THE Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which oversees the Academy Awards, announced last Friday that it would be “conducting a review” of this season’s Oscar campaigns. Sources have indicated that the cause of the review is the surprise nomination of Andrea Riseborough in the best actress category for her role in the indie film To Leslie.
Riseborough’s nomination came about after a grassroots campaign by many of her Hollywood peers – including Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Christina Ricci – who took to social media to advocate for the 41-year-old English actress. Even Cate Blanchett, who was also nominated for a best actress award for her work in Tar, used her Critics Choice Awards win in January to praise Riseborough.
The nomination even came as a shock to Riseborough herself. In an interview with Deadline shortly after her name was announced, she said: “It was so hard to believe it might ever happen because we really hadn’t been in the running for anything else. Even though we had a lot of support, the idea it might actually happen seemed so far away.”
The unusual campaign raised many eyebrows in Hollywood, which is more used to massive campaigns instigated by major studios, which itself has been accused of disenfranchising smaller filmmakers.
In a statement made when announcing the review, the Academy said: “It is the Academy’s goal to ensure that the Awards competition is conducted in a fair and ethical manner.”
The backlash to the review was almost immediate, with many pointing out that the Academy’s rules, which are notoriously opaque, should undergo a thorough overhaul, not just a review.
The best actress category was already under some scrutiny, with some notable actresses getting snubbed this year.
Many fans had been upset that no Black actresses were nominated, especially after Viola Davis’ powerful performance in The Woman King, and Keke Palmer’s star turn in Jordan Peele’s sci-fi horror Nope.
In any case, there is very little chance that Riseborough will have her nomination rescinded. A similar best actress grassroots campaign in 2004 for Shohreh Agdashloo’s performance in House of Sand and Fog was also scrutinised, but the actress was allowed to keep her nomination.
