Oscar® Nominees: A Quick Look Back
Take a look at what the 2013 Academy Award nominees have told Oprah over the years about success, failure and finding your voice.
By Taniesha Robinson
![Steven Spielberg Steven Spielberg](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/own/2012/onc/201212/20121202-onc-lincoln-15-600x411.jpg)
Best Director Nominee Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
"I don't know how else to make a movie except to try to find some aspect of the experience that I haven't done before. Because if I'd done it before, I'm fearless, and I don't work well when I'm fearless." — Steven Spielberg telling Oprah about working on Lincoln
![Benh Zeitlin and Oprah Winfrey Benh Zeitlin and Oprah Winfrey](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/own/2012/supersoulsunday/201208/20120826-super-soul-sunday-beasts-17-600x411.jpg)
Best Director Nominee Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
"I wanted to make a film that celebrated the holding out for home and your culture and refusing to be pushed back, and to create almost a song to that, like a national anthem of what it is to stand strong." — Benh Zeitlin telling Oprah the intention behind his first film, for which he received this year's nomination
![Daniel Day-Lewis Daniel Day-Lewis](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/own/2012/onc/201212/20121202-onc-lincoln-17-600x411.jpg)
Best Actor Nominee Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
"With the voice being such a deep, personal reflection of character, of who we are—that voice may be quite a surprising reflection of who we seem to be. But undoubtedly, it's kind of a fingerprint of the soul." — Daniel Day-Lewis on finding the voice for President Abraham Lincoln
![Hugh Jackman Hugh Jackman](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/201212/omag/201212-omag-hughjackman-600x411.jpg)
Best Actor Nominee Hugh Jackman, Les Misérables
"I'm not saying everything I do will be successful, but I can live with a failure if it is born of conviction." — Hugh Jackman on his philosophy behind picking roles
![Denzel Washington Denzel Washington](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/own/2013/orig/201301/20130110-orig-oscars-3-600x411.jpg)
Photo: Getty
Best Actor Nominee Denzel Washington, Flight
"When I was doing Othello in college. I was so green, I would look right out at the audience just to see who was there! But I was like, 'Wow—all these people showed up. Maybe I'm good at this.' So I had a drive to perfect the craft." — Denzel Washington on the moment he realized he wanted to act
![Quvenzhane Wallis Quvenzhane Wallis](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/own/2012/supersoulsunday/201208/20120826-super-soul-sunday-beasts-6-600x411.jpg)
Best Actress Nominee Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
"I really don't worry about the attention. … It was great to do the movie." — 6-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis on her newfound fame
![Sally Field Sally Field](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/own/2012/onc/201212/20121202-onc-lincoln-21-600x411.jpg)
Best Supporting Actress Nominee Sally Field, Lincoln
"It was the times that felt like failure to me that made me readjust and go down, as they say, a path that I would not have done." — Sally Field on periods in her career when she felt stuck
![Anne Hathaway Anne Hathaway](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/own/2013/orig/201301/20130110-orig-oscars-8-600x411.jpg)
Best Supporting Actress Nominee Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables
"My behavior was controlled by fear; I was so afraid of doing something wrong. Nowadays, I've gotten past that, and [my behavior] is controlled by pride. I want to be a person I can respect." — Anne Hathaway speaking to Gayle King about life outside of acting
Published 01/10/2013