Old hand

Oscar for Eilish makes Austrians cheer

Singer Billie Eilish celebrates her Oscar for the original song "What Was I Made For?"(Bild: Mike Blake / REUTERS / picturedesk.com)

When Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas won the Oscar for their "Barbie" song, an Austrian cheered the loudest at the Dolby Theatre. Thomas Mikusz was hired by the successful singer as PR manager especially for the award season. No wonder, because the 53-year-old is an old hand when it comes to "holding hands" for Oscar-nominated musicians at Hollywood's biggest gala.

The president of the Hollywood-based "White Bear" PR agency has looked after nine nominated clients in the "Best Score" and "Best Original Song" categories in the last eight years.

He knows the feeling of victory. Both the German composer Volker Bertelmann ("Im Westen nichts Neues") and the Berlin-based Icelander Hildur Gudnadóttir. ("Joker") were able to secure Hollywood's Golden Boy.

Thomas Mikusz(Bild: zVG)

"So nice and totally easy to deal with"
That was also the reason why Eilish and her brother Mikusz already wanted to book her for the Golden Globes. Only that he had to turn the music industry superstar down: "I was already busy with nominees. But I told her 'If you get nominated for an Oscar, I can stand in for you'."

He is incredibly impressed by the 22-year-old not only as a musician, but also as a person: "She's so nice and just totally easy to deal with. Just like her brother. All this fuss about her is actually really unpleasant for both of them."

"All Access"
Mikusz is one of the few PR agents who enjoy "all access" at the Oscars. That wasn't always the case: "At my first Oscars in 2016, nobody knew me and they wouldn't let me on the red carpet with the nominee at the time."

He is now in the elite club of just 20 PR people who are allowed backstage in the green room of the Academy Awards. As a result, he also has a personal relationship with some A-list stars: "I treat everyone the same, even if they have a well-known name. They really appreciate that about me." 

I treat everyone the same, even if they have a well-known name. They really appreciate that about me.

Thomas Mikusz

He recently received a list of Nicole Kidman's favorite restaurants in New Orleans, "because I told her I was going there for the first time". Afterwards, he gave her enthusiastic feedback, to which she texted him: "I just have excellent taste."

Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell celebrate their Oscar!(Bild: zVG)

"Just wants to go to bed"
Mikusz also received a personal invitation from Eilish that night to a private after-party in Beverly Hills. However, he politely declined: "I'm already running on fumes after all the Oscar events - all I want to do now is go to bed!"