CNN
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Andrea Riseborough might not be a name that rings many bells for the average moviegoer.
But maybe your favorite actor from the movies you love knows exactly who she is. And they want her to win an Oscar.
Frankly, it’s a strange story. About what happens when a single mother wins the lottery and runs out of money, a small independent film called “To Leslie” will be released in October in a limited release. It started. Riseborough played Leslie, famous from critics, Best work of her career.
Just last week, Riseborough Nominated for Academy Award for Best Actress her first Oscar nomination.
But after a very public push by multiple big Hollywood stars, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Amy Adams, there are questions surrounding her nomination. However, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said it was reviewing campaign procedures this year to ensure no rules were broken. (Contacting Academy members for film promotion or award promotion is prohibited.)
Dim the lights and cue suspenseful music. Here’s everything you need to know:
Until recently, most Americans had never heard the phrase “to Leslie.” The film, which premiered at South by Southwest in March, Only $27,000 at the box office Limited release.
That changed this month when some of the movie’s big names put their weight behind the film. Paltrow rave movies on instagramsays Riseborough should win all awards, including “everything that hasn’t been invented yet.”
Adams hosted an interview with Riseborough and director Michael Morris, call the movie “An amazing, amazing filmmaking feat”.
Kate Winslet, Jennifer Aniston, Edward Norton, and Charlize Theron have also publicly endorsed the film in various ways through screenings and moderated discussions.
Meanwhile, other actors posted on Twitter almost the same statement We support the film by calling it a “little movie with a huge heart.” Some liken it to a copy-paste job.
Celebrity-backed campaigns aren’t strictly grassroots efforts, but promoting Riseborough and “To Leslie” resembles grassroots efforts. It’s rare to see this kind of endorsement for a movie that doesn’t have celebrities in it, and Riseborough’s rapid rise is unique.
But this isn’t the first time the actor has publicly attempted an Oscar push. Ten years ago, actress Melissa her Leo had a selfie photoshoot and put up an ad for “For Your Consideration.” Leo at the time was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 2010’s The Fighter.
“This whole award process is, to some extent, a self-promotion,” she said. told the New York Times in 2011Leo continued to win awards.
industry watcher Noted Calling for votes is often done to level the playing field. In this case, we turn our attention to low-budget and lesser-known films. The difference now is social media, making this push public rather than behind closed doors.
Still, not all actors have connections like Riseborough’s.Critics of the nominations point out that two black actresses who were considered frontrunners, Viola Davis (“The Woman King”) and Danielle Deadweiler (“Till”), were not nominated. (I also drew both movies larger audience to the box office. )
Academia diversity problem has been around for a long time Discussed and analyzed. And although Riseborough is not to blame, SnubSeveral It pointed out The campaign behind her shows just how beneficial it is to have a famous white friend.
On Friday, the Academy announced a “review of campaign procedures regarding this year’s nominees,” according to a statement obtained by CNN.
The Academy didn’t specifically mention Riseborough or the very public celebrity push for her nomination.
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Christina Ricci, star of the Emmy-nominated show “Yellowjackets,” called the Academy’s decision to review its procedures “very backwards.”
“It seems crazy that a ‘surprise nominee’ for a legitimately great performance (meaning not a lot of money was spent to place this actress) is being investigated,” she wrote. . depending on the deadline“So, are movies and actors the only ones who can afford recognition-worthy campaigns? It feels elitist and exclusive.”
Whether Riseborough’s nomination will actually be overturned remains to be seen. There is precedent – in 2014, composer Bruce Broughton was nominated for an Oscar for the title track of “Alone It Alone,” later disqualified about his campaign.
Regardless of celebrity endorsements, Riseborough faces stiff competition in this category from the likes of Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everything Everywhere All At Once”) and Cate Blanchett (Tar).
As the war rages on, one thing is certain: we’ll need more popcorn.