After accepting their awards in the Beverly Hilton ballroom, the winners headed backstage to speak to the press.
Sylvester Stallone
Best Supporting Actor for ‘Creed’
“What a privilege!” Stallone exclaimed backstage. “I didn’t expect it at all, and I don’t remember a standing ovation at all. Was there really?” he said after a reporter told him he got a standing Ovation.
“I was promising myself that I would be very aware the whole time, but it proves I wasn’t. I got caught up in emotion.”
Stallone spoke about playing his iconic Rocky character once again, and revealed that he’ll sometimes have long conversations with Rocky. “Sometimes that will make it onto the screen in the movie,” he said, adding that Rocky “is so imperfect, and he’s trying to achieve something perfect, which isn’t possible, but he just keeps trying.”
The actor also was asked if he felt that it was more difficult for artists to make films today. “Artists will always be there, it’s just that they don’t have as many outlets,” he said. “If I wrote Rocky today it would most likely not be made, and if it did it would be on 25 screens. It’s going to be difficult, but as long as the studios are making money there will always be a film industry for the young artists.”
Ridley Scott
Director of best motion picture, musical or comedy, winner ‘The Martian’
Scott wouldn’t talk more about his film winning the comedy backstage, saying he didn’t want to “incriminate” himself. But he did reveal that he hopes to make his cartel movie (based on the book The Cartel by Don Winslow) after being asked about the recent news of El Chapo’s capture. “It’s interesting and very relevant,” said Scott, who will next go to Australia to work on Alien: Covenant. “But the book encompasses a lot more than that. It’s like The Godfather of that world.”
Jon Hamm
Best actor in a drama series winner for ‘Mad Men.’
Ever the charm ball, Jon Hamm used his time backstage at the Globes to practice his stand-up — repeating questions from the foreign press in an Australian accent and saying that he planned to roam the streets later that night if he couldn’t find a good party. “To have it bookend when the Hollywood Foreign Press awarded us in the beginning, when there was no telecast because of the [writers] strike, to win this way is really gravy,” said Hamm. “We were in the Chateau Marmont. They wheeled in a TV on a cart like ninth grade P.E. It was super neat, and at some point they brought the trophy.” Hamm added that he has been reading scripts for his next project but hasn’t made any decisions. When asked about his evening plans, Hamm said: “I’ll probably go to valley and, like, hang out. I might go bowling. If anybody has a ping-pong table, I’m really into that right now.”
Taraji P. Henson
Best actress in a TV drama winner for ‘Empire.’
“There were cookies on the table,” Henson explained of the desserts she passed out on her way up to the stage. Her win for Empire comes almost a year to the day from the Fox drama’s debut — and she said she was not interested in making the win about race or opportunities for black women. “I think there’s room for all of us. I think that what people are witnessing [with me] is someone who waited their turn,” she said. When asked about the role, she did say that she was a little reticent to come on board. “I was very nervous when I received the script. She wasn’t the most likable character. I’ve played some pretty edgy ones, but … she beat her son with a broom. She called one son a ‘faggot.’ It was scary. But I’m the type of artist where if the role doesn’t scare me, I don’t want it.” Henson also sounded off on the suggestion that Empire’s gay storylines have alienated viewers. “That’s nonsense,” she said. “And our numbers speak for themselves.” She then raised her trophy to all of her “haters” and returned to the ballroom.
Lady Gaga
Best performance by an actress in a limited series winner for ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’
“I always imaged that I’d have a long love affair with music, [but] I never imagined this,” said the pop star backstage. “I always wanted to be an actress — I went to acting school for many years.” She went on to reflect on her American Horror Story: Hotel character, The Countess. “People think of darkness as bleak, empty space that’s void. For me, darkness is an expression of our pain. I love the art of darkness. That is exactly what I got to [explore] on this show. It was catharsis — exhilarating, liberating, so full of release. The countess is very evil. She’s not a goodwill kind of person, but what I did find in her is that after a hundred years, she never gave up no matter what she went through.” From her character, she learned a lesson that she has translated to her work. “You will fail in this business — it’s a matter of when. The true test is whether you can continue and stand up and move forward.” The singer also confirmed that she’ll be putting out an album later this year, although she won’t say exactly when.
Brie Larson
Best actress in a drama winner for ‘Room.’
“It made my heart grow so many sizes,” said Larson of working on Room. “There was such a sense of devotion I had to have to go to work every day. To work on a film where I couldn’t be precious in my performance made me so happy every day.” Larson says the whole awards experience has been all-new to her, and talking about the film has been exhausting but also rewarding. “To find new meaning within this movie has been absolutely incredible,” she said. “And as someone who loves to be an introvert, it’s been quite warm and welcoming. You feel like you have a friend everywhere we go.” Larson, who plays a young mother who is held captive with her son, said she’s always looked for very authentic and vulnerable roles. “The idea of someone sitting in a theater has been very sacred to me. That’s how I learned about the world,” she said. “I feel a great sense of responsibility to tell things as honestly as I can and be as vulnerable as I can.” When asked about her plans to celebrate with her young co-star Jacob Tremblay, she said: “I feel like we’ll probably go get something like a burger now. He came and tackled me after I won, which made me cry.”
Kate Winslet
Best supporting actress in a film winner for ‘Steve Jobs’
Kevork Djansezian/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
“I honestly, truthfully did not expect this at all and I’m so delighted, I’m so thrilled,” said Winslet backstage. When asked about her comments about women in film she added: “I think women are doing such great work. There’s these wonderful women that we’re just so fortunate to stand alongside. It feels fantastic and there’s a real sense of girl power this year in terms of performance, and it’s just incredible to be a part of that.” Winslet added: “I’ve had an amazing few years, and I think there are wonderful scripts out there. I’ve been very blessed. I’ve had a nice run of some incredible parts and great challenges that have come my way. I’m doing a job that I love, and to still be doing it, I could not be more grateful.” When asked about how she’d celebrate, Winslet admitted that she was so sure she wouldn’t win that she booked a 9 p.m. massage because of a reoccurring neck pain issue. “I think I’m going to have to cancel,” she said with a laugh.
Oscar Isaac
Best actor in a limited series winner for ‘Show Me a Hero’
Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images
Isaac said it was Nick Wasicsko’s story that made him want to star in HBO’s limited series: “I wanted to tell his story and to really I understand this incredibly difficult time, and it’s incredibly relevant for what’s happening now about this idea of who gets the right to live where and why.” When asked how he’d celebrate, the Ex Machina and Star Wars star said he had no immediate plans. “I’ve been really into the whole ‘now’ thing and being present. I’ve planned as far as walking back to my seat after this. This whole year has been something that no one could have ever planned.” The Guatemala-born actor was asked about diversity in film and if he feels it’s still difficult for Latino actors to get roles. ”Well, the guy in Star wars is not Latino. He’s from a galaxy far, far away,” he said with a laugh. He added “It’s still happening that there’s not a lot of [Latino actors working]. It’s difficult for people who do not look like the status quo in this country to get the roles. Hopefully the people who cast films and TV shows will look past their limited ideas of what ethnicity is.”
Maura Tierney
Best actress in a TV series winner for ‘The Affair’
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
“I think the writers really found a sweet spot for me as an actress and for my character,” Tierney said of her role as Helen in Showtime’s The Affair. “There was a real symbiotic thing going on this season. I was presented with really challenging things to do, and I wanted to be up for the challenge.” She added that she thinks that her work excited the writers and that the writers’ work excited her: “So it ended up being really fruitful.” As far as season three is concerned, Tierney stayed mum on plot details, only revealing that she doesn’t think the writers will add more perspectives next year the way that they did in season two.
Christian Slater
Best supporting actor in a TV series winner for ‘Mr. Robot’
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
“I am phenomenally grateful to Rami Malek,” said Slater backstage after his win for Mr. Robot. “I don’t want to forget to thank the greatest acting partner that I’ve had in my life. He is a phenomenal leader and carries the show on his shoulders. I love Rami and I can’t wait to get back to work with him.” He went on to add that the subject matter of the series, hacking, wasn’t as prevalent when he first read the pilot, but then the Sony hack happened. “Things in the media were mimicking the things that were happening on our show when we were shooting. … It’s scary to be living in a world where those things are actually happening,” he said, adding: “It’s very smart to change your passwords as often as possible.” Slater also said that since the nomination came out, he’s been walking around very tense: “My body feels like jelly, [and] I’m just kind of a blabbering idiot right now, but I’m very grateful and very happy and I pretty much love everybody in the room.”
Rachel Bloom
Best actress in a TV comedy or musical winner for ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’
Mark Davis/Getty Images
The 28-year-old breakout was no less excited when she arrived backstage, elaborating on what she said during the telecast about her show’s unlikely arrival on TV. “I’d been doing music videos on YouTube for years,” she said. “Before Aline [Brosh McKenna] discovered me, I actually pitched two musical series that nobody gave a f— about. I wrote a song and sang it for executives who looked at me and said, ‘Mmm … pass.’ When a network passes you really mourn the show. The official state of grief in Hollywood is saying you’re taking around a dead pilot.”
Gael Garcia Bernal
Best actor in a comedy series winner for ‘Mozart in the Jungle’
Steve Granitz/WireImage
When Gael Garcia Bernal was asked backstage about all the other actors competing in his category, he revealed that he hasn’t kept up with much of the other television shows out there right now. “With Mozart in the Jungle, I’m really immersed in the world of classical and symphonic music. That [puts] me into a void where I don’t know about many things right now. So when I got the phone call about nominations, I was incredibly happy and excited. I want to share it with all the people I love. I feel very proud of being amongst them.” Later, when another reporter asked for Bernal’s thoughts on Sean Penn’s interview with El Chapo, the actor didn’t have much to say. “It’s so recent and I haven’t read the interview yet. As a Mexican, it’s very hard to talk about this subject because it is very important one and there are many people involved. It’s not an easy subject.”
Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes
Best original song winner for “Writings on the Wall” from ‘Spectre’
Paul Drinkwater/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
“I’m in complete shock. I did not think this was going to happen tonight,” said Smith, who co-wrote and performed the most recent James Bond theme song. “Getting to do a Bond theme was a dream come true. It’s been a part of my childhood, so when I got to do the song I felt like I won already.” Smith says he’s been in the studio working on his next album. Smith was also asked if he’d thought about the possibility of him getting an Oscar nomination on Thursday. “I haven’t really thought about it,” he said. “I mean, I want to think about it, but I’m trying not to think about it. It would be pretty sick, wouldn’t it?”
Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera
Winners of best animated film, ‘Inside Out’
Courtesy of Disney
“Alright, the animators are here!” joked Inside Out director Pete Docter, before responding to a request about the possibility of a sequel. “Our philosophy at Pixar has always been let’s find something that’s really worth talking about. We’ll put some thought into it.” Added producer Jonas Rivera, “We don’t know if we’re brave enough to make a movie about a 12-year-old girl’s head.”
Laszlo Nemes
Director of best foreign film, ‘Son of Saul’
Courtesy of The Toronto International Film Festival
“The Holocaust showed us the monster that exists within human beings. It’s a constant possibility we can turn into that once more, and we’ve seen that genocide is still going on. I think we have to look into the human soul and cinema can do that in a very visceral way,” the director told reporters backstage. “It’s important for future generations to know that history is not just a postcard, it’s something that can be here and now.”
Sam Esmail
Creator and executive producer of best drama series winner ‘Mr. Robot’
“My biggest expectation for this show, which is subversive and strange and weird, was that it would be a cult hit, that it would have this little fan base that would keep us on the air so that we could finish the series,” said Esmail of his USA drama. “So this is totally surreal and unexpected and crazy. I can’t even begin to process it.” When asked for a season two tease, Esmail declined: “No, but thank you for wanting to know.” The writer also noted that he’d return to the feature side of the business if given the opportunity. “People ask me if I’d ever make a movie version of Mr. Robot, and I say that I am making a movie version of Mr. Robot — it just happens to be really, really long-winded,” he said. “[But] I would love to make features again for sure.” In terms of online security, largely the subject matter of the series, he echoed castmember Christian Slater’s earlier comments about passwords. “I’m sure most of you have terrible passwords,” he said to the room full of press. For his part, star Malek thanked his co-star Slater, who he said gives him strength ever day. “He doesn’t have to say anything to me,” he said. “I respect him, I admire him and that’s the end of that.”
