Every year Hollywood rolls out the red carpet to celebrate the best of the best at the annual Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars. While some nominees feel slighted if they don’t actually win in their category, some actors feel like they’ve won just by being nominated.

Actor Richard Grant falls into the second category. He has been in the biz for over 30 years, and he was finally nominated for his first ever Academy Award this year. Talk about a long time coming.

You may know Grant from such things as “Gosford Park” or “Game of Thrones,” but his Oscar nomination is for his portrayal of Jack Hock in the film “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”

When Grant found out he was nominated, he was sitting in a restaurant in London eating dinner with his daughter. They both suddenly started crying, and the restaurant staff rushed over, wondering what was wrong. Nothing was wrong. Everything was wonderful. They were overcome with joy that he had received an Oscar nomination. The restaurant comped his meal in celebration.

Grant told The New York Times, “What nobody warns you about is that when I went as a complete innocent to the Telluride Film Festival, where the film premiered, at 4 o’clock on a Saturday afternoon, I had no idea that five months later, I would still be banging the drums for the film. I had no idea that when someone said to me, you do realize it’s on a campaign, and you will not be earning any money — though you will be royally looked after. But what’s money? This is much better, because the response and approbation has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Grant told Entertainment Tonight, “I couldn’t be more thrilled if I tried. I’m absolutely gobsmacked.”

Grant isn’t the only actor nominated for “Can You Forgive Me?” Melissa McCarthy also received a nomination. He called her shortly after finding out he had been nominated and says, “She could barely speak either. We were just a blub fest. No shame in being a grown man crying.”

After receiving his Oscar nomination, Grant went back to the apartment building where he rented an apartment when he was first starting out. Watch the video he filmed below. His reaction is priceless.

Tune in to the Oscars on Sunday February 24th, 2019 to find out who will win. You can find a full list of Oscar nominees here.