What Oscar nominees had to say about their films

CHICAGO (WLS) -- ABC7's Janet Davies spoke to a number of stars and filmmakers who are now in the running to win an Oscar.

"Black Panter" has seven chances to win, and the Academy hopes movies like it will bring new energy to the awards show. Davies spoke with most of the cast last winter when it first opened, and spoke with Danai Gurira again recently in Chicago. For them, it's been a fantasy come true.

"Black Panther" proved that a Marvel action blockbuster can be considered a work of art, and showed Hollywood that a movie with a mostly black cast can have wide audience appeal. And there's already a sequel in the works.

"We're in such a state of celebration," Gurira said. "What's really awesome is we get to spend so much more time together, we really are a family. I just love them so much. I love those people."

Bradley Cooper stopped in Chicago to bang the drum for his directorial debut, "A Star Is Born," starring Lady Gaga. The movie has eight nominations, including Best Picture, and Gaga is nominated both for her performance and for Best Song. Sam Elliott also got a supporting actor nod. But while Cooper was snubbed for Best Director, he was nominated for Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Cooper said the Oscars weren't on his mind when he was making the movie.

"Oh my god, no. No, no, no. I was just trying to get something truthful every day and try to make a story that I felt was the story I wanted to tell," he said. "That took all of my day."

Regina King may win another award for her role in "If Beale Street Could Talk," and director Barry Jenkins could score his second adapted screenplay win.

And while no one will ever be able to forget the Oscars snafu that had the "La La Land" team handing over the Best Picture Oscar to "moonlight," Jenkins said it's just a hazy memory for him.

"With something like the Oscars, I was so inside, you guys saw more than I did. I didn't see the card that said Moonlight," he recalled. "I was just as confused as somebody sitting at home."

And Plainfield native Melissa McCarthy also scored a Best Actress nomination for "Can You Ever Forgive Me."