Mitchell Garabedian Hails Oscar Nods for ‘spotlight’

By Mark Shanahan
Boston Globe
January 14, 2016

https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2016/01/14/attorney-mitchell-garabedian-hails-oscar-nominations-for-spotlight/pwPX7qw0XunJUkCK5ObHrK/story.html

Stanley Tucci as Mitchell Garabedian in “Spotlight.”

Mitchell Garabedian can be irascible, at least he’s portrayed that way in “Spotlight.” But the Boston attorney who represented many of the victims in the priest sex abuse scandal was downright overjoyed Thursday that director Tom McCarthy’s movie snagged six Oscar nominations. “It’s a reflection of the hard work, grit, and determination that the writers, director, and actors put into making ‘Spotlight,’” said Garabedian, who’s played with a degree of prickliness by Stanley Tucci. “The movie sends a very powerful and clear message about pedophilia within the Catholic Church and the coverup. And it’s empowered victims and made the world a safer place.” Garabedian admits he was initially skeptical when he heard Hollywood was making a movie about The Boston Globe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning series about priest sex abuse within the Boston archdiocese. “If the movie sent an inaccurate message, it could have caused a lot of harm to victims and reinforced the church’s position,” he said. “But I spoke to the writers and a number of the actors and I was struck by how deeply they were concerned that the movie and the performances be worthy of the subject.” Garabedian said he was dismayed that “Spotlight” came up empty at last weekend’s Golden Globe Awards, and it worried him. “It’s like what my character says in the movie, ‘I’m not crazy, I’m not paranoid, I’m experienced. The Catholic Church control everything,’?” Garabedian said Thursday. “I was wondering if the church got to the [Hollywood Foreign Press Association].” He was kidding — we think.