Diane Warren Reacts to Best Song Oscar Nom, Explains How Lady Gaga 'Took It to Another Level'
Diane Warren attends the 24th annual Women in Entertainment Breakfast hosted by The Hollywood Reporter at Milk Studios on Dec. 9, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. c
This morning, seven-time Academy Award nominee Diane Warren became eight-time Oscar nominee Diane Warren thanks to her collaboration with Lady Gaga on "Til It Happens to You," a song they co-wrote for The Hunting Ground, a documentary about sexual assault on college campuses.
Oscar Nominations: See the Full List
“When I called her and played her the song, it was more of a somber ballad, but she really made it epic,” Warren says of the best original song nominee. “She made it hers and took it to another level by arranging the shit out of it and singing the shit out of it.” Warren wanted the song to “give voice” to the rape survivors in the film, but adds, “I also [wrote] a song that fits outside of the movie, that can be about dealing with [any] difficult situation from bullying to losing somebody to losing your job.”
Warren, who has been nominated seven times before in the best original song category, hopes the eighth time is the charm. “I’m definitely officially Susan Lucci. But Susan Lucci won, too! I’m hoping this time it goes all the way. The song deserves it.”
Til It Happens To You my original score with @Diane_Warren for "The Hunting Ground" was nominated for an OSCAR -- pic.twitter.com/S7kJZAY6u5
— The Countess (@ladygaga) January 14, 2016
Gaga tweeted her thanks to the Academy this morning and explained, "Myself and Diane are simply honored to represent the voices of so many survivors."
Chris Rock will host this year's Oscars on Feb. 28. The full list of best original song nominees is below.
Best Original Song
“Earned It” from Fifty Shades of Grey
Music and Lyric by Abel Tesfaye, Ahmad Balshe, Jason Daheala Quenneville and Stephan Moccio
“Manta Ray” from Racing Extinction
Music by J. Ralph and Lyric by Antony Hegarty
“Simple Song #3” from Youth
Music and Lyric by David Lang
“Til It Happens To You” from The Hunting Ground
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren and Lady Gaga
“Writing’s On The Wall” from Spectre
Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith
