Jeremy Strong Feels Nostalgic and Grateful Upon Receiving First Oscar Nomination
Jeremy Strong is feeling nostalgic and grateful upon learning about his first-ever Oscar nomination for his performance as lawyer and fixer Roy Cohn in “The Apprentice”, a dramatization about President Donald Trump’s life as a business mogul in the 70s and 80s.
The actor, recognized in the best supporting actor category and best known for his role in HBO’s “Succession”, called the nomination “the realization of a lifelong dream” and shared a childhood photo to back up the sentiment. The photo showed him as a young boy attending the 65th Academy Awards in 1993, where he had braved a cold night to watch the actors and actresses arrive at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles.
Strong, who felt “unable to sleep because of how exciting it was to be close to that world”, recalled that this experience has stayed with him throughout his career. “I have devoted my life to the attempt to do genuine work that would be worthy of this honor,” he said.
Strong and his co-star Sebastian Stan, who earned a nomination in the lead actor category, were both filled with amazement and gratitude to the Academy. Strong’s portrayal of Cohn, a controversial figure known for his bullying tactics and work as chief counsel to Sen. Joseph McCarthy, also earned him BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations.
Despite the film’s controversial subject matter, Strong acknowledged that it “has been an uphill battle every step of the way and faced inestimable resistance on every front”. He praised his co-star and the film’s recognition, saying that “it feels absolutely miraculous to me that both Sebastian and I were recognized.”
In reference to this week’s inauguration, Strong stood by the film’s decision to explore the life of Cohn, a legacy that “is now a Kingdom Come”. “Roy Cohn’s long, dark shadow was hanging over the Capitol Rotunda on Monday and his legacy of aggression, misinformation, and untruth is now a harrowing and courageous film that explores how we got to where we are today and was the role of a lifetime,” he said.
