‘Lion’ Star Dev Patel Comments On His First Oscar Nomination

Dev Patel got his first ever Academy Award nomination on Tuesday, and five days later, the 26-year-old actor admitted that the prestigious recognition hasn’t sunk in yet.

“Isn’t that insane?” Patel told Entertainment Tonight of his Oscar nod on the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards red carpet on Sunday. “I feel so overwhelmingly grateful. I don’t know why I’m the recipient of so much luck and love. But it’s beautiful. It’s amazing. I’m just grateful.”

Patel was nominated for an Academy Award for best actor in a supporting role for his performance as Saroo Brierley in the drama film “Lion.” The Garth Davis-directed movie tells the story of a five-year-old Indian boy (Saroo) who gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, and sets out to find his family 25 years later.

Although Patel owes much of his career for his breakout role in the 2008 critically acclaimed “Slumdog Millionaire,” he admitted that his first film role almost prevented him from getting the role of Saroo.

“There were a lot of reservations about me being the guy from ‘Slumdog,’” Patel told E! News on the red carpet at the SAG Awards. “They’re like, ‘We’ve seen that. We need someone fresh and new and hungry,’ and they just wanted someone that could really transform for the role.”

“[So] I had to go in and really prove myself and fight against this preconceived notion that everyone had in the room, which made me want it even more really,” Patel added.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times last week, Patel revealed that he will be bringing his mom to the Oscars awards night.

“That’s her moment. I’m her guest,” the actor told the news outlet just a few minutes after he learned about his Oscar nomination. “I [just] called my mother and she was at work in the care home, and she just started screaming and crying and everyone was looking through the glass wondering why she’s making a big scene.”

In addition to the best supporting actor nod, “Lion” was also nominated for best picture, best supporting actress, best adapted screenplay, best cinematography and best original score.

The 89th Academy Awards ceremony will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on Feb. 26.