Yesterday, “Dear White People” star Tessa Thompson won the Breakthrough Actor award at the 24th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards by IFP.
Read what Tessa told us on the red carpet before her big win!
What does this honor mean to you?
Yeah, some of the performances that are in my category are some of my favorite of the year, so you are like wow the Gothams, they have good taste, and they chose to honor me just by a nomination and I’m excited.
What has been the most interesting feedback you have received on “Dear White People”?
I think the thing for us is that there’s an assumption about who this movie is for, what the demographic is and that’s not exactly true, there have been people that are different than what we would expect that really love the movie and it sold so well internationally which sort of breaks down this myth that movies about people of color or about that experience don’t travel. They do. So, I think what the movie has exposed is a real hunger for this kind of film and that’s been the most exciting thing.
Congrats on “Selma.” Can you reflect on the experience?
I mean, it was an incredible group of people. I have been a fan of Ava’s from a far and to get to work with the likes of David Oyelowo was incredible, but also to tell the story of women in the movement such as Diane Nash is something that we haven’t really seen in the cinema. So, I’m really excited that I got to be a part of that experience. I think it’s really groundbreaking in that way.
http://youtu.be/FtofCkG67GI
We spoke with Tessa after her big win.
So you won, how are you feeling?
Great! I was trying to figure out what to say because I didn’t think I would be winning. And then I watched Tilda Swinton listening to me and I was like, ‘Oh god. It’s Tilda Swinton. How do I make her laugh?’ I didn’t make her laugh but at least I won this.
And then you looked over and Tilda Swinton was the first person you saw?
She was the first person I saw. She was kind of the first person I see anyways. She is just a dream boat to me.
You told your friends you weren’t going to win?
First of all, people in this category, I was so inspired by their performances. They do incredible work and one of them, not only does amazing dramatic work, but he grows and that’s really impressive. I just thought that there’s no way, but I am really happy to be in their company.
Who are some mentors in your life?
My family and the people I know and love. I think Justin [Simien] actually in the process of how he got this film made. He went through so many people saying no to him and then finally he made a trailer for this film before it was even a film with his tax return, and I think that that kind of boldness of just like, ‘I have a story to tell and by hook by crook I am going to tell it,’ has really influenced me and made me go, ‘Yeah, that’s what you do. That’s the way you do it.’
Tell us more about “Selma.”
You know, that’s been so incredible, I think, to get to tell this story and at this time. People say it is so timely and the movie has been in the process of being made for years and years and it just happened to be now. But it is the perfect time for it to be happening. And it is a story we all think we know but I feel like this film tells it in a very unique way.
The other nominees for Breakthrough Actor are below:
Riz Ahmed in Nightcrawler (Open Road Films)
Macon Blair in Blue Ruin (RADiUS)
Ellar Coltrane in Boyhood (IFC Films)
Joey King in Wish I Was Here (Focus Features)
Jenny Slate in Obvious Child (A24)
The event at Cipriani Wall Street was presented by euphoria Calvin Klein and the New York Times.
