The IT Crowd actor, who plays Kristen Wiig's love interest in the hit comedy, justified his actions by claiming that he doesn't "have a hope in hell" of collecting the 'Rising Star' trophy at this weekend's ceremony.
© WENN
"I've been doing quite a bit of shameless promoting and I feel awful about it," he told the Daily Mail. "It feels really embarrassing to be going on Twitter and asking people to vote for me.
"There's a big part of me that wishes I could be above it all and not care, but I feel that as I work in comedy there won't be that many opportunities to win awards, so I'm going against my instincts and self-promoting, even though I don't have a hope in hell."
O'Dowd also said that he was not surprised to see the critically-acclaimed Bridesmaids snubbed for this year's Academy Awards.
"I'd love to think Bridesmaids could win an Oscar, but I don't think it will," he said. "There is not the respect given to great comedy that there is for drama."
O'Dowd is nominated against Thor stars Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, British actor Adam Deacon and My Week With Marilyn star Eddie Redmayne for the 'Orange Rising Star Award'.
The 65th BAFTA Awards will be hosted by Stephen Fry from the Royal Opera House in London this Sunday (February 12).
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Watch Chris O'Dowd discuss Bridesmaids with Digital Spy below:
