Hollywood Film Awards: What are the odds of an ‘I like you’ back?

Every movie star handles award season differently. Some are openly disdainful of the dog-and-pony shows — Joaquin Phoenix, anyone? — while others are able to at least feign excitement at the prospect of traipsing down yet another red carpet.

For the most part, the celebrities making their way to the Beverly Hilton ballroom for the Hollywood Film Awards on Monday evening seemed to be in good spirits. After all, the event was only the first stop on the long road to the Academy Awards in February, so fete-fatigue had yet to set in.

Marion Cotillard, who took home an acting prize for her role in the foreign-language film “Rust and Bone,” said she was reveling in an experience that doesn’t exist in her native France.

“It’s totally different there. We don’t have big events like this. We don’t have award season in France,” she explained.

PHOTOS: Hollywood Film Awards

Another person who’s new to the kudos-fest experience? Ezra Miller, one of the evening’s young stars, who was spotlighted as an up-and-coming talent. Dressed in distressed boots and sporting his trademark disheveled mane of hair, Miller said he worried about his capacity to make it through the next couple of months in Hollywood.

“I think I’ll probably connipt and have some sort of epileptic fit,” the 20-year-old joked. “I might grow some sort of mutation on my body. Some sort of skin irritation reaction.”

Judd Apatow, who was on hand to accept the Hollywood Comedy Award, said his experience at award shows has changed significantly since he first got into the business.

“No one knew who I was then, so I would walk up to people and they would treat me like I was a weirdo creep,” the filmmaker said. “At least now I can walk up to them and say ‘I like you’ and there’s a 5% chance they’ll say ‘I like you’ back.”

PHOTO BOOTH: Hollywood Film Awards

According to Dustin Hoffman, however, offering compliments to industry peers is a faux pas.

“I don’t say, ‘Did you see it? Did you like it?’ I never make the first move,” said the veteran actor, who won an H-shaped statue for his directorial debut, “Quartet.”

“Actors never do that, by the way. It’s a no-no. You never say, ‘I liked you in this or that.’”

And what about Amy Adams, whose “The Master” costar Joaquin Phoenix recently dissed Oscar season in not so many words as a “total, utter” waste of time?

“Joaquin doesn’t get to wear all the great dresses I get to wear,” the evening’s supporting actress winner said with a smile. “So I have a perk that he doesn’t.”

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