After appearing in 50 films, what was it like to finally get an Oscar nomination for Sideways?
Other actors who have gone through it will tell you that the awards season can be draining. But I had so much fun because I’d waited so long for it to happen. I realized that it would all be over soon and it would never happen again quite like this. Maya, the character I played in Sideways, was so embraced. There was no negativity, nothing to combat. And I was so ready for it. I had worked for years to have my mind and body in shape, but I was really, really strong when it came around. Were you recovering from something specific? I was not well after the baby was born. I just didn’t recover quickly. And then, being a single mom, I got sloppy and didn’t take care of myself. I became more and more depressed. I didn’t know how to get out of it. So Antonio sent me to his trainer, Joe Sanceri, who is 73 years old. We don’t just sit around talking. It’s not therapy; it’s a workout. When Antonio first suggested that I go see Joe, I could barely walk around without being in pain. I had become
