Oscars 2013: Quotes from the stars

The “Argo” director, with his fellow producers George Clooney and Grant Heslov, says he’s done with the false modesty and not talking about his director snub. “No more humility,” he joked backstage after “Argo” won best picture, the last -- and biggest -- of its three Academy Awards. “Naturally, I was disappointed, and a lot of people said it was something that was going to happen.... But you know what? You’re not entitled to anything.”  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

The “Les Miserables” actress said, “Playing Fantine and having to connect with the darkness of life and the unnecessary suffering that human beings can inflict on each other -- I would have loved to go home and just forget about it all, but you can’t because it exists. It made me more compassionate toward the suffering that exists in the world.”  ( John Shearer / Invision / AP)

Lee says that a win in the director category feels like a win in the best picture category for both him and his cast: “Whether I get a best picture win or not, I’m still very proud. Maybe the third time we’ll get it, but I’m very happy to win this.” He was referring to his directing win in 2006 for “Brokeback Mountain,” which like “Life of Pi” was nominated for best picture but didn’t win.  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

The lead actress winner (“Silver Linings Playbook”) was already celebrating before the show ended: “I’m sorry, I did a shot before coming in here,” she said, greeting a roomful of reporters backstage with giddy laughter.  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Oscar-winner Daniel Day-Lewis, when asked whether he gets assistance in composing his acceptance speeches, took full ownership of his words: “If you can’t find your own words to say in situation like this, I think it would be a little sad.”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

“I don’t know, maybe I’ll do an HBO special like Beyonce did,” said the British singer after winning the Oscar for original song, from the James Bond film “Skyfall.”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

One of two sound editing winners, the “Zero Dark Thirty” participant took notice of the night’s significance: “Any time that you get involved in some kind of history making, that’s good. This year there were so many great work that was done, we could have shared with any one of [those films] and it would work.”  (Michael Buckner / Getty Images)

Documentary film winner for “Searching for Sugar Man,” Bendjelloul commented on his film’s subject, the elusive Sugar Man: “He’s genuinely a humble man,” said Bendjelloul of Rodriguez. “He wants to stay in Detroit and watch it on television. He doesn’t want to take any credit for this film.”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Winners of the Oscar for animated feature (“Brave”), the film’s original director, Chapman, appeared alongside Andrews, who replaced her as director in 2010: “The thing I loved about Brenda’s story was the thing that everyone loved about Brenda’s story,” said Andrews. “Getting the nominations for ‘Brave’ has been a very exciting ride and has paid off for both of us.”  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Host Seth McFarlane made it his duty to make Tommy Lee Jones laugh, and there was a hint of a grin: “I didn’t think about it at all,” the actor said curtly, adding that he wasn’t made aware of the joke or cutaway before it happened. As for his thoughts on MacFarlane so far, Jones had a terse review. “It’s funny,” he said, not really smiling.  (Christopher Polk / Getty Images)

The director of the winning animated short film, “Paperman,” on his film’s lack of dialogue: “For me the idea of it having no words in it makes it extremely portable -- it’s visual storytelling. And I think the best films are the ones you can understand with the sound turned off.”  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Bill Westenhofer of the winning “Life of Pi” visual effects team: “It is ironic that at a time when visual effects movies are dominating the box office, visual effects companies are struggling,” Westenhofer said. “We are artists, and if we don’t find a way to fix the business model, we’ll lose that artistry.”  (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)

“The Beasts of the Southern Wild” actor was low-key about his introduction to the Oscars: “It’s all good, just happy to keep doing this,” said the actor, who also operates a bakery in New Orleans. But surely there’s a star who he’s excited to see at the show? “Well, there is one,” he said, after some prodding. “Wolfgang Puck. Because, you know, he’s a comrade.”  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Christoph Waltz, the supporting actor winner, talking to actor David Arquette, who asked about the German actor’s choice of pope: “I am a very adamant non-racist. I don’t care whether the pope is black or white or whatever color. If we are non-racist, then we have to stay non-racist all the way.”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)