Da’Vine Joy Randolph is focusing on her “self-care” ahead of this year’s Oscars.
The actor is nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as grieving mom Mary in The Holdovers. Randolph said the last six months of work and promotion has made her feel like she is in the army.
“It really comes down to self-care. It’s a marathon these six months. It’s surreal. I feel like I’m in the Navy or the Marines. I’ve never experienced anything [like this],” she told People in regards to how she is preparing for the Academy Awards amid feeling tired and stressed.
“Everyone is just saying pace yourself, try to stay as present as possible, stay hydrated and take good care of yourself because it’s a marathon.” Randolph added. She said she is in “unknown territory” in her career.
“I’m mind blown. I haven’t fully processed it, but [being nominated] was overwhelming in the best way possible,” she continued. “And to feel all of the love and the support has been so tremendous. I think it’s just a beautiful reminder. It’s bigger than us. What we do actually really matters; it helps people and it makes people happy or feel seen or heard. That’s why I do what I do.”
Her character in The Holdovers, which stars Paul Giamatti as a jaded professor — who is also nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his part — is Mary Lamb, a school cook who stays at a New England boarding school over the Christmas holidays in 1970.
Randolph has already earned multiple accolades for her work in the role, including at the Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globe Awards in January.
Randolph is up against other nominees in the Best Supporting Actress category at this year’s Oscars including Emily Blunt for Oppenheimer, Danielle Brooks for The Color Purple, America Ferrera for Barbie and Jodie Foster for Nyad.
The Holdovers has a total of five nominations, including Best Picture. The 96th Academy Awards will be held on March 10 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, starting at 7pm.
