The trailer for director David O. Russell’s swinging ’70s drama starring Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Amy Adams, made its debut less than a month ago, and it’s already garnered the kind of Oscar buzz studio execs would sell their first, second and third born to curry. But, as Russell told MTV News as part of our Fall Movie Preview, it’s something he tries to not think too much about.
“There’s really nothing you can do about it,” the auteur said of the early awards speculation surrounding his film, loosely based on the events of Abscam. “I think you just have to do your best to humbly make the best movie you can make, and let the movie speak for itself. I think you can’t really get caught up in that.”
You can hardly blame Academy Award watchers for being bullish about the film’s prospects, though. After all, Russell films have a habit of earning their actors Oscar nods — and wins. Bale and Melissa Leo scored trophies for their performances in 2010’s “The Fighter,” with costar Adams also earning a nomination. And Russell’s most recent film, “Silver Linings Playbook” helped Lawrence score her first win, with co-stars Cooper and Robert De Niro also getting nods.
But, as Russell was quick to point out, Oscar hasn’t changed his 23-year-old star.
“I mean … no, it didn’t really change it because with the dynamic that was created — it’s very dynamic and sweet and fun, and she had an enormous amount of fun playing this role and all the insanity,” Russell said of Lawrence’s turn as an “unhinged Long Island housewife,” as he put it. “You ask a lot and she brings it. That was our talk on ‘Silver Linings Playbook.’ That’s what we both enjoy. Have a loose, trusting environment, and then she can bring it. That’s what’s fun to do.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t all fun on the Boston set, as the cast and crew found themselves caught up in the events of the Boston Marathon bombings in April.
“We were very moved by the people of Boston and the community in Boston and how compassionate and strong everybody was,” Russell said. “We had been shooting in the very place the bombing took place like a matter of days before, and it just freaked us out. It was very upsetting. I think it made the community feel tighter. I did this movie there. I did ‘The Fighter’ there. I love the teamsters there. I love the actors there. I love the casting people there, so it just made the community tighter, going through that trauma together.”
“American Hustle” opens December 25.
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