The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed Friday that it is “undertaking a review of campaign procedures” in the wake of Andrea RiseboroughSurprise Oscar nomination for the small independent film “to leslie.”
The Academy released a statement Friday about the campaign, though it did not specifically mention “For Leslie.”
“The Academy’s goal is to ensure that the awards competition is conducted in a fair and ethical manner, and we are committed to ensuring an inclusive awards process,” the statement read. “We are conducting a review of the campaign procedures around this year’s nominees, to ensure no guidelines were violated and to let us know if any changes to the guidelines may be needed in a new age of social media and digital communication. We are confident in the integrity of our nomination and voting procedures, and we support genuine grassroots campaigns for outstanding performances.”
The drama, which grossed just $27,000 at the box office, has come under scrutiny for the targeted campaign conducted by its supporters on Riseborough’s behalf.
Since Tuesday’s nominations, the industry has been hotly debating whether his campaign violated any of the rules and guidelines set forth by AMPAS. Ever since Riseborough’s name was called, rumors have been circulating that she could be disqualified. In fact, according to multiple sources, the Academy will meet next Tuesday, where Riseborough will be on the agenda. Furthermore, the sources also reveal that although the Academy has been inundated with calls and emails regarding Riseborough’s inclusion, no formal complaints have been filed.
If you drove through West Los Angeles during the late winter months, you’d see countless billboards for award nominees like Netflix’s “All Quiet on the Western Front” and Paramount’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” You wouldn’t have seen any for “To Leslie,” the Momentum Pictures drama that earned Roseborough a nomination ahead of Viola Davis (“The Woman King”) and Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”). But her grassroots effort garnered support from stars including Edward Norton, Jane Fonda and fellow nominee Cate Blanchett, who have publicly praised the actress’ work. “To Leslie” was directed by Michael Morris, and his wife, Mary McCormack, turned out to be instrumental in assembling an army of Riseborough A-list patrons. in a email obtained by VarietyMcCormick provided language and details for friends to share via social media and other avenues when promoting the “To Leslie” star.
Several questions need to be answered in the coming days as Riseborough’s nomination continues to be the talk of the town.
Did the Riseborough camp break the rules of the Academy?
There’s nothing wrong with encouraging Oscar voters to see a movie touting its merits. But some rival campaigns say “To Leslie” used “aggressive tactics” that cross the line.
And there is precedent for disqualifying movies and artists for breaking the rules. In 2014, Bruce Broughton, then a member of the Academy’s music branch executive committee, was nominated for original song for the title track “Alone Yet Not Alone”. After it was discovered that he had sent emails to members of the music branch to inform them of his submission during the voting period, his nomination was rescinded.
In the case of Riseborough, critics have yet to find a “smoking gun” showing a direct request from Riseborough to members of the Academy. But others who worked on his behalf have been accused of breaking the rules. If so, does that make Riseborough, who is also an executive producer of “To Leslie,” liable?
“Titanic” star Frances Fisher, a member of the Academy, was one of Riseborough’s most vocal supporters, sharing multiple posts about her performance on social media. However, some of those posts could also violate Academy rules, particularly the no. 11 “References to other nominees”, which states that “any tactic that singles out ‘competitors’ by name or title is expressly prohibited”.
In a post from her personal Instagram account dated January 14, Fisher wrote: “To my fellow actors at the Academy: According to Pete Hammond writing for Deadline, Andrea Riseborough can secure an Oscar nomination if 218 (out of 1,302) actors in the Actors Branch nominated her in the first position for Best Actress”.
He continues: “It seems that Viola [Davis]michelle [Yeoh]Daniela [Deadwyler] and cat [Blanchett] They are a lock for your outstanding work.”
While it’s not “illegal” to stand up for a movie or performance you love, the reference to Yeoh, Deadwyler, Blanchett, and Davis is where Fisher seems to have made a mistake. But that wouldn’t directly implicate Riseborough unless there’s a way Fisher was directly involved with the movie itself.
If a formal complaint is filed, this could result in Fisher receiving a one-year suspension from the Academy, as Part C of the rules states: “Academy members found to have violated this regulation shall be subject to a one-year suspension. year. of membership for first-time violations.”
Again, no formal complaints have been filed yet in connection with “To Leslie.”
Who funded this “self-funded” effort?
Oscar campaigns are expensive endeavors involving parties, consultants, and heavily priced advertisements. The “To Leslie” campaign was apparently self-funded. But he enlisted two public relations firms, Narrative and Shelter, along with event planners like Colleen Camp, to help bring attention to the film. Who paid those bills? Impulse images? Riseborough? Some third party? Curious minds want to know.
What does “lobbying” mean for the Academy?
In the weeks leading up to the AMPAS vote, Riseborough’s self-campaign began to take off with the help of its manager Jason Weinberg, Narrative PR and Shelter PR. However, most award pundits assumed the actor was a long shot after other contenders garnered nominations from the Golden Globes, SAG and other major precursor awards.
But the personal attractions of her high-profile friends may have won her over. And those associations may be the result of Riseborough’s stacked resume, which includes movies like “Birdman,” “The Death of Stalin” and “Battle of the Sexes.” Many Oscar nominees do Q&As with other actors or talent as a way to draw attention to their films. But the question is whether support from Riseborough’s friends constitutes the kind of lobbying the Academy forbids.
Could Riseborough have his nomination rescinded?
It is possible but also highly unlikely.
For various reasons, nine nominations have been rescinded over the Academy’s 95 years. That includes Charlie Chaplin for his film “The Circus” (1928) at the first ceremony for the most recent appearance by Greg Russell, who was eliminated for best sound mixing for “13 Hours” (2016),
While there’s no evidence that Riseborough violated Oscar rules, the team may have used loopholes to get the recognition they felt she deserved.
Riseborough’s friends realized that to secure a nomination, they only needed 218 of AMPAS’s 9,579 members to write their name. And they used that math to his advantage.
The size of the Actors Branch was 1,302 members this year, the largest in the Academy. If all members vote (they don’t), a candidate needs 218 votes to secure a seat. If there are fewer votes, the required number also goes down. But then again, there’s nothing wrong with crunching numbers and disqualifying Riseborough would require hard evidence that has yet to materialise.
How will this affect future award campaigns?
If no action is taken, you’ll see plenty of prominent studios and strategists executing the same tactics next awards season. You can also see the Academy clarifying some of its own rules to close some “loopholes”.
Riseborough is not the first to self-finance his campaign. Sally Kirkland wrote letters to voters and talked to any available journalist to promote herself on the little dramedy “Anna” (1987), while Melissa Leo’s infamous “CONSIDER” ads were bought en route to her victory for “The Fighter.” (2010). and she intended to show the glamorous side of her in contrast to her work in that movie as a working mom, she walked right to the edge of the permissible. Character actress Ann Dowd raised around $13,000 from her colleagues and her bank account to send DVDs to Academy members for her acclaimed work as a restaurant manager in “Compliance” (2012). , but failed to get a nomination.
“There are going to be a lot of difficult conversations going forward,” a studio publicist, who asked to remain anonymous, tells Variety. “Our bosses and clients will expect us to go out looking for Ed Norton and they’ll think that’s all it takes. Andrea’s nomination is not normal. It’s a miracle. If it were not so, many of us would not have a job”.
There is a cottage industry that has sprung up around the oscar, one that makes a lot of money for strategists and advisors. Riseborough may have jeopardized that and could be facing pushback for working outside the system.
