Melissa Leo says winning an Oscar ‘was not good’ for her or her career

Actor Melissa Leo said that winning an Oscar "has not been good for me or my career," describing the accolade as something she did not dream of and did not want.

She recalled the moment of her win, saying she had already collected several awards that season and that Kirk Douglas opened the envelope and called her name. Leo said she cursed during her acceptance speech and remains sorry for it, adding: "Thank God for the 10-second delay, which was introduced for fucking idiots like me." She also said she had a better career before the Oscar and that the award did not improve her prospects.

Leo said that after The Fighter she was mainly offered "older, nasty women" roles and does not want to be limited in that way. She also said she hopes to get another job in television, but her future casting and career direction remain uncertain.

Key Topics

Culture, Melissa Leo, The Fighter, Oscar, Kirk Douglas, The Knife