Melissa Leo gripes winning an Oscar was terrible for her career

No thanks to the Academy. 

In an interview with the Guardian published on Thursday, Melissa Leo, 65, griped that winning an Oscar, “has not been good for me or my career.” 

“I didn’t dream of it, I never wanted it,” the “All My Children Actress” added. “And I had a much better career before I won.”

Leo won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2011, for her role in the boxing drama “The Fighter.” 

Directed by David O. Russell, the movie starred Mark Wahlberg, Amy Adams, and Christian Bale, who also won the “best supporting actor” Oscar that year for the film. 

After winning her Oscar, Leo went on to win an Emmy in 2013 for a guest role in “Louie,” and she starred in the 2015 show “Wayward Pines” and 2018’s “The Equalizer 2.”  

Leo said that after winning an Oscar, “One loses one’s mind.” 

She added, “I had won a lot of prestigious awards for ‘The Fighter’ that season, and sat in that great gigantic theatre thinking: ‘Well, it certainly is possible.’”

She said that meeting Kirk Douglas, a presenter that year, made it, “all I was thinking about.” 

The actress noted, “Every single actor, director and producer you recognize, is staring you in the face.”

Following her win, Leo recalled, “I then cursed, and I’m still sorry I cursed. I f—ing curse all the time, but you cannot curse on network television. Thank God for the 10-second delay, which was introduced for f—ing idiots like me.”

For years, there has been talk of the “Oscars curse,” when a star wins an award, and their career fizzles out, never reaching those heights again. 

The “Homicide: Life on the Streets” actress hinted that she hasn’t been thrilled with her career, post Oscar. 

“My work chooses me,” she said. “I’m happy to play what I’m offered – apart from after ‘The Fighter,’ when all I was offered was older, nasty women. I don’t want to do that anymore.”

Her dream role, she said, would be to play a “princess” or a “queen.” 

“I want lovely fancy costumes, maybe from another period. Years ago, I made a film called’ A Time of Destiny,’ which was set in the 40s. Not all actors can fit in period pieces because they feel too modern, but I can play goodies and baddies – past, present and future.”