McTeer: I want Close to win Oscar (From Northwich Guardian)

McTeer: I want Close to win Oscar

8:00am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in National Entertainment News © Press Association 2011

Janet McTeer has said she would rather her Albert Nobbs co-star Glenn Close walked away with an Oscar than win one herself.

"I want her to win way more than me," the star said at the Oscar Nominees Luncheon. "She's a dear friend and she's put her heart and soul into this for such a long time. I would love to see her win. That would be really wonderful."

Janet plays cross dresser Hubert Page in the film which sees Glenn also play a woman living as a man in 19th-century Ireland.

"The scariest thing was trying to play an Irish man in front of an Irish male crew," Janet recalled of her role. "They're a tough crowd. And also the fact that if you didn't vaguely believe, for a little bit that we could pass as men, you've lost the basis of the whole film really, and that was really scary."

Her co-star Glenn, who has been nominated in the Best Actress category, discussed the arduous process she went through to make the film, after initially playing the role on stage back in 1982.

"You have to have a very subjective belief in what you think is good," she said. "I love telling stories that I think will have an emotional connection with people. As an actress, I like to be challenged by something I've never tried before so [Albert Nobbs] had all of those elements.

"I took out the first option on the original material in 1998. And I wasn't willing to throw in the towel. And I'm really proud that I didn't and I'm really proud of the little movie that we made and it seems to be getting a lot of resonance with people."