Q&A with Oscar® Winner Christoph Waltz

Q: I know people have been calling you an overnight sensation, and I heard you say yesterday on the carpet that it's more like a 33-year overnight thing.

A: No, well, I think the sensation was overnight. It needed the trigger. It needed Quentin to trigger it. The overnight was a bit longer than just one night. You know, several nights. It's a question of mathematical prowess to figure that one out.

Q: So what's the message to people about sticking with it and following your dreams.

A: The message, I mean, if that's not a message in itself…it's just a very long message. I wouldn't say hang in there no matter what. I would never take responsibility upon myself, to lead someone into disaster. I don't know. It's fate. It's luck. It's nothing that you can actually count on or calculate with. There are no strict guidelines. Whatever it is, this is it.

Q: What's up next for you?

A: Water for Elephants. I really admire that adaptation. They've done a fantastic job and really dramatized the story. There's so much in this story and apart from the whole bestselling aspect, I don't really follow these paths, but the adaptation is sensational.

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