Thirty years after his last Oscar nomination, John Malkovich is once again in the spotlight of the film press. The actor is tipped for a nomination for his role as a veteran CIA officer in Martin McDonagh's new picture, Dark Horse. Malkovich had previously been nominated twice by the American Academy: in 1984 for Places in the Heart and in 1993 for In the Line of Fire, but he has never won.
Speaking at the London Film Festival, Malkovich said that his attitude toward the awards race had changed. According to the actor, thirty years ago the film industry was different, and films carried higher cultural status. Back then, by the time the awards were handed out, the pictures were already in release and succeeding at the box office, and he learned of a nomination by telephone. Today, Malkovich noted, actors have to spend months on promotional campaigns to persuade audiences to come to cinemas.
The black comedy Dark Horse is set on Easter Island in 1973, on the eve of the military coup in Chile. Malkovich's co-star in the film is Sam Rockwell. In September the picture received a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, where John Malkovich was awarded the prize for Best Actor. At the press conference, he said that what mattered most to him was the recognition of the film itself, rather than his personal contribution.
I'm 72 years old, everything changes. You either change with it, or you die. I prefer to change. I'm going to die anyway.
— John Malkovich
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