The 70th annual Golden Globe Awards took place on Jan. 13, 2013, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Here is what this Golden Globe winner said backstage in the Golden Globe Awards press room.
CHRISTOPH WALTZ
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
How do you feel right now?
That’s a question. Pretty good, I should say.
You’ve been nominated for a Golden Globe twice, and you’ve won twice. Do you expect to win again if you’re nominated again?
I don’t expect anything. I didn’t expect this [award] either. When my name was called my knees gave a little bit. Actually, I was sitting. My knees gave when I walked up there. It is, in a way, unbelievable. You say that, but it is unbelievable.
You worked with writer/director Quentin Tarantino on “Inglourious Basterds” and “Django Unchained.” What was it like working with him the second time?
It was a wild ride. A very wild ride. It was fantastic.
Was riding a horse in “Django Unchained” a challenge for you?
Riding a horse wasn’t much of a challenge. Falling off was. But I’m OK.
What do you do on a daily basis that makes you more of an “everyman” than a movie star?
I get out of bed and I put my feet on the ground. And then for the rest of the day, I try to stay there.
Did you learn anything about American history when you did “Django Unchained”?
I learn something from everything I do. And what you don’t know, you have to find out. That’s the valuable aspect of preparing for a part.
Did I learn something? Absolutely. I learned how this problem — and it should be called a problem — is still somewhat alive in the minds and hearts of America. And I didn’t expect. I thought it was as much of a historical fact as it was for me.
Besides awards, is there anything that you collect?
No, I’m not a collector at all. I tend to get rid of things. It makes me lighter. Collections, I think, wear me down. But thank you for the compliment. I understood.
What is your favorite scene in “Django Unchained”?
There’s a favorite scene almost every other minute, because it depends on favorite for what. There’s my favorite romantic scene; it’s with Kerry Washington. My favorite action scene is when I have to ride in and jump off of a horse and shoot the guy who’s fleeing off of the horse. The favorite ending when Jamie [Foxx] does this wonderful dressage number at the end. So the whole movie is filled with favorite scenes.
Were you shocked at the controversy about “Django Unchained,” especially among African-Americans?
No. It should be controversial. If you make a movie about a story against a backdrop as Quentin puts it, because it’s not a film abut slavery. It’s a love story, a hero’s journey against the backdrop of slavery.
But that doesn’t mean you should take the controversial and difficult part of this story and less seriously. Not at all. On the contrary. Shocked? I don’t know.
You choose a controversial subject, you better be prepared for a controversial discussion. And to tell you the truth, I wish more movies gave us the opportunity to really discuss issues and topics that are relevant to this society today.
How did you work with Quentin Tarantino to craft your “Django Unchained” character?
I didn’t. Quentin did. He created it. If you work like I do, I feel always, in a way, to fulfill the author’s intention. So if you have the author sitting next to you, it helps a lot. And yet, I’m not into changing anything. I’m not into trying to drag it to my level. I do my best to live up to what’s required of me on account of the text.
For more info: Golden Globe Awards website
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