthony Hopkins.' Hitchcock said [to me], 'Charmed, I'm sure'."
