 |
Take a look at what Mark Wahlberg, Will Smith, Jennifer Hudson and other Oscar hopefuls have to say about being nominated.
• "I'm sitting here in shock right now. I can't believe it. To be able to be here today and be a part of such greatness, there are no words for it. It's hard to even get past this moment right now. I don't want to get to crying, but this is so far beyond anything."
– Jennifer Hudson, Best Supporting Actress, Dreamgirls, on the Today show
• "I was able to put my real-life experiences with the Boston police to good use after all. After all the torture I have put them through, to know they cried happy tears today – I'll think about that for a while."
– Mark Wahlberg, Best Supporting Actor, The Departed, to Variety
• "I am thrilled in a way that no one can possibly imagine. It's extraordinary that anyone in the actor's branch is even speaking to me, nevermind nominating me yet again. I'm very, very grateful."
– Meryl Streep, Best Actress, The Devil Wears Prada, in a statement
• "I've been laughing, crying, hollering, whooping and leaping around. ...This isn't supposed to happen to a girl who grew up in a tiny town. I was told the only way I'd have a career as an actress would be if I could settle for playing fat girls."
– Kate Winslet, Best Actress, Little Children, to Variety
• "I was just really stunned, to be honest with you. I called my mother in Tokyo. She said: 'I'm very, very, very happy.' I guess my family already heard the news right away. They were just in a state of joy. And that made me very happy."
– Rinko Kikuchi, Best Supporting Actress, Babel, to PEOPLE
• "It was such a delight. People had been intimating about the possibility and that had been a surprise, but it was an absolute delight. Not just for me personally but more than that, for the film itself which got six nominations. That is really, really extraordinary for a film of that sort of budget. It says so much for the American public and the American film industry that they would nominate it."
– Helen Mirren, Best Actress, The Queen, to PEOPLE
• "I'm very pleased. I'm in frighteningly good company. It is very nice of the Queen to allow me in for a minute."
– Judi Dench, Best Actress, Notes on a Scandal, in a statement
• "Congratulations to all of the nominees. It is a great honor to be considered among this caliber of performers. No competition, all celebration. Let the parties begin."
– Will Smith, Best Actor, The Pursuit of Happyness, in a statement
• "If you fail the first time, try try try try try try try again."
– Peter O'Toole, Best Actor, Venus (who has been nominated for multiple Oscars in the past)
• "I'm honored to receive this nomination from the Academy – especially in a year full of such worthy nominees. ... I am also thrilled for Djimon (Hounsou), Mark (Wahlberg) and Marty (Scorsese) who are all so deserving of this recognition."
– Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Actor, Blood Diamond
