Oscars to evaluation ‘marketing campaign procedures’ after backlash by Andrea Riseborough | Oscars 2023

The movie academy has introduced a evaluation of “marketing campaign procedures” within the wake of a backlash over this yr’s Oscar nominations.

British actress Andrea Riseborough obtained a shock Greatest Actress win for her function within the indie movie To Leslie after a grassroots marketing campaign was backed by A-listers together with Kate Winslet, Jane Fonda, Charlize Theron, Gwyneth Paltrow and Amy Adams.

Whereas the academy makes no point out of Riseborough or the actors concerned within the last-minute marketing campaign, the assertion alludes to questions which have surfaced since this week’s announcement.

“It’s the purpose of the Academy to make sure that the awards competitors is performed in a good and moral method and we’re dedicated to making sure an inclusive awards course of,” the assertion mentioned. “We’re conducting a evaluation of marketing campaign processes surrounding this yr’s nominees to make sure no coverage violations have occurred and to tell us if coverage adjustments could also be wanted in a brand new period of social media and digital communications. We belief the integrity of our nomination and voting processes and assist real grassroots campaigns for excellence.”

The inclusion of Riseborough within the class brought on surprises for a lot of forecasters given the movie’s low profile throughout awards season. Her movie, To Leslie, grossed simply $27,000 when it launched final October, and though she was nominated for an Unbiased Spirit Award, she was not chosen by both the Golden Globes or the Display screen Actors Guild.

In line with the Los Angeles Instances, the movie’s director, Michael Morris, and his spouse, actress Mary McCormack, “contacted nearly each” of their well-known pals, asking them to take a look at the movie and share it on social media. Assist quickly adopted, with Theron internet hosting a screening again in November, Winslet main a Q&A, and on-line contributions from others together with Edward Norton and Susan Sarandon. Many posts additionally included related wording, calling the movie “a small movie with an enormous coronary heart.”

Riseborough instructed Deadline that she was “shocked” by the nomination. “It was so exhausting to imagine it might ever occur as a result of we actually weren’t within the working for anything,” she mentioned. “Though we had a variety of assist, the concept it might really occur appeared up to now off.” Winslet additionally mentioned it was “hard-fought” and “deeply deserved”.

Sources inform Selection that the academy has been “deluged” with calls and emails concerning the nomination, however no formal criticism has been filed. The academy is because of meet on Tuesday and that is reportedly on the agenda.

Riseborough is included within the class alongside Cate Blanchett, Ana de Armas, Michelle Williams and Michelle Yeoh.

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