Variety has just kicked off their Awards Season series of actor-on-actor profiles, where one actor talks about how impressed or amazed they were by another actor this year. And this year there are actually some good ones, like: Ben Affleck on Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker, or Tom Cruise on Peter Sarsgaard in An Education, or Charlize Theron on Michelle Monaghan in Trucker, or Marcia Gay Harden on Robin Williams in World’s Greatest Dad, or Martin Sheen on Hal Holbrook in That Evening Sun. I’ve chosen to feature a few that really deserve to be in the spotlight (like Sam Rockwell in Moon) this Awards Season so read on!

First up, we have Bradley Cooper talking about Sam Rockwell in Duncan Jones’ Moon (via Variety):

“I love watching that guy act anyway and it was an inventive way to tell this story and to tell the story all by yourself with a camera. In Moon he plays a couple of different versions of himself. It was an example a lesson in behaving and just being and living in this spaceship and you wanted to be there with him. He wasn’t doing anything outrageous to get your attention. But it was wonderful to watch.”

I really love this one because if anything it should help fuel the grassroots Oscar campaign to get Rockwell nominated for Best Actor. You can sign the petition for that here or just visit this link for more information.

Next up is Jeff Goldblum talking about Michael Stuhlbarg in the Coen’s A Serious Man (via Variety):

“Michael Stuhlbarg is wonderful and perfectly cast as Larry Gopnik in A Serious Man for countless reasons. To this incredibly complex character he brings his keenly intelligent sense of humor his soulful gentleness his deep kindness and sensitivity his touching inner-illuminated humanity his capacity for presence and love his brave/intuitive/poetical humility and his understanding of the character’s profound moral struggle. Michael’s Larry Gopnik is a reflection of his boundless work ethic and tremendous appetite for character investigation. Onscreen this translates into Gopnik exuding a mystical otherworldliness appearing seemingly passive but vigorously active and even in the most theatrical moments providing an anchor in reality and naturalism.”

And last, but not least, the beautiful Marion Cotillard talks ever so graciously about the very talented Joseph Gordon-Levitt in my favorite movie of the year, Marc Webb’s 500 Days of Summer (via Variety):

“Joseph Gordon-Levitt is able to skillfully balance joy and sadness with such delicacy. There is something about his smile, something light and deep, and, at the same time, there is also something about his eyes, sparkling and poetic. In the black-and-white sequence, his performance in 500 Days of Summer is reminiscent of an old-fashioned movie star, but carried with notes of modernity. He’s an architect of intensity.”

I always love reading these. I don’t know why, but I’m always intrigued to hear other actors or filmmakers talk about other actors or films. I guess it has something to do with the idea that someone who knows the craft themselves can give the best criticism and yet they go on to praise some of the best performances that we all recognize as well. You can check out more of these on Variety or click any of the links above. This is only just the beginning of the Awards Season, as we have another month to go of movies this year and then two more months of discussion and debate leading up to the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 7, 2010!

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