Actors on thriving and surviving in the Hollywood awards season

[January 06, 2024]  By Rollo Ross

PALM SPRINGS, California (Reuters) - The Hollywood awards seasons kicks into full gear this weekend with Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony, and actors are pondering how to enjoy the onslaught of attention and survive the ups and downs.

Britain's Carey Mulligan, a two-time Oscar nominee who is vying this year for a best actress Golden Globe for her role in "Maestro," cuts to the chase: "Oh just enjoy it and have fun and don't take it too seriously."

Mulligan said she is delighted by what she calls "a lovely sisterhood" of actresses nominated this year, including Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Lily Gladstone and Greta Lee.

Oscar-winning Stone, nominated for a best actress Golden Globe for "Poor Things," acknowledged that the awards season is both "very nerve-wracking and very exciting."

On the arrivals line at the Palm Springs Film Festival this week, Golden Globe nominees shared their mix of elation, disorientation and the need to take care of one's mind, body and spirit. The season runs through the Oscars on March 10 and includes several awards show stops and countless interviews.

"It is a lot of attention on the project, that's good, but at the same time I can understand how someone can get a little sideways with this runaway circus," said Jeffrey Wright, nominated for best actor for "American Fiction," adding, "I want our film to be seen."

Colman Domingo, vying for his first Golden Globe for best actor in "Rustin," said the advice he gets from actors who have been through the awards season is to focus on self-care.

Cast member Emma Stone attends the red carpet for the premiere of the Venice Golden Lion-winning movie "Poor Things" at Barbican Centre in London, Britain, December 14, 2023. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

"So don't think about who is winning, don't think about those things," Domingo said. "Think about being present and enjoying the moment. And I think that is what I am doing."

Danielle Brooks, also nominated for her first Golden Globe for supporting actress in "The Color Purple," said she is on "Cloud Nine."

"I have done this stuff before but as an ensemble, so to have this moment individually makes me want to cry because I am just like 'Yeah, it's my time'," said Brooks.

Irish actor Cillian Murphy, nominated for best actor for his lead role in historical drama "Oppenheimer," said he is enjoying meeting actors and filmmakers that he has admired for years.

"I am just getting to chat with them socially. You don't get to do that that often," said Murphy.

Mark Ruffalo, nominated for best supporting actor for "Poor Things," said he views the awards season in a new way now that he is a bit older.

"I am at that age now where there might not be many more of these and I can appreciate it in a different way than I ever could before," said Ruffalo, who is 56.

(Reporting by Rollo Ross; Writing by Mary Milliken; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

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