Interview: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas Discusses ‘Sentimental Value’ and Her First Oscar Nomination

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas has really proven to be a revelation. On few radars prior to Sentimental Value debuting last year on the festival circuit, her work naturally gained attention throughout the year. Ultumately, it culminated in an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. With the ceremony about a month away, she was kind enough to sit down with me for a conversation about the film, her performance, and more. I previously spoke here to co-writer Eskil Vogt and co-writer/director Joachim Trier. Today, it’s Lilleaas’ turn to chat.

In my rave review of Sentimental Value back at the Toronto International Film Festival here, I had the following to say about the cast, including Lilleaas:

Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård are immediately formidable Oscar contenders in Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor, respectively. Reinsve was snubbed for The Worst Person in the World, so this would be a just correction, while Skarsgård has never been nominated by the Academy previously. Both could end up being early frontrunners, too. Reinsve once again finds exciting ways to make her character lovable yet tough. It’s complex work that continues to show how she’s one of the most exciting young actresses in the business. Skarsgård has rarely been this good, proving charming yet also stubborn. You can see why he made his choices, while also seeing him only now figure out the damage that he’s caused. Both are splendid. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas is a revelation, while Elle Fanning has some really strong moments as well. They’re all interacting with each other flawlessly, too.

Below, you can hear my discussion with Lilleaas. We recorded this on the day of the Oscar nominees luncheon, so obviously this was a busy time for her. Still, she was generous with her time, excited to talk about the movie, and very warm. She gets into the connection that the cast was able to make, what the reception to it throughout the season has meant to her, and much more. It’s a lovely back and forth, so while you’ll need to excuse my voice, as I was getting over a cold, the conversation is still very nice. If you’ve yet to see Sentimental Value, you need to rectify that immediately. It’s truly a gem.

Here now is my interview with Sentimental Value co-star Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. Enjoy:

Sentimental Value is available to watch right now and is nominated for nine Academy Awards!