Oscar-nominated director Lenny Abrahamson will head to the big night without an acceptance speech in his pocket.
Abrahamson received a nod for his work on Room, which is also nominated for best picture, best adapted screenplay and best actress for star Brie Larson.
He will compete with the directors of Spotlight, The Big Short, Mad Max: Fury Road and The Revenant for his prize but is so convinced he will not win he has not even sent the Academy the list of people he would like to thank so they can provide prompts.
Abrahamson, from Dublin, was honoured at the US-Ireland Alliance’s Oscar Wilde Awards and arriving at the ceremony, he said he was unprepared for a win at the main event on Sunday.
Asked if he will have a speech tucked into his jacket, he said: “No. I should probably, in the unlikely event.
“I should do that and send in the thank-you list because they run them along the screen.
“I don’t think I will have to use it but I don’t want to be the one person who goes up and says he was so shocked he didn’t write anything.”
Abrahamson revealed some of the key preparations he will be making though, adding: “My wife and my mum are here so someone will do their make-up because that’s just a blast, but nobody will be dressing me.
“They will put a bit of powder on my head so it’s not too shiny, but that’s about it.
“I will probably have a big lunch like I was going to run a marathon and then we will head into the madness.”
Room, which examines a mother and son living in captivity, first premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado in September 2015 and Abrahamson said it has felt like a long road to the Oscars.
He said: “I’m worried what’s going to happen when it’s over, like when you study really hard and then collapse after the exam, but I’m starting something else immediately after. It’s been six months since Telluride and I’ve probably been home for one month in that time.
“I was doing a lot of exercise at one point which has just totally gone out the window so now I’m just turning into a potato slowly.
“I was trying to get enough sleep but that’s hard to do with the time zone changes but it’s pathetic to complain.
“My wife didn’t want to hear me go on about how tired I was and tired of staying in another amazing hotel while she was wrestling the kids in the rain.”
The Oscars will be handed out at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on February 28.
