Oscar voters discuss Andrea Riseborough controversy
Following Andrea Riseborough’s surprise ‘Best Actress’ nomination last week, The Academy has announced an investigation into the campaigns of this year’s Oscar nominees.
Many viewers were shocked to hear of Riseborough’s nomination for her performance in To Leslie, as the film is a little-known indie picture and the actor has had no previous awards season momentum. They’ve been left wondering whether the actor broke voting rules or just knows how to play the game.
Some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Edward Norton and Courteney Cox were enlisted for Riseborough’s “grassroots” campaign, coming out in support of the Newcastle-born actress in the final days of Oscar voting. Since the nominations were announced, there has been much speculation about aggressive campaign tactics, specifically the social media posts from members of the Actors Branch. It’s since been announced that The Board of Governors will meet on Tuesday to discuss To Leslie and Riseborough’s nomination.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Academy said their aim was to conduct the awards show in a “fair and ethical manner” and to establish if any “guidelines were violated”. The body also said it wanted to confirm “whether changes to the guidelines may be needed in a new era of social media and digital communication”.
According to a Variety report, most predict Riseborough will keep her nomination. An anonymous member of the Marketing and Public Relations Branch told the outlet: “Do you remember that saying when you were a kid? ‘Snitches get stitches.’ Do you know how many movies and studios break the rules? And I’m talking about blatantly emailing members in a chain and saying, ‘OK, Team INSERT NAME HERE, it’s voting day, and you know what to do?’”
They concluded: “[Riseborough’s] team didn’t do anything more than what I see yearly. They probably did it closer to the rules than not… she’ll be fine.”
Meanwhile, a member of the Documentary Branch said: “I don’t know much about it, outside what’s been covered in the news. I know plenty who have bent and broken the ‘rules’ for years, and the Academy has let it slide. No one tells you what the rules are when you become a member. You depend on the studios and people running the campaign to know those things. It sounds to me that Andrea’s team accomplished something that angered many people because we know how much money goes into trying to get an Oscar.”
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