The Other Oscar Story: Miss Cottilard
While everyone was fulminating (and continues to fulminate!) about the “Selma” snub (it wasn’t snubbed: it got a best picture nomination, which is more than can be said about “Into the Woods” and “Unbroken,” which in my humble opinion were superior movies), another Oscar-nom story was overlooked. I’m talking about the Best Actress nomination of Marion Cotillard for “Two Days, One Night,” a French-language film that almost no one saw but which garnered Cotillard plenty of year-end critics’ awards, and a full-on essay from J. Hoberman. Why does Cotillard continue to get Oscar attention? Because she charms the pants off everyone during the awards circuit parties. And you thought she won that Oscar for “La Vie en Rose” merely because of her performance as Piaf? Hah! I interviewed her around that time and she couldn’t have been nicer, although she has a tendency to play slightly dumb during press events. She ain’t dumb t’all.
