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The late actor and comedian Robin Williams was a four-time Oscar nominee. It was in 1998 when he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. This accolade was given to him in recognition of his efforts in the 1997 filmGood Will Hunting, a screenplay by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and directed by Gus Van Sant. Contending for this honor was another legendary Hollywood star—Burt Reynolds, for his embodiment of Jack Horner inBoogie Nights(1997).
Read also:Robin Williams’ Final Movie Was A Nightmare for Him!
Rarely do we think about how those who lose might feel when someone wins in a competition. The same goes for prestigious award ceremonies like the Oscars. Some actors win, and many fail to triumph. Reynolds must have felt much more strongly about this because it was his first and only nomination for an Academy Award. In his memoir, the late ’70s icon hinted at how crushing it was to miss out on the opportunity of securing an Oscar win.
Burt Reynolds Was Devastated On Losing The Oscar Race
Many people observedBurt Reynolds‘ woeful expression during the Best Supporting Actor Award announcement at the 1998 Oscars. Without a smile, the actor could only clap at the outcome. There is no doubt that Robin Williams deserved to win. However, the talent exuded by the ’70s legend inBoogie Nights, despite his alleged reservations against the production’s director, was a testament to his acting proficiency. In his memoir titledBut Enough About Me(viaThe Sydney Morning Herald), theDeliverancealum confessed the following:
“I once said that I’d rather have a Heisman Trophy than an Oscar. I lied.”
While his Oscar dreams couldn’t be realized, his depiction of Jack Horner in Paul Thomas Anderson’s film earned him a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. This significant triumph must have elevated Reynolds’ expectations. Alas, his Oscar nomination couldn’t secure a win.
In an interview withSiriusXM,Boogie Nightsco-star Mark Wahlberg believed that Burt Reynolds should’ve won the prestigious accolade for his performance in the film:
“You know, Burt is a legend. It was amazing having that experience of Boogie Nights with him. I think it was tough for him. He should’ve definitely won the Oscar.”
The production process ofBoogie Nightswas particularly difficult for Reynolds, who once toldConan O’Brienthat he had yet to watch the film.“It wasn’t my kind of film,”he had affirmed on the talk show. His reported on-set feud with director Paul Thomas Anderson must’ve worsened matters.
The renowned talent’s failure to receive an Oscar must have plagued him, yet his impact on popular culture continuesto astound. His filmography validates his abilities even in the absence of the honor. Winning the award doesn’t hurt. Most talents yearn for it. However, it shouldn’t be a parameter to one’s success.
We’ve seen Burt Reynolds’ perspective onRobin Williams‘ Oscar win. But what did the legendary comedian himself feel about the life-changing honor?
Robin Williams On Winning An Oscar
Read also:Robin Williams Did 15 Minutes of Stand-ups on Phone Every Night to Make Steven Spielberg Laugh During Schindler’s List
Appearing onThe Graham Norton Showyears before his unfortunate passing, legendary, highly-revered comedian Robin Williams was asked to share feelings about winning an Oscar in 1998. Norton queried,“Did it change your life? “This made theDead Poets Societystar remark that, unlike the status people attach to the prestigious accolade, nothing much changed for the actor—barring one regret that haunted him for a while.
He stated:
“The moment they say your name when you win, English becomes a second language. And I forgot to thank my mother, and she was in the audience… Even the therapist went, ‘Get out!’ That was rough for the next few years. (mimics his mother) ‘Well, how’s the award? You came through here (points at his crotch). How’s the award?'”
Being up on the stage while receiving an Oscar is known to leave the most extraordinary talents stumped. Williams cannot be blamed.
Both Burt Reynolds and Robin Williams have shaped Hollywood history in more ways than one. The two no longer walk amongst the rest of us, but their contributions to cinema and popular culture have immortalized them in the hearts of many. It’s hard not to reflect on their legacy and deem the Academy Award a peripheral parameter to their success and impact.
Source:The Sydney Morning Herald,SiriusXM,CONAN on TBS, andThe Graham Norton Show
Debdipta Bhattacharya
Articles Published :659
Debdipta Bhattacharya is a content writer at FandomWire, where she has written more than 500 articles on various topics of interest. She possesses a sincere passion for popular culture, anime, film production, and the evolving world of YouTube and streaming culture which has allowed her to be a devoted and well-informed writer. Debdipta holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication. She has honed her skills and expertise in content writing with over two years of experience and strives to learn and grow daily.
