This year Annette Bening, Lily Gladstone, Sandra Hüller, Carey Mulligan and Emma Stone are all nominated for best actress.
"Bella was my absolute favorite at this point in my life because she's so free, she's without judgment, self-judgment or judgment of others," she added. "She's just taking in every element of life." "Working with in all the ways, not just acting, but being directed by him, has totally changed how I want to work going forward," she said. "In a big way, I would say."
During an interview with "GMA" in February following her Oscar nomination, Bening said "never did I possibly imagine that I'd get to play an athlete in my 60s." German actress Sandra Hüller earned her first Oscar nomination this year for her performance in "Anatomy of a Fall."