Nothing B次元官网网址� not Tom CruiseB次元官网网址檚 snub nor B次元官网网址� has caused quite as much a stir around as the best-actress nomination for British actress Andrea Riseborough.

for her performance as an alcoholic Texas single mother in the scantly seen indie drama B次元官网网址淭o Leslie,B次元官网网址� a pick that shocked Oscar pundits and has since brought scrutiny from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. For a movie that has grossed $27,322 at the box office, B次元官网网址淭o LeslieB次元官网网址� and Riseborough have made a lot of noise.

At issue is the way RiseboroughB次元官网网址檚 candidacy was promoted. Though many awards contenders are backed by orchestrated campaigns paid for by their filmB次元官网网址檚 studio, Riseborough rose into the Oscar ranks thanks largely to the grassroots efforts of B次元官网网址淭o LeslieB次元官网网址� director Michael Morris and his wife, actor Mary McCormack. They urged stars to see the film and either host a screening or praise RiseboroughB次元官网网址檚 performance on social media. And a whole lot of them did.

So whatB次元官网网址檚 the big deal? Cronyism in Hollywood isnB次元官网网址檛 exactly news; itB次元官网网址檚 more or less the modus operandi. But RiseboroughB次元官网网址檚 nomination B次元官网网址� and the strong response itB次元官网网址檚 engendered B次元官网网址� has disrupted this yearB次元官网网址檚 Oscar season, with potential repercussions for the Academy Awards in March and the bids of all future Oscar hopefuls.

WHO IS ANDREA RISEBOROUGH?

For about 15 years, the 41-year-old Riseborough has been a regular presence in film, television and London theater, but sheB次元官网网址檚 sometimes hard to register because of her chameleonic performances. She appeared in Mike LeighB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淗appy-Go-LuckyB次元官网网址� (2008). She made an impression as RigganB次元官网网址檚 girlfriend in B次元官网网址淏irdmanB次元官网网址� (2014). She played StalinB次元官网网址檚 daughter in B次元官网网址淭he Death of StalinB次元官网网址� (2017). In B次元官网网址淢andyB次元官网网址� (2018), alongside Nicolas Cage, she played his characterB次元官网网址檚 kidnapped girlfriend. Riseborough had several other notable credits in 2022, including David O. RussellB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淎msterdamB次元官网网址� and as Mrs. Wormwood in B次元官网网址淢atilda the Musical.B次元官网网址� SheB次元官网网址檚 been doing acclaimed work in adventurous independent film for long enough that an Oscar vote for her may have also been partly for her unassuming body of work.

HOW UNEXPECTED WAS RISEBOROUGHB次元官网网址橲 NOMINATION?

Almost no one expected RiseboroughB次元官网网址檚 late-breaking campaign to actually land her a nomination. It wasnB次元官网网址檛 totally out of left field, though. RiseboroughB次元官网网址檚 performance in B次元官网网址淭o LeslieB次元官网网址� . But she wasnB次元官网网址檛 expected to be in the mix in what was generally considered the hardest category to break into this year. Riseborough was nominated along with Cate Blachett (B次元官网网址淭谩rB次元官网网址�), Michelle Williams (B次元官网网址淭he FabelmansB次元官网网址�), Ana de Armas (B次元官网网址淏londeB次元官网网址�) and Michelle Yeoh (B次元官网网址淓verything Everywhere All at OnceB次元官网网址�).

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 astounded,B次元官网网址� shortly after the nominations were announced. B次元官网网址淚t was so hard to believe it might ever happen because we really hadnB次元官网网址檛 been in the running for anything else. Even though we had a lot of support, the idea it might actually happen seemed so far away.B次元官网网址�

Two highly regarded performances were left out: and That the categoryB次元官网网址檚 most glaring snubs were both Black women has been a point of discussion. B次元官网网址淭illB次元官网网址� director Chinonye Chukwu, in a post on Instagram, suggested the system had failed. B次元官网网址淲e live in a world and work in industries that are so aggressively committed to upholding whiteness and perpetuating an unabashed misogyny towards Black women.B次元官网网址�

WHAT MADE RISEBOROUGHB次元官网网址橲 CAMPAIGN DIFFERENT?

Most every acting nominee participates in some kind of Oscar campaign to help highlight their performance and get voters to watch their film. ItB次元官网网址檚 a game thatB次元官网网址檚 played. The playwright and screenwriter Jeremy O. Harris noted on Twitter: B次元官网网址淒o people not realize that what the actresses did for Andrea Riseborough happens in private every night for months starting in October for every movie/performance (with) a chance.B次元官网网址�

There are rules that limit the kinds of events that are held and even how much someone can email promotions to academy members during the voting period. Most campaigns have veteran strategists behind them and a substantial amount of money. Those pushing Riseborough, though, managed to draw attention to her without such backing. Instead, they counted on A-listers to spread the word.

Kate Winslet, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Amy Adams and Courteney Cox all hosted screenings for the film. B次元官网网址淵ou should be winning everything,B次元官网网址� Other stars like Edward Norton, Susan Sarandon, Mira Sorvino and Rosie OB次元官网网址橠onnell added their praise for her on social media.

Those who supported Riseborough saw in the campaign B次元官网网址� no billboards on Sunset, no B次元官网网址淔or Your ConsiderationB次元官网网址� ads, just a deep Rolodex B次元官网网址� a groundbreaking way to circumvent traditional Oscar rituals. In a since-deleted post, actress Christina Ricci wrote of the backlash to RiseboroughB次元官网网址檚 nomination: B次元官网网址淪o itB次元官网网址檚 only the films and actors that can afford the campaigns that deserve recognition? Feels elitist and exclusive and frankly very backward to me.B次元官网网址�

DID THAT BREAK ANY RULES?

There is no public evidence that Riseborough or anyone on her behalf clearly broke academy regulations. The screenings and endorsements that propelled Riseborough are commonplace. Some have speculated that Riseborough may have received a boost because of the strong passion of her supporters, who might have made her their top nominee.

But if the academy found that anyone violated the rules about contacting academy members B次元官网网址渄irectly and in a manner outside of the scope of these rules,B次元官网网址� the academyB次元官网网址檚 board of governors B次元官网网址渕ay take any corrective actions or assess any penalties, including disqualification,B次元官网网址� according to academy bylaws. B次元官网网址淔urthermore, any academy member who has authorized, executed or otherwise enabled a campaign activity that is determined by the board of governors to have undermined the letter or spirit of these regulations may be subject to suspension of membership or expulsion from the academy.B次元官网网址�

Oscar nominations have rarely been rescinded but it has happened. In 2014, composer Bruce Broughton, nominated for best original song, . At the time, Broughton, a former governor for the academy, was a member of the music branchB次元官网网址檚 executive committee.

HOW HAS THE ACADEMY RESPONDED?

The academy has not commented on RiseboroughB次元官网网址檚 nomination. But on Friday, it announced that it will conduct a review of the campaign procedures arounds this yearB次元官网网址檚 nominees B次元官网网址渢o 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.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e have confidence in the integrity of our nomination and voting procedures, and support genuine grassroots campaigns for outstanding performances,B次元官网网址� the academy added.

B次元官网网址擩ake Coyle, The Associated Press