Actor Eddie Redmayne accepts the Desert Palm Achievement Award onstage during the 26th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala at Palm Springs Convention Center on January 3, 2015 in Palm Springs, California.Jason Merritt
Hollywood's awards season kicks into high gear with the Golden Globes on Sunday, and it won't stop until the Oscars are handed out on Feb. 22.
Awards shows are usually long and sometimes predictable, but at least viewers at home can watch in pyjamas or pause any time to get a snack.
Not so for the actors and filmmakers, who must win humbly and lose graciously. While grateful to have their work recognized, they also have ideas for improving the awards-show institution. (Hint: booze is a big theme.)
"I feel like award shows start quite efficiently, and I think I need a few drinks to warm up. I would probably extend the drinks part before sitting down, so I was less nervous." – The Theory of Everything star Eddie Redmayne
"Obviously, the awards ceremonies are quite long, so it'd be quite nice to have a drink of water or wine." – Downton Abbey star Joanne Froggatt
"The best part of it is seeing the people that you love and know and the company of actors that you've worked with. That's really special because we all come together for this and we celebrate together as a group, so that's really special. The part that's the harder part is the feeling of competition among your fellow actors and directors and producers. You wish it could be not so much that." – Into the Woods director Rob Marshall
"My suggestion is to have a young actor who's hot today with an actor who's a legend. … That way, viewers of all ages would be excited and also young people would want to research who these other people were and what their movies were. We owe so much to their work, and there has been so much beautiful work done over the years." – Boyhood star Patricia Arquette
"Sitting in the crowd at the Golden Globes is probably the most fun you can have because you're at tables and you're drinking. That's probably the worst one to host, yet I loved it more. The Emmys is probably nicer to host and present because everyone is in their seats and attentive. They're not getting drunk." – Past Golden Globes host and current nominee for Derek, Ricky Gervais
"If I could change one thing about awards shows, I'd have Tina [Fey] and Amy [Poehler] host all of them. They are the best. They have cornered the market on awards-show hosting." – Foxcatcher star Steve Carell