Sally Kellerman - Kellerman Plays Alzheimer's Patient

The actress, who played Hot Lips Houlihan in the cult Robert Altman film, has teamed up with another veteran, Ernest Borgnine, for the touching new film, Night Club.

She tells BlogTalkRadio.com, "It's an independent movie, where I play an Alzheimer's patient, called Night Club.

"It was a scary thing because I'd been so focused on the music for the last three or four years... and suddenly I get this call and I needed to get back to acting. I thought, 'What have I done? If I'm not real and good in this, this is a serious subject. I got to get out of town!'

"Get me out of this is what I was thinking, but instead I volunteered at an Alzheimer's wing and watched videos and documentaries. It is so hard and difficult for the people who love them. I did play a lot of bingo with them and was so touched by so many of the people in there.

"There was one woman in there that was just amazing so I got so much from her that they were able to add to the script."

And now Kellerman is counting on an Oscar nomination for the role: "I'm going to say this because who knows if it will get released, but, after the first night when I did this scene the director runs up to me (and said), 'The producers have been watching and they said you're giving an Academy Awards performance!'

"I haven't even seen the film and let's hope I'm any good at all. It's all a c**p shoot but my hope would be that it's an honest performance, whatever happens... and perhaps I've done really good work."