The 2023 Oscars is starting off on a footnote of controversy just days after nominations were announced.
As you might know, the Academy Awards got in hot waters after it was noticed that notable black actresses such as Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler were absent from the Best Actress category, despite the gargantuan success of their movies, “The Woman King” and “Till” respectively.
As a result, attention was drawn to actress Andrea Riseborough, who was nominated in the prestigious category for her role in “To Leslie,” with many suggesting she wasn’t befitting of the nomination. Tension was further heightened when the Academy announced a plan to review its campaign procedures amid the speculation of Riseborough’s ineligibility.
Academy Awards Wants To Review Its Campaign Procedures
On Friday, January 27, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — AMPAS — released a statement confirming its intention to review campaign procedures, but without precisely mentioning “To Leslie” or Riseborough’s name.
The writeup read, “It is the Academy’s goal to ensure that the Awards competition is conducted in a fair and ethical manner, and we are committed to ensuring an inclusive awards process.”
It went on, “We are reviewing the campaign procedures around this year’s nominees to ensure no guidelines were violated. And to inform us whether changes to the guidelines may be needed.” The changes in mention were considered given the “new era of social media and digital communication” even though they claimed to have confidence in the “integrity of our nomination and voting procedures.”
Variety reported that the statement further showed the Academy expressing support for “genuine grassroots campaigns for outstanding performances.”
The review is set to scrutinize “To Leslie,” which grossed only $27,000 at the box office compared to the likes of “The Woman King” and “Till.” This has led the Academy to debate whether her campaign went against any of their rules and guidelines, prompting speculations about the “Never Let Me Go” actress’s possible disqualification.
While critics are yet to find any direct rule break from the English actress, it is believed she had the backing of several A-listers such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Jane Fonda, Edward Norton, Sarah Paulson, Kate Winslet, and more, who ran a strong word-of-mouth campaign on social media late in the voting season.
A notable example is “Titanic” star Frances Fisher’s January 14 post — which was done three days before Academy voters submitted their nominations — that read, “To my fellow #Actors in @TheAcademy – According to @DeadlinePete writing for @Deadline, #AndreaRiseborough can secure an #Oscar nomination if 218 (out of 1,302) actors in the Actors Branch nominate her in first position for #BestActress.”
Her message continued, “Seems to be that Viola, Michelle, Danielle & Cate are a lock for their outstanding work.” Sources revealed that the AMPAS would meet on Tuesday, January 31, where Riseborough will be on the itinerary. Besides, no formal complaints have been made about her nomination, but the Academy has been swamped with calls and e-mails regarding her inclusion.
Christina Ricci & More Fans Slam Academy Awards For “Target” At Andrea Riseborough
Following the Academy’s announcement of a review, many powerhouses have spoken up about the situation, criticizing them for seemingly targeting Riseborough. “Addams Family” Christina Ricci took to her Instagram to slam the Academy for their “elitist” decision.
“Seems hilarious that the ‘surprise nomination’ (meaning tons of money wasn’t spent to position this actress) of a legitimately brilliant performance is being met with an investigation,” she began.
Her rant continued, “So, it’s only the films and actors that can afford the campaigns that deserve recognition? Feels elitist and exclusive and, frankly, very backward to me. And I’m sure she had nothing to do with the campaigning. These things aren’t controlled or decided by the actors themselves, and yet now, her nomination will be tainted by this. And if it’s taken away, shame on them.”
Many fans seemingly share Ricci’s sentiment, taking to Twitter to air their views. One fan wrote, “Everyone is mad at Andrea Riseborough for having friends! Try getting some!” Another user suggested, “the film didn’t have the money to campaign so the actors branch got together to secure her the nomination… I don’t understand why it’s okay for big studios to do this but not for them? leave Andrea Riseborough alone! she deserves to be on the final five.”
This fan praised the 41-year-old Newcastle native, writing, “The power of the underdog. I will not take any slander against Andrea Riseborough today. A fantastic, versatile actress getting her first Oscar nomination from a very small film is a true success story. She won’t win, but she’ll be in the company of big leagues. Amazing.”
This curious fan asked, “If it wasn’t #AndreaRiseborough but another black actress instead of Danielle and Voila would Oscar hold this investigation? Andrea gave the best performance of the year. Period. Not everything is about race. She deserved it.”
