MISSOULA — There were multiple Oscar watch parties across Missoula on Sunday to celebrate the University of Montana’s own Lily Gladstone on her historic Best Actress nomination.
Lily Gladstone is an alumnus of the University of Montana School of Theatre and Dance and a former employee at the Roxy Theater.
Mike Steinberg, Gladstone’s former executive Director at the Roxy when she lived in Missoula, says it was only a matter of time before the world saw her talent.
“If there’s ever a situation where you knew about a band before everybody else did then the world catches on and it becomes the most popular band, that’s kind of how I think a lot of us are feeling,” Steinberg said.
“But we knew how amazing Lily Gladstone was years ago and now she’s had this opportunity to show the entire world.”
Although Lily Gladstone did not win the Academy Award for Best Actress, she made a big splash during the awards season becoming the first Native American actress to take home a Golden Globe and SAG award.
Steinberg expressed that no matter what Gladstone, has the community's support.
“I mean my message is we love you Lily that’s our message one hundred percent I’m not quite thinking about… this is the first day out of the last 6 months or so that I’ve even thought that maybe Lily, you know there’d be some other possibility than her winning the academy award so I don’t even have that in my mind yet. But I mean frankly, She’s won she’s amazing.”
Gladstone has many projects in the works including her next film, Fancy Dance.
