Brian Cox slammed the Academy Awards as being “nonsense” during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter released Dec.16.
The star responded to a question about playing Winston Churchill in the 2017 film “Churchill,” the same year “Darkest Hour” came out. That film resulted in a Best Actor Oscar win for Gary Oldman, who portrayed the same historical figure.
“I still think my performance is a better performance,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
He went on to vent his frustrations with the awards show. “Our film came out in the summer, and it was a relatively independent film, so you haven’t got the power of the studios behind it,” Cox said. “The Oscars are absolute nonsense because everything that’s judged in the Oscars, it’s not a year’s work. It’s just the work that comes out between Thanksgiving and Christmas.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Brian Cox attends “The Lord Of The Rings: The War of The Rohirrim” World Premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on December 03, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Warner Bros Pictures)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 08: The Academy Award for Genocide on display at the British Consulate General Celebrate British Excellence In Film During The 96th Academy Awards at the British Consulate General & GREAT celebration of British excellence in film during the 96th Academy Awards at British Consulate General Residence on March 08, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for British Consulate-General Los Angeles) Getty Images
Cox continued venting his frustrations by saying, “I think it makes those awards a fallacy quite honestly because there’s a lot of other good work that goes on outside of what they call Oscar season.”
He said he took issue with how the prestigious awards show was handled.
“So my film never even got a look,” he said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Brian Cox and Nicole Ansari attend “The Lord Of The Rings: The War of The Rohirrim” World Premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on December 03, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images for Warner Bros Pictures)
The famous actor put the spotlight on what things look like behind the scenes, as distributors often release their award-hopeful films toward the end of the year, when the award-nominees are being reviewed and selected. (RELATED: Brian Cox Slams Joaquin Phoenix In Savage Talk)
Despite his angst about the process in which films are recognized, Cox has had his roots firmly planted in the entertainment business. He most recently lent his voice to the new film “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” released Dec. 13.
