Steve Carell says the best part of Foxcatcher for him, is all the recognition that director Bennett Miller is receiving for the film.
Steve Carell
Carell has teamed up with Miller for the first time as he takes on the role of John du Pont in the brand new biopic - which is the third feature film of Miller's directing career. Miller has already enjoyed success with Capote and Moneyball, but Carell is thrilled by the praise that the filmmaker is receiving for this movie.
Speaking to Collider, the actor said: I'll tell you what's the best part of it, to me, is the acknowledgement that Bennett is getting. It's a movie that he's lived with for 8 years, I think, and the fact that now he can make the rounds and meet people who are embracing the movie, I love it.
"I love the fact that he's been able to absorb that. It's exciting. When we went to Cannes, no one had seen the movie. I hadn't seen the movie with an audience, and the way it was received was shocking, I think, to everybody involved."
Foxcatcher was met with acclaim when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, and it has gone on to win over critics and audiences and pick up a string of Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations: Carell himself was nominated for Best Actor for his central performance at both the SAGs and the Globes.
Foxcatcher is also a heavy favourite to be a major player when the Oscar nominations are announced at the beginning of next year - it would be a first Best Actor Oscar nomination for Carell should receive one. Foxcatcher and Miller himself could also find themselves in the running for Best Picture and Best Director.
The role of du Pont is unlike anything we have seen Carell tackle before and could well be the film and the performance that changes the course of his career. Foxcatcher will be the first time we have seen him on the big screen since Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Band Day. The actor will also be back next year with comedy/drama Freeheld.
Freeheld will see Carell reunite with Julianne Moore for the first time since Crazy Stupid Love, while Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, and Luke Grimes are also on the cast list. Peter Sollett is in the director's chair for the film.
Foxcatcher is released 9th January 2015.
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