Sam Elliott has been a Hollywood actor for over fifty years, but in his lengthy career, the 74 year-old actor had never been nominated for an Academy Award. That all changed on Tuesday, when Elliott was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his work in A Star Is Born!

In a new interview, Elliott opened up about how shocked he was when he learned that he had been nominated for his first Oscar.

“I think the thing off the top of my head might be, ‘It’s about f*cking time,’” he joked. “Beyond that, it’s really about the work; it’s just about the creative process. It’s great to be recognized for that, that’s really all it’s about.”

In the film, Elliott portrays Bobby Maine, the brother of main character Jackson, who was portrayed by Bradley Cooper. When Elliott was approached by Cooper, who also directed the movie, he knew he had to be in it.

“I’d never met Bradley before that,” Elliott remembered. “We spent a couple of hours at his home, and we talked about family and mothers and where his vision was for the film and the relationship [between] Bobby and Jack. There wasn’t any question when I left there that I wanted to do it.”

Though this is a huge moment for Elliott personally, he could not help but gush about the popularity of the movie as a whole.

“I just think it has a number of universal themes that a lot of people can tap into,” the actor said. “The music’s one thing, that stands alone on some level, but it’s also an intricate part of the story. The love story, the love and loss. Then beyond that, it’s the addiction theme. I don’t know anybody that hasn’t had some connection, either directly or indirectly, someone in their family, or someone they love, with alcoholism or addiction. It’s just one one of the things we live with today. I think the combination of all those factors is what people have responded to.”

“I’m so grateful to be a part of it,” he continued. “It’s meant everything to me. It’s been some sort of a gift in my world on a personal level. I think my biggest takeaway is just how fortunate I am. Number one, to still be in the game, but to have an opportunity to work with two people like Bradley and Stefani [Lady Gaga], it’s just extraordinary. Fifty years into the game and all of a sudden to have anything to do with this, to be connected with a film like this, it’s just a wonderful gift.”

We are so thrilled for Elliott, and we wish him the best of luck at the Academy Awards ceremony next month!