Backstage at the 80th Oscars
by Jordan Riefe

Actor in a Supporting Role Winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men):

Javier Bardem on what his mother has been saying to him since being nominated:

"My mother said to me when I take a plane and get there on time, make sure somebody helps me through immigration. And that's the only concern my mother had. And I was today, sitting down with her, and I said, 'Mom, I'm nervous.' And she said, 'Why? They are not going to give it to you. Don't worry. And if they do, just have fun.' And I said, 'What the hell?' I don't know. My mother's been working for almost 50 years, and she knows everything about all this; the ups, the downs, the dark, the light, and it's a great companion, to have her on my side, and she always calms me down, and she knows the real success is to get a job and trying to fight for that job and try to do it as good as you can every time."

Bardem on the popular predictions that he would win:

"Well, since my little experience in these days where they weren't giving me awards... I learned one thing: you better write something, man, because you don't speak the language, and you cannot improvise. So, I brought something, not because I thought I was going to win, but I thought in case I win, I should say something. And then I said, 'Wow, that was long,’ and it was 45 seconds. So, every time when they say, 'And the Oscar goes to..." I wasn't worried about if I was going to win or lose. I was, like, ‘If I win, what do I say? Because I have a lot to say.’ And then they say my name, and I was right there on stage trying to figure out how to put all the people I want to thank and I forgot, by the way, in 45 seconds. And so I guess that was my way to put all the extra pressure on the nerves and the expectation that I felt on this award, aside."

On who he thought might win Best Supporting Actor:

"I don't know. I mean, Philip Seymour Hoffman, for me, is one of the most amazing actors of all time. There's no one moment of not truth in his performances. I [am] blown way with everything that he does. Hal Holbrook, I didn't know his work prior to this, because I don't live here. When I saw Into the Wild, I [had] a heart attack almost, and I almost [had] to leave the theatre in Toronto with the scene in the truck when he wants to adopt him. I said, 'There's no way that nothing can really go up,' - how can I say - 'beyond that performance.' That's an amazing, intimate moment of a man who is really putting away the mask and being really transferring in front of audience. Casey Affleck, the whole journey is a piece of jewelry, jewelry, like every piece on time in order to create a really a spectrum of a ghost. And Tom Wilkinson, I haven't ever seen a madman so funny, crazy, dangerous, and the same time so heartbroken. So, I think it's who should win? I don't know. This is a lottery. I won. That doesn't mean I am better than the other one, than the others, the rest at all, that's for sure."

Bardem on whether heels this is his most demanding performance:

"Well, you want to think they are giving you the recognition for something you've done good, and sometimes you go, ‘Well, I think I've done better before.’ But the tricky part of this character was that everything was there to be constructed. There was nothing explained; neither on the book, neither on the script. So, everything that you see, you hear, you feel, is because the Coens and I, we put it together. And I guess that because of the Coens, and I - and I mean this very seriously - we take one place where the character really is uncomfortable to watch. It's not about being scary. It's about what happened. I don't get it. This guy is going to do something, and I don't know what. And that's because we really put out a lot of choices that will make the character [much] more fun to watch, but less interesting to feel, and that's something that, I guess, is a challenge. And we did it; me and the Coens."

Javier Bardem on his most demanding role, English or Spanish:

"Being just normal, being myself. That was the most demanding role. That's why every actor that presents an award, they are going through a hell of a time because every actor wants to hide themselves, become somebody else because there have been many roles out there, and I guess I don't have anything special that I would go, ‘Wow, that was good.’ No. I have some moments where I thought that I really hit the note quite well, but moments, seconds."

Actress in a Supporting Role Winner Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton):

Tilda Swinton on her reaction after receiving her Oscar:

"I'm so stoked, as they say, I think it's fantastic. It's completely astonishing, and I'm amazed I'm still standing, but I'm not complaining, it's good."

Swinton on what was going through her head as she won:

"I really just had a reverse Zoolander moment when I think I heard someone else's name and suddenly slowly heard my own. I'm still recovering from that moment, and I have absolutely no idea what happened after that. So, you know, you can tell me my dress fell off and I'd believe you, so don't be cruel."

On whether she'll really give her Oscar away as she promised:

"I have given it away, it's gone... I've given it, I'm a 'man' of my word. I've given it to my agent who truly - I mean not only does he does deserve it, but he really does look like this. And if you see a guy at the Governors Ball looking like this, this is him in his receiving position when I'm on the speaker phone telling him I'm going to do another art film in Europe."

On who she thought would win Best Supporting Actress:

"I kind of thought Ruby Dee would win but frankly anybody but myself, so, yeah."

Swinton on the possible success or failure that will come her way after winning:

"Well, I've just been with gorgeous Alan Arkin, who told me he didn't work for a year after winning one of these things, so who knows. I'm just making it up as I go along, I really am. I never expected to be holding one of these things. This is not where I was ever intending to be. I'm so happy that there's even some little corner in Hollywood for me to turn up in and enjoy being part of those films but that's not where I grew. You know, I grew in Europe and in independent film, really, when it was more underground film, and so I'm just as mystified as the rest. It's not the end of the line for me. I mean, Alan Arkin can give you some real good advice to do something really embarrassing next to put everybody off, but I really probably have already done that, so that's safe."

Tilda Swinton on her gown:

"I'm wearing a dress that was made for me by Albert Elbaz of Lanvin, and he made it for me and I should be so lucky, you know, I'm not going to not wear it... It's really really comfortable, I feel like I'm in my pajamas. And I'm kind of jet lagged so it's a slightly dangerous thing to wear, it's got an inflatable pillow so by midnight I can rest. It's just really easy."

Backstage at the 80th Oscars Page 4 - Diablo Cody and Brad Bird