Academy is ‘looking’ into aggressive Oscars campaign that ‘pushed out’ women of color from category

The Academy is reportedly looking into whether an ‘aggressive’ campaign backed by A-listers including Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Winslet that saw ‘To Leslie’ star Andrea Riseborough snag an Oscar nomination violated rules – because it seemingly ‘pushed out’ Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler from the running.

The film, which follows the story of a West Texas alcoholic mother seeking redemption, only made $27,322 in gross box-office earnings as of Friday, leading many to believe that not enough awards voters could have seen it for it to be a contender.

Viola Davis in Woman King and Danielle Deadwyler in Till, two actresses of color who were backed by well-funded campaigns by Sony and MGM/Amazon respectively, did not make the cut despite both being widely predicted to score honors.

The relentless soliciting of support from stars such as Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Charlize Theron to name a few has raised eyebrows setting the probe in motion, according to Puck.

Viola Davis (left) in Woman King and Danielle Deadwyler (right) in Till, two actresses of color who were backed by well-funded campaigns by Sony and MGM/Amazon, respectively, and widely predicted to score honors did not make the cut, however

Starting with actress Mary McCormack, Riseborough enlisted a star-studded list of backers to post online about the 41-year-old British actresses searing performance in the little-watched film.

Part of an email circulating among celebrities about the film sent by McCormack along with her and Riseborough’s manager Jason Weinberg stated: ‘If you’re willing to post every day between now and Jan 17th, that would be amazing!’

‘But anything is helpful, so please do whatever makes you comfortable. And what’s more comfortable than posting about a movie every day!’

Academy rules around ‘lobbying’ and ‘references to nominees’ includes specific guidelines for screenings, receptions and what can and can’t be emailed to members.

Rule 10 for Lobbying states: ‘Contacting Academy members directly and in a manner outside of the scope of these rules to promote a film or achievement for Academy Award consideration is expressly forbidden.’

Meanwhile rule 11 for References to Other Nominees states: ‘Ads, mailings, websites, social media (including Facebook and Twitter) or any other forms of public communication by anyone directly associated with an eligible film attempting to cast a negative or derogatory light on a competing film or achievement will not be tolerated.’

The film which follows the story of a West Texas alcoholic mother seeking redemption only made $27,322 in gross box-office earnings, as of Friday, leading many to believe that not enough awards voters could have seen it for it to be a contender

‘In particular, any tactic that singles out ‘the competition’ by name or title is expressly forbidden.

‘In addition to reserving all available remedies, Academy members who are found to have violated this regulation will be subject to a one-year suspension of membership for first-time violations, and expulsion for any subsequent violations.’

Academy Award winner Charlize Theron first hosted a screening for the movie in November last year.

‘It’s the kind of movie that stays in your mind. It stays in your bones. [It] even stays in your skin,’ she said of To Leslie, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Even before this, Howard Stern, who was shown To Leslie by its director and his wife back in July, had been singing its praises on his SiriusXM show in October, Variety reported.

Friends star Jennifer Aniston and Glass Onion actor Edward Norton also held screenings at their homes.

After seeing the film, Norton wrote: ‘I don’t post a lot about films or actor performances… maybe I should more often. But for those interested in really great acting I’ll share that Andrea Riseborough’s portrayal in ‘To Leslie’ just knocked me sideways.

‘It’s about the most fully committed, emotionally deep, physically harrowing performance I’ve seen in a while. Just raw & utterly devoid of performative BS.

Academy rules around ‘lobbying’ and ‘references to nominees’ includes specific guidelines for screenings, receptions and what can be emailed to members

The 41-year-old British star of To Leslie even drew from her own bank account to spotlight the indie film after it flopped at the box office

Riseborough was nominated alongside Cate Blanchett for Tár, Ana DeArmas for Blonde, Michelle Williams for The Fabelmans and winner Michelle Yeoh for Everything Everywhere All at Once but is accused of deploying ‘guerrilla tactics’ and the help of prominent Hollywood stars to join the coveted category

‘It’s a tough but really elegant & compassionate film (by Michael Morris) where the emotion is really earned.

‘I happened to catch it and, wow, I was really staggered by the depth she reached. Very rare. Check it out.’

Following these events, Riseborough and a team of publicists ‘started working the phones,’ and manufactured a good base of support during the holidays at the end of 2022.

In the new year, Hollywood powerhouse Gwyneth Paltrow played host to a January screening, declaring To Leslie a ‘masterpiece,’ just days before voting for Academy Award nominations was poised to begin.

‘Last night we had the true pleasure of watching a masterpiece of a film called To Leslie. Directed by our friend [Michael Morris] and starring the incomparable [Andrea Riseborough],’ the Iron Man actress wrote in a January 11 Instagram post.

‘I am stunned by all of the performances. Andrea should win every award there is and all the ones that haven’t been invented yet.’

Four days later at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, Cate Blanchett, who won Best Actress for Tár, gave a shout out to Riseborough’s performance during her acceptance speech.

‘It is extremely arbitrary considering how many extraordinary performances there have been by women [this year], not only in this room, but Andrea Riseborough and Tang Wei and Penélope Cruz. The list goes on and on and on,’ she said.

During a Q&A for the film, Hollywood success and host Kate Winslet praised Riseborough’s performance.

‘This was so fantastic. I loved it. You should be up for everything, you should be winning everything,’ she told the To Leslie star who was appearing alongside the director during the session.

‘I think this is the greatest female performance on-screen I have ever seen in my life. And I love you, and congratulations.’

Riseborough was nominated alongside Cate Blanchett for Tár, Ana DeArmas for Blonde, Michelle Williams for The Fabelmans and winner Michelle Yeoh for Everything Everywhere All at Once but is accused of deploying ‘guerrilla tactics’ and the help of prominent Hollywood stars to join the coveted category.

The nomination sparked further controversy with social media users noting that her inclusion may have pushed The Woman King’s Viola Davis and Till’s Danielle Deadwyler out of the running.

Despite the industry facing a reckoning after the #OscarsSoWhite in years past, none of this year’s best actress nominees are black.

‘The way Andrea Riseborough can just start campaigning in January with all her powerful friends and still get a nomination, while incredible performances by Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler were snubbed… rich white women really have it so easy,’ one person wrote.

‘Yep. I had a feeling that the groundswell for Andrea Riseborough would kick out Deadwyler and Viola Davis. Which isn’t an anti-Risenorough tweet. But Black women quite literally never get that campaign. And are always harmed,’ another added.

 Riseborough did not win the category for best actress in a leading role, however, with Michelle Yeoh making history and taking home the coveted award

Riseborough did not win the category for best actress in a leading role, however, with Michelle Yeoh making history and taking home the coveted award.

Yeoh became the first Asian nominated in the Best Actress category at the Academy Awards.

Speaking with Ross King at the BAFTA tea party in LA, the Last Christmas star, 60, said ‘it’s about time’ the Asian community were represented in the industry. 

She said: ‘It’s overwhelming and you are like thank you for seeing us, seeing people that look like me, so it’s about time.’ 

The news comes just weeks after the actress became the first Malaysian to win a Golden Globe.  

‘I think what it means to me is all those Asians out there go, ‘You see, it’s possible. If she can do it, I can freaking well do it as well.’ That is the most important thing,’ she told Deadline following the news. 

She continued: ‘I’m very ordinary. I just work very hard. There are so many brilliant actresses, actors out there who know that they have a seat at the table.’

Yeoh starred as the character Evelyn Quan Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once

The Shang-Chi star went on to encourage others to ‘find an opportunity and get there.’

Last month, Yeoh said the win would be for the ‘whole Asian community.’

Yeoh went on to reflect on her peers, many of them white actresses, who are constantly recognized for their talents.

‘I do look at all my peers—Cate Blanchett, Olivia Colman, Helen Mirren—and go, Oh God, I envy all the different opportunities you get to showcase your talent again and again,’ Yeoh said.

‘When you get an opportunity like this, you have to pour your heart and soul into it, because you don’t know when the next chance is. I think that is my biggest fear: Please don’t let this be the one and only,’ Yeoh admitted.

When asked about the prospect of making history at the Oscars, she explained what it would represent.

‘It’s not about needing it. It’s that feeling that you don’t have to explain: it’s love from other people. My arms are out open,’ she said.

Yeoh continues to be quite busy, filming Avatar 3, the new TV series The Witcher: Blood Origin and Transformers: Rise of the Beast.

Her past credits include a wide range of films like martial arts action projects (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), James Bond thrillers (Tomorrow Never Dies), and superhero films (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2).