Over the past nine decades, the Oscars have been a staple of Hollywood. It is the ultimate celebration of the industry’s best films for movie buffs.

But the annual awards ceremony is not without criticism, controversy, and disappointments. With the 2023 Academy Awards airing this year, an anonymous Academy member talks about his relationship with the ceremony and the organization behind it.  

The longtime actor, who stopped watching Oscars before becoming a member of AMPAS, has expressed disgust at the back slaps and big game-off attitudes he thought were getting worse over the years. criticized the Academy’s increasingly political and commercial preferences and the hostage situation of the Awakening. 

Although not all Academy members may agree with this actor’s viewpoints, they do bring up an intriguing issue regarding the organization’s attempts to appease everyone.

As the world becomes more diverse and political issues arise, the Academy finds itself in the midst of an ongoing debate about representation and inclusion. Balancing the need to be sexually aware is a difficult task. 

Although this year’s nominees have been criticized for being predominantly white, the anonymous actor believes the Academy is doing its part to promote diversity in the industry.  

He condemned the media backlash over the Best Actress omissions of Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler, saying that the Academy had selected the top five, and it wasn’t right to suddenly beat a frying pan and accuse them of overlooking Black people.

Oscars Campaign Tactics

The anonymous actor’s comments may be seen as controversial, but they highlight the complexities of the Academy’s decision-making process. 

The Oscars are not just about recognizing the best films and performances; they’re also about politics, campaigning, and social issues. As the anonymous actor said, the Academy is being held hostage, and it’s not an easy job to please everyone.

The Academy is investigating campaign tactics following Andrea Riseborough’s surprise nomination for To Leslie, indicating that the Oscars are not immune to controversies and manipulations. 

However, at the end of the day, the Oscars are still an important event that recognizes the best of the best in the industry. They may not be perfect, but they remain an essential part of Hollywood’s culture and history.

Read also: A Sense of Community: Actors Come Together for the 2023 SAG Awards

Panel of Voters

Entertainment Weekly recently sat down with four anonymous Academy voters from diverse backgrounds and professions to discuss their thoughts and opinions on the upcoming Oscars. The panel consisted of an actor, a marketer, a director, and a costume designer, all of whom bring unique perspectives and experiences to the table.

The Actor on the panel is a seasoned performer whose work has been consistently praised by critics and audiences alike. Their insights into the industry and the awards circuit offer a valuable perspective on the challenges and rewards of being an actor in Hollywood.

The Marketer is a seasoned pro who has promoted some of the biggest films and performers of the year. Their expertise in the world of marketing and publicity provides a fascinating look at the behind-the-scenes machinations that go into promoting a film for awards consideration.

The Director on the panel is an accomplished filmmaker with experience working in both television and film. Their perspective on the craft of filmmaking and the challenges of bringing a project to life in the modern era is sure to be insightful and thought-provoking.

The Costume Designer is a talented professional with a diverse portfolio that includes work on critically acclaimed television projects, prestige awards season movies, and commercial blockbusters. Their insights into the art of costume design and the role it plays in bringing characters to life on screen are sure to be fascinating.

Together, these four Academy voters offer a unique and multifaceted perspective on the Oscars and the film industry as a whole. 

Read also: Grammy Awards 2023: Celebrating the Best in Music

Most Coveted

The voting system used by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has undergone several changes over the years, but the current system provides a unique and complex approach to recognizing the best in cinema.

Firstly, it’s important to note that the Oscars are divided into two main categories: the popular vote and the preferential ballot. The popular vote determines the winners of the categories for Best Picture, Best Director, and the four acting categories (Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress). 

The preferential ballot is used for categories such as Best Animated Feature, Best Foreign Language Film, and the technical categories.

In the popular vote, members of the Academy are allowed to vote for their top choice in each category, with the nominee who receives the most votes being declared the winner. However, for the category of Best Picture, things get a bit more complicated. 

In this category, voters are asked to rank the nominated films in order of preference, with the film that receives the most first-place votes being declared the winner.

If no film receives more than 50% of the first-place votes, the film with the fewest votes is eliminated, and its second-place votes are distributed among the remaining films. This process is repeated until one film reaches the necessary 50% threshold.

The preferential ballot, on the other hand, works by asking voters to rank the nominees in order of preference. 

The ballots are then counted by a process known as the single transferable vote, which eliminates the nominee with the fewest first-place votes and redistributes those votes to the remaining nominees based on the second-place choices of those who voted for the eliminated nominee.

Photo: Static