Anthony Hopkins: Award-Season Groveling is "Disgusting" and "Nauseating"

Sir Anthony Hopkins described his "Hitchcock" co-star Helen Mirren as "no-nonsense." The same could be said for the 74-year-old actor, who manages to come across as both a bit salty and a class act in a recent interview with the Huffington Post.

Although he's one of the top contenders for the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in the biographical "Hitchcock," Hopkins was very critical of the institution itself, saying it makes people in the entertainment industry obsequious to a repulsive degree.

"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 added, "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 al 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?'"

Joaquin Phoenix, whose new film "The Master" is also getting Oscar buzz, echoed Hopkins' sentiment. Talking to Interview Magazine, Phoenix used one certain expletive repeatedly to describe the ceremony, and said "I don't want to be part of it. I don't believe in it."

Oscar nominations will be announced on January 10, and the event itself will take place on February 24.