Anthony Hopkins on Oscar grovelling: 'I think it's kind of disgusting'

Anthony Hopkins has spoken out about his lack of tolerance for Oscar grovelling ahead of nominations. The actor who is currently filming Hitchcock and could very well be up for Best Actor himself, spoke about how he did not have time for the schmoozing involved. Hopkins is not the first actor to speak out against the awards. Recently Joaquin Phoenix called the Oscars 'total, utter bullshit, I don't want to be part of it' but later took back his statement, as he funnily enough is also in the running for a Oscar nomination.

Speaking to Huffington Post recently Hopkins said about the awards ceremony 'You know, I've been around - I've got the Oscar myself for 'Silence of the Lambs' - and having to be nice to people and to be charming and flirting with them...oh, come on! People go out of their way to flatter the nominating body and I think it's kind of disgusting. That's always been against my nature.' He went onto say that he hoped the role would just speak for itself 'You know, kissing the backside of the authorities that can make or break it; I can't stand all that. I find it nauseating to watch and I think it's disgusting to behold. People groveling around and kissing the backsides of famous producers and all that. It makes me want to throw up, it really does. It's sick-making. I've seen it so many times. I saw it fairly recently, last year. Some great producer-mogul and everyone kisses this guy's backside. I think, 'What are they doing? Don't they have any self respect?' I wanted to say, 'Fuck off.'

'Hitchcock' follows the director through the period he was filming Psycho as he struggles to finance the film leading him to fund the project himself, putting a strain on his marriage with Alma Reville, played by Helen Mirren. Hopkins has said that playing the role has been the 'most fun' he has had since playing Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs despite some apprehension. 'Initially, yes, I did. I had apprehension all the way through the movie. I had done all my preparation, but being a perfectionist I wanted to make sure it was absolutely right. But Sacha said, 'You're not Alfred Hitchcock, you're Anthony Hopkins playing him.' I said, 'Yeah, I know.'But I wouldn't even look at the monitor screens [during production]. I didn't want to see myself or hear myself. I had done enough preparation to do the part.'

Hitchcock will hit our screens on the 8th February 2013.