Current Best Actress Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence was recognized as Outstanding Performer of the Year at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF).  Whether it was her memorable debut in The Poker House, her first Oscar-nominated role in Winter’s Bone, indies like The Beaver and Like Crazy, or her star-making turns in last year’s The Hunger Games and Silver Linings Playbook (for which she has received her second Oscar nomination), the 22-year-old from Kentucky is proving herself to be one of Hollywood’s most talented young actors.  Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what she had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Jennifer Lawrence talked about what this past year has been like for her, how she got her start in acting, why she’s never taken any acting lessons, what the experience of making her first feature film The Poker House was like, what spoke to her about the character of Tiffany when she read the script for Silver Linings Playbook, why she doesn’t like to read her scenes ahead of time, working with Bradley Cooper again on the Depression-era drama Serena (due out in theaters in September), what made her hesitate about taking on the role of Katniss Everdeen for The Hunger Games franchise, what it was like to revisit the character for Catching Fire, what she learned from working with Jodie Foster on The Beaver, why she fought for the role of Ree in Winter’s Bone, her desire to direct, and the fact that she’s a bit less terrified of this award season.  Check out what she had to say after the jump.

Based on true events, Compliance is a startling and stark film about a prank caller (Pat Healy) who convinces a fast food restaurant manager (Ann Dowd) to interrogate an innocent young employee (Dreama Walker), in a way that changes all of their lives, forever.  Recognized for her work in the small indie drama, Ann Dowd was honored with a Virtuosos Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF).  Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the actress had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Ann Dowd talked about how gratifying the response to the film has been, along with her work in it, why she felt she could bring something to this character, what it was like to work with co-star Pat Healy entirely over the phone, how protective she felt of Dreama Walker, and the horrifying experience of her first professional acting job.  Check out what she had to say after the jump.

Omar Sy is an award-winning French actor, comedian, comic writer and television personality, who is already starting to make a name for himself in America.  Honored for his performance as Driss, a young man from the projects who becomes a caretaker for a quadriplegic in The Intouchables, Sy was presented with a Virtuosos Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF).  Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the actor had to say during the Q&A.

While there, Omar Sy talked about why directors Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache had faith in his abilities when he didn’t even consider himself an actor, getting bigger roles each of the four times they’ve collaborated together, working with co-star François Cluzet, who he beat out for the César Award for Best Actor, and how he’s ready to work in English, but that he needs to work on it a bit more first.  Check out what he had to say after the jump.

This year, Quvenzhané Wallis became the youngest person ever to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination, for her performance in Beasts of the Southern Wild.  Recognized for her work as Hushpuppy, she was honored with a Virtuosos Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF).  Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the actress had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Quvenzhané Wallis talked about getting over her nerves for her audition, what she remembers most about the film’s shoot, how director Benh Zeitlin helped with her performance, what she most likes about her character, the relationship she has with movie dad Dwight Henry, how fun the experience of making 12 Years A Slave was, how she’d like to voice an animal in an animated film, that she would love to do a musical, and that the whole awards show experience can be a little bit cuckoo.  Check out what she had to say after the jump.

Working for 10 years in film and theater, British actor Eddie Redmayne is currently receiving attention and acclaim for his work as Marius in the Academy Award-nominated musical Les Misérables.  Honored for that performance, he was presented with a Virtuosos Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), and Collider was there to cover and attend the event.

During the Q&A, the actor talked about what his crazy audition process was like, the ideas he had for his vocal performance, the thing he was most nervous about pulling off, working with co-stars Samantha Barks and Amanda Seyfried, who he’s learned the most from on set, and how the reaction they’ve gotten for the film is the greatest gift that he could ask for.  Check out what he had to say after the jump.

Ginger & Rosa (opening wide in March) looks at the lives of two teenage girls – inseparable friends Ginger (Elle Fanning) and Rosa (Alice Englert) – growing up in 1960s London, and the pivotal event the comes to redefine their relationship as the Cuban Missile Crisis looms.  Recognized for her remarkable and emotionally moving work as Ginger, actress Elle Fanning was honored with a Virtuosos Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF). Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the actress had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Elle Fanning talked about how excited she was to be recognized for her work in this film, how she was able to relate to this character, getting a feel for the 1960′s, how being involved with a story like this made her think about her own life, how incredible it was to work with work with Annette Bening, what she thought of her red hair, and how she would love to do a movie musical.  Check out what she had to say after the jump.

Actor Ezra Miller has rightfully earned a reputation for his willingness and ability to give fearless performances, including the one he gave as Patrick in The Perks of Being a Wallflower.  Recognized for his emotionally moving work in that film, he was honored with a Virtuosos Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF).  Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the actor had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Ezra Miller talked about how amazing it’s been that the film has been able to reach kids in the way that they’d hoped, his reaction when he first read the book at 14, how exciting it was to play a fully realized and confident gay character, the unfortunate reality of the American high school experience, the first time he saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and throwing out the choreography and doing the film’s fight scene for real.  Check out what he had to say after the jump.

In David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Rooney Mara tore up every second that she was on screen as the complicated and complex computer hacker Lisbeth Salander. For that Academy Award-nominated performance, she was honored with a Virtuoso Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF). Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the actress had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Rooney Mara talked about what the whole award season experience has been like for her, how she felt like she didn’t get to know director David Fincher at all from the four days she worked on The Social Network, that she doesn’t know when the next films in the Millennium trilogy will start shooting but that she would love to do them simultaneously, and that if Fincher decided not to direct the other films, it would be hard without him but she would get through it with his blessing. Check out what she had to say after the jump.

Although he is an accomplished stage and screen actor in his own right, Andy Serkis has become the go-to guy for motion capture performance. He was remarkable as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and as the title character in King Kong, but it was his work as the intelligent chimp Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes that earned him a Virtuoso Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF). Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the actor had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Andy Serkis talked about how performance capture technology is just another form of acting, finding his inner ape to play Caesar and why that character is different from Kong, what it was like to revisit the character of Gollum for The Hobbit films, so many years later, how great it is to work on the live-action set this time, and the experience of working with all of the actors who are new to Middle Earth while also directing Second Unit. Check out what he had to say after the jump.

Whether he’s on a stage doing stand-up, voicing an animated character, or just having fun on Twitter, Patton Oswalt is a hilariously funny guy. But, at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), he was honored with a Virtuoso Award for his dramatic work as Matt Freehauf in Young Adult, directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody. Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the actor had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Patton Oswalt talked about what the whole award season experience has been like for him, the highlight of getting to talk to people that meant something to him growing up, bridging the gap between being a stand-up comic and a successful actor, that he’s taking a few months off even though he’s been getting a lot of offers, and even likened his friendship with Charlize Theron to that of a flight simulator. Check out what he had to say after the jump.

One of the most memorable debut performances in a feature film this past year was unquestionably that of Shailene Woodley, as Alexandra King in Alexander Payne’s The Descendants. At the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), she was honored for her portrayal as the 17-year-old daughter of a distant father (played by George Clooney) and comatose mother. Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the always friendly actress had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Shailene Woodley talked about what the whole award season experience has been like for her, what she was doing when she found out she had been cast in the film, that Alexander Payne is one of her top five favorite human beings on the planet, how much she appreciated George Clooney’s understated comradery, how exciting it is to know that her ABC Family TV show The Secret Life of the American Teenager will make it to the 100 episodes mark since it just got picked up for Season 5, and how she would love to play a really dark and messed up character. Check out what she had to say after the jump.

Honored for his extraordinarily moving, and now Oscar-nominated, portrayal of an undocumented worker in A Better Life, Demian Bichir was presented with a Virtuoso Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF). Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the well-respected actor had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Demian Bichir talked about what the whole award season experience has been like for him, getting to bond with some of his fellow nominees, what it means to him to be recognized for this powerful character, how he initially met director Chris Weitz a couple years prior when he auditioned for The Twilight Saga: New Moon, flying back and forth to Mexico so that he can continue a play that he’s currently doing, and how his nomination is dedicated to the 11 million human beings who work with pride, power and dignity to help this society go forward. Check out what he had to say after the jump.