Hollywood’s film academy said on Friday it was reviewing this year’s campaigns for Oscar nominations, a day after a media report raised questions about the surprise nod for British actress Andrea Riseborough.
On Tuesday, Riseborough was nominated for best actress for playing an alcoholic single mother in To Leslie, a shock to awards pundits.
The film was not widely released, earned less than $30,000 at the box office and Riseborough’s name was not in the mix at previous awards ceremonies that led up to the Oscars, like the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice awards.
The academy issued a statement on Friday that said the organisation was “conducting a review of the campaign procedures around this year’s nominees, to ensure that no guidelines were violated.”
The statement did not name Riseborough.
The review also aims “to inform us whether changes to the guidelines may be needed in a new era of social media and digital communication,” the statement said.
Media newsletter Puck reported on Thursday that the unexpected nomination had sparked questions about whether an aggressive campaign for Riseborough had violated lobbying rules set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Who is Andrea Riseborough?
Hailing from the UK, Riseborough has featured in dozens of films over the last two decades such as Birdman, The Grudge reboot and Mandy.
More recently, she starred alongside Margot Robbie in Amsterdam and played Mrs. Wormwood in Netflix’s Matilda the Musical.
What is To Leslie?
To Leslie, helmed by revered TV director Michael Morris, follows a single mother from Texas (Riseborough) who wins the lottery, only to squander it just as fast.
To Leslie was released last October by independent film distributor Momentum Pictures, a subsidiary of Entertainment One.
It made only $23,304 at the box office but has scored 98 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Puck reported that the wife of the film director, actress Mary McCormack, and friends had “emailed and called tons of members of the Academy’s actors branch, begging them to see the little-watched alcoholic drama and post online about Riseborough’s searing performance.”
Who supported Riseborough’s Oscar push?
Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Aniston, Charlize Theron, Sarah Paulson, Edward Norton and Amy Adams all hosted viewing events in support for the film in the weeks before Oscar nominations were released.
Even more A-listers supported the film on social media. Celebrities that posted praise for To Leslie include Susan Sarandon, Helen Hunt, Zooey Deschanel, Melanie Lynskey, Mira Sorvino, Constance Zimmer, Rosie O’Donnell, Minnie Driver, Alan Cumming, Tan France, Jenny McCarthy, Mia Farrow, Joe Mantegna and more.
Even Aussie Cate Blanchett took time out of her Critics Choice acceptance speech earlier in the month to praise Riseborough’s performance.
When will we know who will win the Oscar?
Winners of the Academy Awards will be announced on March 12.
Reuters/ABC