Sam Elliott, an actor whose career spans more than 50 years, has finally earned his first ever Oscars nomination.

The 74-year-old, arguably best known for playing the role of The Stranger in 1998 cult film The Big Lebowski, has been recognised for his performance in Bradley Cooper film A Star is Born.

Working close with Cooper, Elliot plays the role of the elder brother to Cooper’s character, an aspiring singer-songwriter, and does so to critical acclaim. His performance sees him go agains the likes of Mahershala Ali, Adam Driver and Sam Rockwell in the category of Best Supporting Actor.

When asked about his first time nomination, Elliot quipped: “It’s about fucking time,” while in conversation with Deadline.



He added: “Beyond that, it’s really about the work; it’s just about the creative process. It’s great to be recognised for that, that’s really all it’s about.”

The film, A Star is Born, marks the directing debut for Cooper who introduced pop star Lady Gaga to the big screen. His work on the remake of the 1937 film of the same name has welcomed critical acclaim, earning eight separate nominations at the Academy.

When asked why he thought the film had been such a hit, Elliot added: “I just think it has a number of universal themes that a lot of people can tap into.

“The music’s one thing, that stands alone on some level, but it’s also an intricate part of the story. The love story, the love and loss. Then beyond that, it’s the addiction theme. I don’t know anybody that hasn’t had some connection, either directly or indirectly, someone in their family, or someone they love, with alcoholism or addiction.”