FOUL PLAY?

Academy ‘Conducting a Review’ After Actress’ Shock Oscar Nom

The official statement didn’t mention the “To Leslie” star by name, but the context was evident.

Days after Andrea Riseborough shocked Hollywood by landing a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her little-seen film To Leslie, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that it is “conducting a review of campaign procedures” to make sure none of its rules were violated.

“It is the Academy’s goal to ensure that the Awards competition is conducted in a fair and ethical manner, and we are committed to ensuring an inclusive awards process,” the statement reads.

“We are conducting a review of the campaign procedures around this year’s nominees, to ensure that no guidelines were violated, and to inform us whether changes to the guidelines may be needed in a new era of social media and digital communication. We have confidence in the integrity of our nomination and voting procedures, and support genuine grassroots campaigns for outstanding performances.”

Riseborough’s unexpected nomination, which likely came at the expense of those for women of color like The Woman King’s Viola Davis and Till’s Danielle Deadwyler, came after several days of intense social media campaigning by famous figures including Edward Norton, Gwyneth Paltrow and even fellow Best Actress nominee Cate Blanchett.

Variety reports that Academy member Frances Fisher may have broken the rules with an Instagram post attempting to boost Riseborough that mentioned possible competition: Viola Davis, Michelle Yeoh, Deadwyler and Blanchett.

If someone makes a formal complaint about Fisher’s post, she could be suspended from the Academy for a year, though it likely would not affect Riseborough’s candidacy.

Only nine nominations have ever been rescinded in the Academy’s history.