Glenn here. The people who are lucky (or random as Cate Blanchett might say) to win an Academy Award get their moment on the stage and then dive headfirst into a throng of press backstage who proceed to ask them generally innocuous, occasionally offensive, usually bland, nationally-biased questions. This year was no different, but there's usually at least one tasty lil bon mot hidden amongst the winners' videos so while the Academy haven't released the full videos yet, we can still use what we've got to find those anecdotal morsels and quick quips.
All the acting winners, Frozen, Cuaron, Jonze and the make-up artists after the jump...
Cate Blanchett:
This is an auction! I'm for the highest bidder."
The amusing thing about watching these videos where the press are invisible, it really does sound like an auction with reporters holding paddles waiting for their turn to raise them for attention. "Only 86? I'm worth a bit more than that..." Cate was obviously a good sport, but my favourite moment was her foul-mouthed "And don't you f**king forget it!" when one Australian reporter reminded her that she is the first Australian actor to win to Academy Awards.
Steve McQueen & Brad Pitt
Van Halen, 'Jump'"
I'm now picturing Steve McQueen bouncing around his living room listening to Van Halen and playing the air guitar. Lupita could perhaps do the same, but to the Pointer Sisters' "Jump" instead.
Meanwhile, a friend of mine on Facebook recently made the amusing parallel between the "we're just like you! we eat pizza! we take selfies!" theme of the ceremony - and basically celebrity life in general these days, thank you Ms Lawrence - and those humorous TV specials where they would let cameras into their home. Remember Mommie Dearest and the Christmas TV special scene? Or this immortal, hilarious Brenda Dickson video from 1987. Brad Pitt's "I picked up dog poop" is basically that. Anne Hathaway really was born into the wrong era of Hollywood.
Lupita Nyong'o
I felt quite fabulous."
As one would when Liza Minnelli gives them a "bear hug" (an extremely odd moment, but I'm just glad Liza didn't have to give away her Oscar to Matthew McConaughey like she'd promised!) I am dying over her "I think it belongs to me!" after a reporter rather puzzlingly refers to Lupita as "one of [Mexico's] own... How much of this triumph belongs to the Mexican people." I am baffled. Can anybody illuminate any of this?
Jared Leto
No I'm not done yet!"
Within seconds of getting to the press room stage Jared was thanking his publicist whom he had forgotten in his speech (dedicating awards to mothers can do that to a person, getting all caught up as they do) and passing his statue around to be "fondled" by the press gallery. Whereas Cate likened the atmosphere to a auction, Jared equates it more to a game of Bingo (hah! Christoph Waltz would giggle). I also liked that somebody asked him about, and allowed Jared to speak to, the make-up artists. Meryl's shout-out for her Iron Lady win remains such a lovely speech moment from recent years. It still bothers me that Charlize never thanked them. LAST THING: Jared was clearly ahead of the curve knowing that "selfie" would be the word of the night.
Matthew McConaughey
McConaissance? I don't know what that is, but it sounds good."
"Go for the experience. What's the personal experience I can get out of this as an actor?" Wise words. I always think back to that incredible 2010 actress roundtable (really, we should always thing about the 2010 actress roundtable) and how Natalie Portman discussed the advice that Nicole Kidman gave her about choosing by the director because even if it doesn't work out you're at least guaranteed an interesting, educational experience. I like that McConaughey here mentioned the likes of Killer Joe and Magic Mike because, as the term "McConaissance" suggests, he wouldn't be up there if it weren't for his choosing interesting directors and interesting roles again.
Alfonso Cuaron
I don't think that there's enough attention being given to amazing expressions of Mexican culture..."
A question later in the Best Director's press conference asked about what the success of Gravity means for the British film industry (remember that seemingly random Best British Film BAFTA citation?), but what I liked most of all was his call for more attention to be paid to Mexican cinema, by Mexicans, about Mexicans. I don't see enough because not all that many find substantial releases, but with directors as exciting as Gerardo Naranjo on the scene one can hope they finally will.
Spike Jonze
The movie speaks for itself"
This video goes for six minutes and 25 seconds, which means that six minutes and 25 seconds to ogle and stare at Spike Jonze. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't even able to concentrate all that well on what the screenplay winner was saying because he is so perfect looking. Sigh, you guys. Sigh. I did notice, however, that all the questions that Spike had to field involved the film, its themes and the creation of its world. Nothing about what hair product he's using or how long it took him to find a tux. Cate was right.
Catherine Martin
My prizes go straight to the pool room."
Poor Catherine was a bit too short for the Oscar press room microphone. Alas, in true Australian style she mentions The Castle and quotes the famous "pool room" gag. Australian through and through! On a more serious note, I also really liked what she had to say about costume design as an artform with fashion, proving that it's not (as some would suggest about her husband's films) just throwing glitz and sequins at everyone, but a delicately honed craft that takes elements from all elements of life and filters it through the visual medium and allows characters to express who they are and what their situation is.
Robin Matthews and Adruitha Lee
We didn't really have any choice."
I am so glad the Dallas Buyers Club make-up and hair people said that when asked how they "make it work". They, as well as everyone else in that industry (well, most) are artists with a job to do. It's not like they or anybody else is deliberately not doing a good job the rest of the time, you know? If you only had $250 then you do the best you can because you really don't have any choice. "They were committed; we were too." I must confess I'm loving these two although you may never look at grits and cornmeal the same way again.
Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee and Peter Del Vecho
We watched all the YouTubes"
Their Oscar speech was a perfect example of how to allow all your winners the chance to speak (for instance, do the five visual effects nominees not speak to one another before the ceremony to plan what they'll do?) and they give an entertaining interview. They very casually bypass a question about China, but I enjoyed their response to the Norwegian reporter.
Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares
I might use it to work out."
The Academy Awards' male hotness ranking went something like this: Spike Jonze > Chris Evans > Chris Hemsworth > Joseph Gordon-Levitt (below) > This co-director of Mr. Hublot. Oscar winners have said that they use their statues as doorstops, bookends and various other uses, but I'm not sure I've heard it used as a dumbell for working out. I approve.
That's all the press room videos that appear to be online although they do exist so we will see them eventually. This Mexican news report that I found features the "Let It Go" songwriter being given an EGOT necklace and so after also giving the funniest speech of the night I am desperate to see their press room footage! I would also really like to see the three men that bounced up on stage for The Great Beauty since they seemed so energetic and fun.