Amazon StudiosJeffrey Tambor was going to party tonight whether or not he received a Golden Globe nomination this year.
"It's my kids' birthdays," the actor star told shortly after it was announced he did get a nom for his work as Maura on Transparent, the Amazon series about a transgender woman who begins transitioning in her sixties. "I have to get balloons and an ice cream cake. Tonight, we're going to go to a Chinese restaurant and have a great time and daddy will be smiling from ear to ear." (Two of his kids, ages 9 and 11, share the same birthday!)
This is the second time in as many years that Tambor has been nominated. He won last year.
"Just yesterday, I was in New York and someone came up to me and started talking about the show," Tambor said. "Usually, 'People say I didn't know what to expect but I really liked it.' Inevitably, someone will just start talking about their family and tell me a story, not even about a transgender experience, but just something personal."
Tambor understands just how personal the show has become for some many people. When I tell him I believe Transparent is saving lives, Tambor said, "You're the second person who has told me that this week. I'm so honored that I could be a part of it. People ask me if I'm nervous about playing Maura for one reason or another. And I say, 'I do get nervous.' It's because lives are at stake. It's not so much about eight Rotten Tomatoes or two thumbs up. It's about doing it right."
He continued, "It's important that people open their hearts and open their intellects to the revolution that is happening...If someone could watch our show and say, 'Oh, I get it,' or 'Oh, part of me is there,' then our mission is achieved."