The nominations for the 95th Academy Awards were announced early Tuesday morning, and as usual, the foregone conclusions (like A24 Cloudpreacher’s big show) dominated the list. All at once, anywhere) also contained some genuine surprises, one in particular causing much conversation and ink today. It’s the star of a low-budget, low-earning, little-seen West Texas drama that’s managed to secure a spot within the highly competitive Best Actress category.
The star is Andrea Riseborough, who plays a recovering alcoholic who reunites with her estranged son. to LeslieThe film, which premiered at SXSW in Austin last March, is, as mentioned, an increasingly obvious frontrunner. everywhere everything— is the most obscure title represented in this year’s major Oscar categories. It grossed only about $27,000 at the box office during its short theatrical run in the fall, and while it’s now available for rent digitally, it doesn’t enjoy the visibility of a movie that can be streamed on Netflix or Apple TV+.do not have to Leslie It regularly appeared among important darlings and guild favorites this awards season.
Still, you can’t say the Riseborough nomination came out of nowhere. It’s likely the result of an unusually coordinated celebrity grassroots campaign. Stars such as Charlize Theron, Edward Norton, and Jennifer Aniston are said to have hosted the screening. to Lesliea real pro bono, voting campaign took place on social media, with dozens of Hollywood names tweeting their support for Riseborough. Copy and paste preparation linewhich really underscored the impression of a coordinated attempt to sway the vote.
For some, the success of this campaign is cause for celebration. to Leslie is the kind of film that the Academy often overlooks. In addition, its distributor, Momentum Pictures, lacks the resources to launch his For-Your-Consideration efforts across the courts that would benefit nearly all of the other candidates this year or other candidates. was In theory, word-of-mouth campaigns are a triumph over the pay-to-play economics of awards season, where the studios with the highest spending tend to win the most prizes.
On the other hand, Riseborough’s nomination is proof that Hollywood really is a big clubhouse. Did all of the members who voted for this “little movie with a heart” actually see it? How about all the celebrities singing hymns? A reused copy-paste suggests that probably not.Who did some of Tuesday’s conversation revolve around? lost Thanks to a huge following and the help of some famous friends with microphones, it’s become a spot in the Best Actress race.as a part It pointed outthis surprise nomination may have come at the expense of Danielle Deadweiler, two black actresses widely considered front-runners. to and Viola Davis queenWhere was their grassroots celebrity campaign?
Without a vote tally, there’s no way of knowing how close either woman, or really anyone else, got to the nomination. She’s the consummate character actor and has pushed the margins of past Oscar winners to craft an impressive and versatile resume over the years (birdman) and big-budget blockbusters (oblivion), while also providing similarly “small” photogenic knockout lead performance Nancy When ownerYou are not obligated to be nominated for an Oscar. But to this day, Riseborough would have been a fitting addition to the list of performers who have always excelled and always been overlooked by the Academy.
whether she could actually victory Oscar is debatable. Anyway, how influential is Gwyneth Paltrow? Who you know it’s important.
to Leslie Digital rental is now available from major services.
