British star Andrea Riseborough’s Oscar nomination for best actress is safe, the Academy has said following a review – although campaigning tactics used by the film she stars in did “cause concern”.
The organisation launched an investigation just three days on from announcing the 2023 Oscars shortlists, after Riseborough’s surprise nod for her performance in To Leslie led to much discussion about campaigning.
Academy bosses said they wanted to ensure no guidelines had been violated this year.
While many film studios spend millions on their awards season campaigns, indie film To Leslie relied on a small budget and word of mouth to get noticed.
Riseborough’s nomination came after some very public backing from stars including Kate Winslet, Jennifer Aniston, Edward Norton and Cate Blanchett – who is now up for the Oscar alongside the British actress.
Following the review, the Academy released a statement on behalf of chief executive Bill Kramer, saying “social media and outreach campaigning tactics” used by the film had “caused concern”.
“Based on concerns that surfaced last week around the To Leslie awards campaign, the Academy began a review into the film’s campaigning tactics,” the statement read.
Andrea Riseborough: Why a British star’s Oscar nomination has sparked controversy
“The Academy has determined the activity in question does not rise to the level that the film’s nomination should be rescinded.
“However, we did discover social media and outreach campaigning tactics that caused concern. These tactics are being addressed with the responsible parties directly.”
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Riseborough’s performance in To Leslie has been praised by critics, but before the Oscars she had not been nominated for any major awards.
In the film, she plays a single mother who turns to alcoholism after winning the lottery, before turning her life around when a motel owner offers her a job.
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Mr Kramer’s statement on Tuesday continued: “The purpose of the Academy’s campaign regulations is to ensure a fair and ethical awards process – these are core values of the Academy.
“Given this review, it is apparent that components of the regulations must be clarified to help create a better framework for respectful, inclusive, and unbiased campaigning.
“These changes will be made after this awards cycle and will be shared with our membership.
“The Academy strives to create an environment where votes are based solely on the artistic and technical merits of the eligible films and achievements.”
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