Michael Keaton Shares Advice He Would Give to His Younger Self
Actor Michael Keaton is nominated for his first Oscar for his role in “Birdman.”
— -- Veteran actor Michael Keaton is nominated for his first Academy Award for his role in the acclaimed dark comedy, “Birdman.”
“Good Morning America”’s Lara Spencer talked with Keaton about the role that has put him in the spotlight.
Keaton has already earned numerous awards for his “Birdman” turn as washed-up actor Riggan Thomson, including a Golden Globe for best actor in a comedy.
Asked how he felt about the many awards he’s received so far, he replied: “It’s really fun, it’s ridiculously flattering … I’ve been doing this for a long time, but I’m grateful, that’s the word I keep using and I’m going to keep using it.”
Keaton has said he could have “failed miserably” in the role.
“It didn’t hit me until we had already started shooting, thank God, that I actually play four characters in this movie,” he said. “I play the actor and the actor who’s actually directing and then two characters inside a play, then we perform the play inside of it and then there’s the Birdman character … you forget it’s a comedy...finally comedy is getting its due, I think.”
During his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, Keaton, 63, talked about his siblings and his best friend, who happens to be his son, Sean Douglas. Keaton was born Michael Douglas, but changed his last name when went into acting.
When Spencer asked him whether he planned the heartfelt speech, Keaton replied: “It was only planned in that I thought, I don’t know what’s going to happen after this, there may be nothing after this, before it’s all over it was something I always thought you want to say that to the world. They know it, but you want to say to the world.”
Asked whether the timing of the nomination is right given his decades-long career, the actor replied: “I hadn’t thought of that until people started mentioning it. In a way it is, the timing would have been right for me if it would have been after my first movie. I would have been alright with that. You certainly appreciate things more.”
Spencer asked Keaton what advice he’d give today to his 25-year-old self.
“Mostly I’ve done what I would tell somebody, keep your eye on the ball, don’t be a baby, don’t whine, stay focused and just keep working, and don’t take your eye off the ball,” he said.
The 87th annual Academy Awards will be February 22. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC starting at 7 p.m. Eastern.