Bill Murray lacks interest in Oscar

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- American actor Bill Murray, who is considered a leading contender for this year's best actor Oscar, says "no thanks" to awards.

Murray, 53, who has the lead role in the widely acclaimed film "Lost In Translation," said that awards are meaningless to him. He also has disdain for actors who campaign to win awards, London's Channel 4 reported Tuesday.

"It's a really unattractive sight to see an actor or actress who really wants an Oscar," Murray said. "And you often see it on the show, you see their faces and the desperation is so ugly. Desperation is not a quality I long for.

"It's a little bit of a popularity contest, too," he said. "Sometimes it's right, but it's wrong just as often, so I don't care."

Regardless of how Murray feels about awards, he already has garnered best actor nominations for his role from the New York Film Critics Circle, the Boston Society of Film Critics and the Critics' Choice Awards.