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AMY ADAMS

Although Amy Adams knows a thing or two about attending the Academy Awards ceremony, she gets nervous at just the mention of it. In 2006, she was up for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the low-budget independent film Junebug. This time round, she will be performing a number from Enchanted, the hit Disney musical centered on the character of Giselle, who is thrown from a magic portal in her 2D-animated world of Andalasia into the bustling, gritty reality of New York City. The film dominates the Best Song category, having garnered three nominations (That is How I Know You, So Close, and Happy Working Song). At a press event for her new film Miss Pettigrew Lives for A Day, Adams recalls how surreal she felt on receiving her first Oscar nomination and, less concerned about actually performing live in front of a massive global audience, she voices her fear about singing in front of her idol Daniel Day-Lewis.

Were you surprised at all with what happened with Enchanted, with the way that it just took off?
I was cast in that before I was even nominated for Junebug. We did that [film] two years ago now. It just took a while because of all the special effects and the animation. So, we did not expect that at all in the making of it. You never know. We were having fun and put a lot of heart into it. But you never know what the public response is going to be. It is a very different movie and you never know when people are going to embrace that.

Do you like doing musicals?
Yes. Very much! I come from musicals. I was a dancer, so I did a lot of chorus roles. I was a chorus girl. I played in Anything Goes and Crazy for You. I did regional theater. I am actually a really bad tap dancer. I usually would take the taps off my shoes. But luckily I was able to fool them to get the jobs.

Were you actually more surprised to see the response to Junebug than Enchanted?
That was the biggest surprise. That was a year [2006] of surprises. It just continued to build upon itself and it still sort of is. It is funny that people will talk to me and [say]: "I saw Junebug on Lifetime last night. And where did this come from? Where was this film?" And I would be like: "It was out there!!" But it was a small film and there was no television advertising, but it is continuing to build upon itself, which is wonderful. You don't know. You never know.

What was that Oscar nod experience like?
I felt like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland. It was really surreal. But fun. I had a lot of fun. Just surreal.

You are performing at the Oscars this year…
I get nervous every time some one says that!

Amy Adams in Enchanted Courtesy of Walt Disney

Does it make you more nervous, the idea of going up for the Award or doing the performance?
No… when I was nominated I was so much more nervous about the whole situation. I am nervous about the actual singing. I don't want to crash and burn. But if I do, it's sort of epic. At the time I will be mortified but like twenty years from now, I will be like: "You ought to see this!" [Laughs]. So I am trying to go into it with a really open mind and just have fun.

I am sure you will do well. But how are you going to celebrate?
I will probably pass out! I am presenting later so I will have to keep it together. And then after the whole thing, I will probably go: "What did I just do?"

Do you have your parties picked out?
No, I don't have any! I might have to fly back to New York the next day so I am probably going to have to keep it low-key.