Michael Fassbender by Jim Maloney

Author:Jim Maloney [Jim Maloney]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781857828047
Publisher: John Blake
Published: 2012-08-16T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

AND THE WINNER IS…

On 11 January 2009 Michael attended the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, where he saw Steve McQueen win Best First Feature for Hunger. There was more personal success, though, at the London Film Critics Circle Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 4 February, where Michael won British Actor of the Year in an impressive category that listed Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Michael Sheen and Dev Patel. Steve McQueen won the Breakthrough British Film-maker award.

The annual whirlwind of awards ceremonies saw Michael at the BAFTAs on 8 February, where he was nominated in the Rising Star category but lost out to Noel Clarke. Hunger also lost to Man on Wire for Outstanding British Film, but Steve picked up the Special Achievement award for his first feature film. Six days later Michael was back in Ireland for the IFTAs at the Burlington Hotel, Dublin.

Michael had been dividing his time between his home in Hackney, east London, hotels around the world and Leasi Andrews’ house in Bel Air, Los Angeles. While in LA, his pilates teacher reintroduced him to his boyhood pastime of archery and he frequented the Rancho Park Archery Range on Motor Avenue with her, her husband and Leasi. Another favourite LA pastime was browsing at Book Soup, a bookshop on Sunset Boulevard. He particularly enjoyed reading one of his favourite authors, Hunter S. Thompson, whose journalistic style appealed to him. But it wasn’t all living the Hollywood dream. Michael had to get his hands dirty one day when there was a problem with the plumbing and, in his words, he spent a couple of days ‘literally mopping up shit’ before it was fixed.

Whenever asked about his love life by journalists, the usually talkative Michael politely declined to furnish any details. But Leasi accompanied him to the IFTAs, where she met his family and friends and watched him being honoured by his homeland on a victorious night. Hunger had been nominated in eight categories and swept the board with six awards, including Best Film, Best Actor for Michael, Best Supporting Actor for Liam Cunningham, Original Score, Production Design and Sound. In addition, Michael received the Rising Star award and was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor in television for The Devil’s Whore.

Michael expressed his delight and relief that all the hard work involved in playing Bobby Sands and the concern over the sensitive nature of the story had ultimately paid off, given the international acclaim that Hunger had received. ‘There were times when I questioned what I was doing to myself but the people involved in the film, who were so passionate and talented, kept me strong,’ he said. ‘Now for the film to have received so many awards and nods from our peers in the industry makes all the effort worthwhile. I’m just so glad that it has done so well and has got the recognition that I believe it truly deserved.

‘I guess that no matter what else happens in my career from

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