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Cultured Focus Magazine at the Oscars 2020


By: Nikoleta Morales| Image credit: Getty Images



Cultured Focus Magazine Interviews Renee Zellweger at 92nd Academy Awards



This year Cultured Focus Magazine was represented at the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony by award winning journalist Nikoleta Morales.

Morales was present as winners obtained their Oscars including Brad Pitt (Best Supporting Actor), Laura Dern (Best Supporting Actress), Elton John (Best Original Song), Renee Zellweger (Best Actress), the director Bong Joon Ho, and cast of “Parasite” (Best Picture and Best Director), among others.

Morales had the honor of being the first journalist to ask Renee Zellweger a question right after her Oscar win. She also spoke with Hildur Guðnadóttir, who won for Original Music Score for The Joker, thus making history being the first woman to win in that category since 1997. She also spoke with Julia Reichert regarding her prestigious win for the documentary American Factory.

Read about her Renee Zellweger interview below.

Renee Zellweger Interview:

Q. I loved you in JUDY. I have to say that it's, I mean, an absolutely amazing performance and an amazing film. So, basically, you became an extension of Judy in the film. It's almost like she transcended with you in the film. And what I want to know is, how did you connect? What was it about Judy that connected you so closely by so in heart that you basically became her? I know you've done a lot of research, but was there anything else that you felt very close to with her that you were able to deliver such an incredible performance and become her, essentially?

A. That's really kind. Thank you very much. I appreciate that. You know, I can't think about it. I can't extract myself from the collaboration. The only things that I would do by myself are sing in the car on the 405 in traffic, you know, for a year. So that was a lot of practice for anybody who's tried to drive down the 405. But -- and, you know, the reading and things, that was by myself. But what you're talking about, that connectivity, that was a consequence of everybody's work on that set. Everybody was motivated by the same thing. We just appreciate the importance of her legacy and who she was as a person and we all wanted to celebrate her. And everyday we came to work and we just tried things, we just kept trying things. And the director, Rupert Goold, called it "mining for treasure." We were all digging around in sort of the materials of her legacy, her music, her books, interviews, her television show. You know, just everything that we could find that seemed essential in conjuring her essence to tell the story. And that was everybody's work, you know. And it was, you know, the partnership with every single department throughout. And it really was a celebration. We just came to work every day. You could feel the love, the love for Ms. Garland, and that was what we had hoped, so -- And I thank you for your question.


Q. Thank you so much for your performance.

A. Oh, thank you. That's kind. Thank you. [All transcript content Copyright of 2020 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.]

At the end of the night, Nikoleta Morales congratulated several celebrities among which were Tom Hanks, Jonathan Pryce, John Cho, Billie Eilish, Zazie Beetz, and others. For more information visit: www.oscar.org

Oscar Gown: Specially designed for Morales by Mario and Jorge.

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