Winners’ Press Conference interview with Julianne Moore for Leading Actress
Winners' press conference interview with Julianne Moore (Still Alice) in the Best Actress Category
Q. Congratulations, how are you?
JULIANNE MOORE: Oh hi! Hi, guys! Hello!
Q. Very, very simple first question, Julianne. How does it feel?
A. Fantastic and completely surprising. And I lost my ‑‑ I felt like my ‑‑ my pitch kept going up because I was so nervous during my speech. Talking like this!?
Q. Did you have a speech prepared?
A. Not really. I did want to mention, you know, my mother and my grandmother and my great aunts because they are all from Scotland, so that was important to me, yes.
Q. And this film and this performance is an incredible one, an extraordinary one, and the story of the film is incredible as well.
A. Yes, I think it is interesting. I mean, Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer have been together 20 years as professional partners and as personal partners, and shortly before I met them actually, he was diagnosed with ALS. So by the time we shot, he had pretty much lost function in the upper half of his body and he was communicating on an iPad. So they essentially were making a movie about what they were facing, which is, you know, a huge change in life and an imminent loss of it.
So, I mean, in a sense, we are all ‑‑ we all know that's going to happen. But for them, I think it was ‑‑ it brought a sense of urgency to the movie, but also a real celebration of who we love and what we want to do, because when Richard was diagnosed, they talked about it and, you know, he said: what do you want to do? Make movies, because that was valuable to him.
Q. Did it bring with it a sense of responsibility, extra responsibility for you?
A. I think so, I think so. Definitely. I said we were doing something that a lot of people are dealing with, it is very true. And they were living in a circumstance it was evident, and so I think we all wanted to do the subject matter justice. And the great thing too has been the responsibility of the Alzheimer's communities who have said that they feel seen and represented.
NEW SPEAKER: (Inaudible) from the BBC. You are often the bridesmaid at these events and you have been nominated so many times for an award. It is clearly your year this year. How does it feel?
A. Thank you. It is pretty fantastic, I have to say, and really unexpected. I think at the end of the day the work is always its own reward because that's why we do it. But for people to bother, for your peers to bother to write your name down or tick a box, you know, for them to go out of their way to do that is pretty extraordinary. Thank you.
NEW SPEAKER: Julianne, lots of red carpet congratulations.
A. Thank you very much.
NEW SPEAKER: You mentioned there obviously, this is a film and performance that has won you so much critical acclaim, but particularly the response from the Alzheimer's community has meant a lot to you. Is there a particular response that has touched you?
A. Well, I will say ‑‑ when I came here, I went to the Curzon the other day, we had a screening there and I went into the lobby and I met these three individuals, Wendy, Gillian and Christopher, all of whom are dealing with early onset Alzheimer's disease, and they were all so eloquent and articulate about what their experience has been and so enthusiastic about the film, it was great. It was so great to talk to people one‑on‑one and have them say: yes, that happened to me, or I understand that and great to finally see it in a movie, because I think they feel marginised and ashamed and isolated and not seen.
There is so much that is not known about Alzheimer's, I am an actor, you know, and films are entertainments, but it's also nice to value who we are and what we love and our life.
NEW SPEAKER: Is it special the BAFTAs this year have given all the top awards to new people? It is quite rare. We normally honour all the regulars. Is this something that you think, hats off to something like this?
A. You know what, I have not been to the BAFTAs often enough to tell you what ‑‑ is it really? I think it is great. I love sharing this with Eddie Redmayne who, you know, I worked with years ago in Savage Grace. He was somebody who came in and he has kind of spoken about me fighting for him. I was doing myself a favour, not you. He came in and he was the best one, so it is wonderful to see him acknowledged in this way. It is a great night. Thank you.
NEW SPEAKER: Hi Julianne. You said you worked with Eddie Redmayne. How was he (inaudible)?
A. You know, the thing that's interesting about recognising talent, when you see talent in someone you just kind of know that it's there, you know? I look at Eddie and I am not surprised at the trajectory of his career. I look at Kristen Stewart and I am not surprised. My husband cast her in a movie when she was 12 years old. He used to come home and say: this girl is a star. She is amazing, and she is.
So it is funny how you see that. So it is kind of ‑‑sometimes these actors are almost like fully born. You are like: oh yes. And that's the way Eddie was.
Q. Just a couple more questions.
NEW SPEAKER: Hello, Natalie from the BBC. You have been going to lots of events in the award season. Is there one moment that has been the most ridiculous or surreal or most outrageous that you have found?
A. Oh gosh. I don't know. It is all pretty fun. I would say every weekend it's like going to your own wedding again. I think that's what it is. It's me, I am the bride because you are there and you put on a dress and hair and make‑up and stuff. So I think that element is fun. But also, you know, odd ‑‑ odd. (Laughs)
Q. Yes, please.
NEW SPEAKER: Julianne, congratulations. Am I right to say that you already have a BAFTA created by ‑‑
A. I do. I have a beautiful clay BAFTA. It is orange. Smaller than this, but there is a whole face and stuff, because the last time I was here, I think I was nominated for A Single Man. And I came home and my daughter was so disappointed she made me one in art class. But she will be happy to see this. And my son's girlfriend, who lived in London for a while, said: make sure when you go to the party, bring home a chocolate BAFTA, because evidently there are chocolate BAFTAs at the party.
Q. So they are going to go on the shelf?
A. Absolutely. I think we are going to eat the chocolate BAFTA.
Q. Don't get them mixed up.
NEW SPEAKER: Have any of the actresses that you have been up against reached out to you, and vice versa?
A. Oh my goodness, we all have. These performances are extraordinary. Amy, Reese and Felicity and Rosamund, all of them, I admire them so much. We spend a lot of time together. We are always at the same parties; once again, we're all the brides every weekend. So yes, I have spoken to every single one of them about their performances. I think they are extraordinary and it is a really lovely and generous bunch of women, I must say.
Q. Thank you so much. Congratulations once again, Julianne Moore.
A. Thank you, guys.
