Alan Arkin '55 Nominated for an Academy Award

Annual Academy Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday, Janaury 27, bringing news that Bennington alumnus and former visiting faculty member Alan Arkin ’55 has, for the third time in his career, been nominated for an Oscar. The nomination honors his stand-out, supporting role as “Grampa” in this year’s critically acclaimed, smash hit Little Miss Sunshine. In addition to nominating Arkin, the Academy nominated, for best supporting actress, Arkin’s co-star Abigail Breslin, who played the lovable and quirky “Olive.” The film also earned nominations for best motion picture and best screenplay.

Arkin spoke with Variety about learning of his nomination. “It was 6:30 in the morning, and one of my sons, Matthew, called me and gave me the news.” He continued, "This one [Little Miss Sunshine] seems to have particular resonance for audiences. Just seeing the look on people's faces when they talk about it. I haven't had time to think about celebrating, but it's been nice hearing from a lot of old friends who seem to be very happy for me."

In addition to the Oscar nomination, Arkin’s performance earned him an Independent Spirit Award for best supporting actor. He was also honored last month by the Film Society of Lincoln Center for a career of presenting “the idiosyncrasies and oddities of his characters, for bringing them to life with all their anxieties and quirks.”

His latest movie has also earned abundant praise. Film critic for the Chicago Sun Times Jim Emerson noted, "You just won't see a better acted, and better cast, movie than Little Miss Sunshine." And The New York Times wrote: “Tucked in between all the hurt and the jokes, the character development and the across-the-board terrific performances is a surprisingly sharp look at contemporary America, one that sets the metaphor of the stage (and, by extension, competition) against the cherished myth of the open road."

In an interview with the Associated Press, Arkin reflected on the similarities among his chosen roles. “I realized that for the first 20 years or so (of my career), most of the characters I played were outsiders, strangers to their environment, foreigners in one way or another. As I started to get more and more comfortable with myself, that started to shift. I got one of the nicest compliments I’ve ever gotten from someone a few days ago. They said that they thought my characters were very often the heart, the moral center of a film.”

To read Time magazine's interview with Alan Arkin, please follow the corresponding link.

Check out the film trailer and additional reviews by following the corresponding links.

For a complete listing of Oscar nominees, click here.