Clifton Collins Jr. has run the gamut in Hollywood. He’s worked with actors such as Philip Seymour Hoffman (“Capote”), Robert Redford (“The Last Castle”) and Benicio del Toro (“Traffic”). He’s performed for directors like Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu (“Babel”), Quentin Tarantino (“Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood”) and JJ Abrams (“Star Trek”). Next up, he brings life and beauty to his performance as a horse racer feeling the effects of decades on the equestrian circuit in Sony Pictures Classics’ “Jockey.” If nominated for best actor at the Oscars, Collins Jr. would become just the fifth Latino to ever be recognized in the category — following José Ferrer, Anthony Quinn, Edward James Olmos and Demián Bichir.
On this episode of Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast, we sit down with the Latino actor to talk about his career and taking on this new role of Jackson Silva in Clint Bentley’s directorial feature debut. “Jockey” premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, and also stars supporting acting hopefuls Molly Parker and Moisés Arias. The film is written by Bentley and Greg Kwedar. It’s scheduled to open in limited release on Dec. 29.
Collins Jr. also discusses what fans might expect from Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley,” in which he co-stars with Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett. Finally, he opens up about the legacy of his grandfather, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, a classic character actor who appeared in many John Wayne films. Listen below:
Also on this episode, the Awards Circuit Roundtable comes together to discuss the latest regarding the tragic news that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed Oct. 21 in a gun accident on the New Mexico set of the film “Rust.” What does this mean for IATSE’s tentative deal with the AMPTP moving forward and will this inflict change on an industry that has long failed to respect its underappreciated artisans and crew members? In addition, we give a rundown of Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch ceremony that included Saniyya Sidney, the rising star who plays young tennis pro Venus Williams in Reinaldo Marcus Green’s “King Richard” opposite Will Smith. Finally, Edgar Wright’s love of the movies is on full display in his new film “Last Night in Soho,” which opens in theaters this week. Can the movie’s impressive crafts find headway in the awards race?
Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast is hosted by Clayton Davis, Michael Schneider, Jazz Tangcay and Jenelle Riley and is your one-stop listen for lively conversations about the best in movies. Michael Schneider is the producer and Drew Griffith edits. Each week, “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top talent and creatives; discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines; and much, much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere you download podcasts. New episodes post every week.
