New York: Antonio Banderas, Laura Dern, Lupita Nyong, Josh and Benny Safdie won big at the NYFCC Awards 2020. While some feels "exhausted" with the the long awards season, for others it's "most rewarding" and "surreal". Scroll down to watch Antonio, Laura, Lupita and other's reaction on their big win.
After attending numerous film festivals and receiving a lion's share of accolades and awards, Antonio Banderas admits he's exhausted, and the Oscar nomination have not even been announced.
The Spanish actor took home best-actor honors from the New York Film Critics Circle on January 7 in New York for Pedro Almodóvar film, Pain and Glory.
The actor was heartened that the prestigious group picked his Spanish-language performance.
"Absolutely, because, as I said before, New York is a big magnifying glass, and it looks at the world with, you know, with great attention, the world of movies, and art in general," Banderas said.
So, he's happy to get the love when he can.
"Sometimes I've been slapped by the critics in New York, and this is time for celebration. Well, I'm going to celebrate it," Banderas said.
In Pain and Glory, Banderas plays a film director with physical difficulties and a lifetime of regret. Parts of the story directly reflect Almodóvar's life, forcing the actor to tread carefully with his approach.
WATCH | Golden Globes 2020: Winners discuss their films...
That paid off as he left Cannes last May with the top acting honor.
But now the campaign is taking its toll, because, as Banderas put it: "I am an actor. I am not a politician. I just want to relate to the things that I did, and it's done."
He added: "I have been just going back and forth in rehearsal time to America, back to Spain. It's been quite a challenge, the whole entire thing. I want to come, you know, (for) all this campaign to finish and to go back to do what I love to do, which is acting."
he Irishman won best picture, and Joe Pesci, who won for best supporting actor, posed briefly with director Martin Scorsese. Later they were joined by actor Alec Baldwin and director Spike Lee.
Laura Dern took best supporting actress for her work in two films: Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story, and Greta Gerwig's Little Women.
Dern commented on the distinct honor of working for the two directors, who are also life partners.
"Incredible, I know. On a night like tonight, it's pretty amazing. You know, it's - it's very specific for that very reason and such incredibly diverse characters. And this amazing couple who I've spent my last year with, who are both unbelievable. I'm really lucky," Dern said.
And the Safdie brothers, took home the best director award for the thriller Uncut Gems, also have a unique situation. At Wednesday night's National Board of Review, they will share screenwriting honors. But that's not the unique part. Quentin Tarantino, who took home screenwriting honors at NYFCC will get the best director award at NBR.
Benny Safdie finds the whole thing surreal.
WATCH | Golden Globes 2020: Celebs sparkle on the red carpet
"It doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make any sense. It's surreal. I mean, I remember going - I remember being 10 and our dad took us to see 'Pulp Fiction,' and I remember the lights coming on. Because what was crazy about 'Pulp Fiction,' was the soundtrack was a thing in our house before the movie even came out. I think that was like a thing. And I remember being popcorn being thrown at us. So, I don't know. It's - it's - it's surreal. It doesn't - again, it doesn't make any sense," Safdie said.
Lupita Nyong'o was best actress in Jordan Peel's horror thriller, Us.
"Well, it feels extremely rewarding, of course, to be the cutting edge of something that is bringing about change. Like - like Jordan (Peele) is doing with the horror film and bringing me it - just elevating it and also expanding what happens within it. You know, the possibilities and the capabilities of the genre to point to something more," Nyong'o said.
Parasite won best foreign film, and its director, Bong Joon-Ho was happy the film won, but strives for something greater.
"For me, it's important that the audience really loves this film. Of course, it's great to be acknowledged by the critics. Today, I'm especially happy to be acknowledged by the critics in New York," he said.
Actor Song Kang-ho joked about playing a poor person in the classy drama.
"For me, personally, I think I look like a rich man. So, at first it was flustering to play a poor character, but it was a very fascinating and interesting experience," he said.
With inputs from APTN
