Having won an Emmy for “The Newsroom” and receiving four Golden Globe nominations, Jeff Daniels is no stranger to attending award shows — in fact, he’s nominated for two Emmys this year in two different categories: as lead actor in a limited series for “The Looming Tower” and supporting actor in a limited series for “Godless”.
Yet despite the accolades, the star of such films as “Dumb and Dumber” and “Steve Jobs” admits that he’s not a big fan of the pre-awards ritual of walking the red carpet.
“The red carpet is a gauntlet,” Daniels, 63, told Jimmy Kimmel during a Monday night visit to his talk show. “There is so much ambition on the red carpet you need to shower afterwards. And there are so many microphones.”
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Daniels recalled one exceptionally awkward red-carpet experience “many years ago” when he was “doing the red carpet, kicking and screaming, and I was lining up to talk with one of those entertainment shows. It was my turn — I’m going, ‘Oh goodie’ — and then a Desperate Housewife, when that show was on, like swept in” and cut in front of him to steal his place in line.
“My agent is like, ‘Don’t take it personally, don’t take it personally.'”
But did he take it personally? “Yeah!” he joked.
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While the mantra among nominees is typically something along the lines of “it’s an honour just to be nominated,” Daniels is a bit more circumspect.
“If you’re gonna put on a tux and get in a limo,” he quipped, “you might as well win.”
