PATTON OSWALT TALKS THE SPIRIT AWARDS (AND LIVE BIRDS!)
While speculations are still up in the air regarding Film Independent Spirit Awards host Patton Oswalt’s vow to use live birds at the show, this hasn’t stopped the comedian from planning for next year’s feathery mischief. “I think if they let me host next year I’m going to try to work up to mythological applied creatures,” Oswalt said. “That’s the kind of grandeur this award ceremony deserves.”
The famous comedian and star of such films as Ratatouille and Young Adult is set host this year’s award show on IFC on March 1 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT and has assured that he’ll bring more than a few feathery companions for this year’s award recipients. On what the winners should do when this year’s host hands them a live bird at the podium, Oswalt says he doesn’t give a hoot. “That’s going to be up to the individual winners, they can keep them, they can set them free,” he said. “Trust me, I know actors, I know directors, there’s all kinds of things they can do with birds. Some I rather not go into.”
Regarding possible animal rights violations and accusations from PETA, Oswalt has assured that each bird has been well taken care of. “Each individual bird has been given their own suite on the beach and their own personal limo driver,” he said. “Little known fact they were personally bred by Robert Redford.”
The famous Hollywood funny man says he’s ready to spread his wings and work with birds at this awards show but in fact is not entirely fond of his feathery counterparts. “I have a paralyzing fear of birds, so I have to get over this lifelong terror that I have,” he said. “I don’t think it’ll affect my performance, we’ll see.” This year’s award show include nominations for films such as Nebraska, All is Lost, 12 Years a Slave, Frances Ha and Inside Llewyn Davis.
Though Oswalt may chortle a bit about the bird related humor he plans to dish out, he says he has nothing but respect for the awards show and what it means to the industry. “This award shows digs pretty deep in trying to find movies that took risks and rolled the dice,” he said. “It rewards people better that are clearly emerging, and are going to be doing great stuff with their careers.”
Though it may be fowl play for the Spirit Awards host to be picking favorites, this hasn’t stopped the comedian from listing which films he hopes take flight into the Oscars. “This year, especially, The Spectacular Now I thought was fantastic,” he said. “I hope Enough Said gets everything that it’s nominated for.” Oswalt counts himself a fan of Spirit Award nominee and star of True Detective Matthew McConaughey and says he’s not surprised by his recent rise in prestige. “He’s kicked his career into this turbo level the last couple years,” he said. “this year especially with Dallas Buyers Club and The Wolf of WallStreet– he steals a three hour movie with one scene for God’s sakes.”
The Hollywood funny man has also listed his favorite for ‘Best Actor.’ “I really hope that Bruce Stern gets recognized for Nebraska because I thought he was just amazing,” he said. “That guy has (been deserving) for a long time in my opinion.”
The Spirit Awards is the last major awards show before the Academy Awards and Oswalt says he’s excited to host and that this is a good show to watch if you want to see who may be winning Oscars in the future. “I think the Independent Spirit Awards are important predictor of who you’re going to be rooting for in the Oscars like 10 years down the road,” he said. “This is like giving an award to Martin Scorsese in 1971 for Who’s Knocking on My Door. “These are the future master that we are watching,” he said. “These are the people who are going to be making movies down the road that we are going to be fighting over at the Oscars.”
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