Michael Fassbender is on the cover of November’s GQ and in the interview, he said he is refusing to campaign for an Oscar nomination for 12 Years A Slave.
The acclaimed German-Irish actor has been a contender for Oscars for the past, but has yet to receive a nomination. His performance in 12 Years A Slave director Steve McQueen’s last film, Shame, was so good that he was considered a lock. He did extensive campaigning for that film, but the campaign fell short.
“It's a vanity thing. It does become important to you. And it shouldn't,” he told GQ.
When asked if he would campaign for either 12 Years A Slave, which would likely be in the supporting category, or Ridley Scott’s The Counselor, Fassbender said he can’t do it, since he’ll be in New Zealand.
“That's just not going to happen, because I'll be in New Zealand,” he explained. “I'll be on the other side of the world. You know, I get it. Everybody's got to do their job. So you try and help and facilitate as best you can. But I won't put myself through that kind of situation again.”
He continued, “It's just a grind. And I'm not a politician. I'm an actor.”
Fassbinder has been one of the most active Hollywood stars of the young decade, but he told GQ that he’d like to slow down. Among his future films is one with Terrence Malick and even he isn’t quite sure what the film’s going to be about.
“I'm not sure," he said when asked about it. "I've got to go actually and do some more voice-over...just like reams and reams of that.”
12 Years A Slave was recently shown at the New York Film Festival and is considered a contender for the Best Picture Oscar. The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and it starts its theatrical run on Oct. 18.
image: Peggy Sirota/GQ