British actress Andrea Risborough found in the midst of a Hollywood scandal when she earned a surprise Best Actress nomination for To Leslie.
The go-ahead came after the film was promoted by stars including Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Mia Farrow, Jennifer Aniston, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon and Edward Norton, despite only grossing £22,000 at the box office.
But Academy president Janet Yang addressed the controversy on Good Morning Britain on Thursday, ahead of Sunday’s 95th Oscars, saying: “We felt Andrea had earned her nomination fairly.”
However, he admitted that the Academy will review the campaign regulations in light of what happened.
She said: “At the same time, we’re going to, right after the Oscars, we’re going to look very, very closely at campaign regulations and make sure they reflect our changing environment.”
‘It was a wake-up call’: Academy president Janet Yang addressed controversy surrounding Brit Andrea Risborough’s Best Actress nomination (pictured) ahead of Sunday’s Oscars (pictured December)
Janet told GMB on Monday: “Immediately after the Oscars, we’re going to take a very, very close look at the campaign regulations and make sure they reflect our changing environment.”
‘Which means a lot more social media and how things communicate. So it was a good wake-up call for us.’
Andrea, 41, faced having her nomination stripped because many believed her celebrity friends’ campaign for her film violated the strict rules of the Oscars races.
Giving her side of the story, Andrea admitted she found the uproar “very confusing” and criticized the “abominably lopsided” film industry after she was accused of “stitching” black actresses like Viola Davis (The Woman King) and Danielle Deadwyler. (Till) a nomination
It’s been confusing. I am embracing what the nomination means, to me and to others,” Andrea told The Hollywood Reporter.
‘Not only does it make sense that this conversation would ignite, it’s necessary. The movie industry is abominably unequal in terms of opportunities. I am conscious of not speaking from other people’s experience because they are in a better position to speak, and I want to listen.’
She added: ‘I’m grateful for the conversation because it needs to be had. It has impacted me deeply.’
Andrea said the “bright ray of light” is that the film is being seen and she is grateful that her work is “sucked up” but acknowledges: “You can’t control how people take it in.”
The actress plays an alcoholic who won the lottery and runs out of money.
Oh no! Andrea, 41, found herself in the middle of one of the biggest scandals in Hollywood in years when she garnered a surprise Oscar nomination for To Leslie (film scene pictured)
Backlash: Andrea’s celebrity colleagues have supported her in various ways, through screenings or moderated discussions such as Q&A.
Hitting back: Andrea slammed film industry ‘abominably uneven’ after she was accused of ‘costing’ black actresses like Viola Davis (The Woman King pictured) a nomination
Missing Out: Danielle Deadwyler in Till Was Also Snubbed for Best Actress Nomination
Low budget: The film, which grossed just £22,000 at the box office, was promoted by the stars shown from left to right: Andrea Riseborough, Demi Moore, Michael Morris and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Other Best Actress nominees are Cate Blanchett (Tar), Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once), Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans) and Ana de Armas (Blonde).
But the star faced controversy when CNN asked “how much of an advantage it is to have famous white friends.”
Andrea’s celebrity colleagues have supported her in various ways, through screenings or moderated discussions such as Q&A.
Some believed that his celebrity friends’ campaign for his film violated the strict rules of the Oscars races, since contacting Academy members to promote a film or lobby for an award is prohibited.
Many of them also posted their support on Twitter, using almost identical statements in support of To Leslie, calling it a “little movie with a giant heart”.
But an emergency board meeting of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ruled last month that Riseborough’s nomination should be allowed to stand.
A statement read: “The Academy has determined that the activity in question does not rise to the level that the film’s nomination should be rescinded.
“However, we discovered social media and outreach campaign tactics that caused concern,” the statement added. “These tactics are being addressed directly with the responsible parties.”
Now, support for the actress is growing: Screenwriter Paul Schrader, known for movies like Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, announced he would cast his Oscar ticket for Riseborough.
“She has my vote,” he wrote on Facebook. ‘Go ahead and investigate me.’
Actress Christina Ricci said the Academy’s investigation was an ‘elitist’ inquiry: ‘It seems hilarious that the ‘surprise nomination’ (meaning tons of money weren’t spent to position this actress) of a legitimately brilliant performance was is facing an investigation’.
In February, two voting members of the Academy told the Mail on Sunday that they would be voting for Riseborough.
Andrea, for her part, called her Oscar nomination “surreal,” telling a friend: “At least people know who I am now.”
She has been critically acclaimed for years for her performances in films such as WE, Amsterdam and Made in Dagenham and To Leslie is considered by many to be her best performance yet.