Oscars to review ‘campaign procedures’ after Andrea Riseborough backlash - The Guardian

The movie academy has announced a reappraisal of “campaign procedures” successful the aftermath of a backlash to this year’s Oscar nominations.

The British histrion Andrea Riseborough gained a astonishment champion histrion motion for her relation successful indie To Leslie aft a grassroots run backed by A-listers including Kate Winslet, Jane Fonda, Charlize Theron, Gwyneth Paltrow and Amy Adams.

While the academy doesn’t notation Riseborough oregon the actors progressive successful the last-minute campaign, the connection alludes to questions that person arisen since this week’s announcement.

“It is the Academy’s extremity to guarantee that the awards contention is conducted successful a just and ethical manner, and we are committed to ensuring an inclusive awards process,” the connection reads. “We are conducting a reappraisal of the run procedures astir this year’s nominees, to guarantee that nary guidelines were violated, and to pass america whether changes to the guidelines whitethorn beryllium needed successful a caller epoch of societal media and integer communication. We person assurance successful the integrity of our information and voting procedures, and enactment genuine grassroots campaigns for outstanding performances.”

Riseborough’s inclusion successful the class led to astonishment from galore prognosticators fixed the film’s debased illustration during the awards season. Her movie To Leslie made lone $27,000 connected its merchandise past October and portion she was nominated for an Independent Spirit award, she was not picked by either the Golden Globes oregon Screen Actors Guild.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the film’s director, Michael Morris, and his wife, histrion Mary McCormack “contacted astir each one” of their celebrated friends asking them to ticker the movie and dispersed the connection astir it connected societal media. Support soon followed with Theron hosting a screening backmost successful November, Winslet starring a Q&A and online posts appearing from others, including Edward Norton and Susan Sarandon. Many posts besides included akin wording, referring to the movie arsenic “a tiny movie with a elephantine heart”.

Riseborough told Deadline that she was “astounded” by the nomination. “It was truthful hard to judge it mightiness ever hap due to the fact that we truly hadn’t been successful the moving for thing else,” she said. “Even though we had a batch of support, the thought it mightiness really hap seemed truthful acold away.” Winslet besides said it was “hard-won” and “deeply deserved”.

Sources assertion to Variety that the academy has been “inundated” with calls and emails astir the information but nary ceremonial ailment has been filed. The academy is acceptable to conscionable connected Tuesday and reportedly this volition beryllium connected the agenda.

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