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I am getting transcripts from the Academy of the backstage interviews by the winners tonight. Some will likely be coming in very late, but here is George Clooney's interview:
CATEGORY: BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
INTERVIEW WITH: GEORGE CLOONEY
FILM: "Syriana"
MR. CLOONEY: Hi everybody.
Q. On that note, since this is the night gay chic. If you had to direct yourself in a gay love story, what would it be? And the world wants to know, are you or are you not dating Teri Hatcher?
A. Right off the bat. Thank you for those important . I've been to dinner with you. Shame, shame on you. The answers are a sequel to Batman would be the gay thing, and I never talk about my personal life other than that.
How is that? Is that okay?
Q. Congratulations?
A. Thanks, bud.
Q. Mr. Clooney, hello. Listen, I think you touched on this when you made acceptance, but let's be clear about it. long been considered that art does not push forward culture, it reflects culture. Is it possible this year that what we're seeing is really where nation is going, it's just that the more sensitive artistic people have picked up on it?
A. I don't even know that we're all that ahead the curve. We usually take a couple years to do things. Last year, you know, Rwanda story is a ten year old story. I think what's important is that we are starting now to reflect two years later some the social and political issues that are, for the first time, probably since Watergate concerning us and we're talking about them. And then films start to reflect that a couple years later. It won't last very long, but done this on and off. We did it in the 30's, we did it in the 50's, we certainly did it in the 60's and 70's and we'll probably continue to do that, which is reflect society, not truly lead it.
Q. Did you intend to be uplifting up there, an uplifting inspirational speech? Was that sort of a plan or did it come over you?
A. Well, it was a little thing I was working on for the BAFTAs so I saved it up. When Jon Stewart, who I adore, was making pretty funny jokes and you know, listen, you all know this, you hear this every day how out of touch Hollywood is and you go, well, maybe, but sometimes that's a good thing along the way. No, I didn't really work on anything, except that I thought that there were four other actors who were probably going to . So strange.
Q. George, you gained a lot for this role. Do you think that was really a factor, they say that the Academy
A. Loves fat people, is that what you're saying?
Q. No, but they like thin actors that get fat for roles. You made a joke, I guess this means I'm not going to best director. Do you think this is one for three? It is all settled? You don't any hope in heart for what's to come?
A. Listen, we all do this. We all these little games where you fill out the things where they say we'll give him this for that and we'll do that and he won't get that because he gets this. So I just thought I would articulate that moment. What was the other part of your question? I don't know. To me the gentleman that I was playing in the , Bob Baer, when I first took the role was sort of pudgy and, you know, out of shape and I thought that was probably a good thing, and then he found out the Hollywood guy was playing him and he got in shape. So it kind of screwed the whole thing up for me. So I don't know it matters or not. I think it's a good part. I think.
Q. Mr. Clooney, in the unlikely event this is only appearance down here tonight, I would like to ask you about Good Night, and Good Luck in the sense in terms distribution there is this theory being promulgated that these films like Good Night, and Good Luck are out of the mainstream, and what I'm wondering is, do you think that there is any credence to that theory or is it a matter of accessibility and the fact that Good Night, and Good Luck at its peek is playing at 450 theatres perhaps and Big Momma's House II comes out and plays 3,000 theaters all at once, the simple fact that people in the heartland have a hard time getting to some these films because they only play in the art houses?
A. There are films that are designed to on 3,500 screens and there aren't. Good Night, and Good Luck would not done a huge amount more of business. It still did over $30 million bucks for a black and white film period piece, which I think is . Marty won in the 50's. You know, this is not an industry that says, "Okay, there has to be about big business or big budget." In fact, I think the beauty the Academy is that it finds little moments to say, let's talk about these films and let's talk about things that maybe the rest of the mainstream doesn't get a chance to see at the time.
Q. So do you think this is a bum rap to say that these are out of the mainstream liberal films?
A. They might be out of the mainstream at times, but mainstream keeps changing. These two films would been the dead center in the middle the main stream in 1976.
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