NEW YORK ā After a review of the awards campaign for the indie drama āTo Leslie," the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences said Tuesday that Andrea Riseborough will not be stripped of her Oscar nomination for best actress.
The star-studded grassroots campaign for Riseborough had prompted skepticism from some academy voters and caused a stir in Hollywood. On Friday, the academy announced that it would examine whether any rules were broken. Shortly ahead of nominations, Riseborough was propelled into the race after a host of celebrities hosted screenings of āTo Leslieā and numerous A-listers promoted her on social media.
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After appeals from āTo Leslieā director Michael Morris and his wife, actor Mary McCormack, Kate Winslet, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Amy Adams and Courteney Cox all hosted screenings of the film. Riseborough, a well-regarded British actor, was unexpectedly catapulted into the best-actress race despite the very small audience for āTo Leslie" (about $27,000 in box office).
āThe Academy has determined the activity in question does not rise to the level that the filmās nomination should be rescinded,ā Bill Kramer, academy chief executive, said in a statement. āHowever, we did discover social media and outreach campaigning tactics that caused concern. These tactics are being addressed with the responsible parties directly.ā
The academy has rescinded nominations for campaigning that broke regulations before. Celebrity-hosted screenings are a regular feature of Oscar season, but how voters are contacted during the Oscar voting period is regulated. On Tuesday, the academy suggested Riseborough's unorthodox campaign may necessitate tweaks to the bylaws.
āGiven this review, it is apparent that components of the regulations must be clarified to help create a better framework for respectful, inclusive, and unbiased campaigning,ā said Kramer. āThese changes will be made after this awards cycle and will be shared with our membership. The academy strives to create an environment where votes are based solely on the artistic and technical merits of the eligible films and achievements.ā
Critics of Riseboroughās campaign said it showed how a deep Rolodex could give a potential nominee a leg up. Notably left out of best actress contention were Viola Davis (āWoman Kingā) and Danielle Deadwyler (āTillā).
Along with Riseborough, the nominees are: Cate Blachett (āTĆ”rā), Michelle Williams (āThe Fabelmansā), Ana de Armas (āBlondeā) and Michelle Yeoh (āEverything Everywhere All at Onceā).