Oscars 2023: Anonymous members of the Academy reveal their votes and give their opinion on this year’s controversies

Two days before the big night of the Oscars at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, like every year Oh was able to interview four members of the Academy anonymously: an actor, a director, a commercial and a costume designer, who have expressed their views on this year’s controversies and, of course, have revealed their votes.

As it could not be otherwise, one of the main themes was the lack of representation from the Academyto which the actor replied: “I think the Academy is making an effort to please everyone, and that reflects the state of the world, but I think it’s being unfairly held hostage by progressivism”. Regarding the absence of Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler, she criticized the media hype that formed saying: “And how, No, honey, you didn’t deserve this. We voted and voted for the five we thought were the best”adding that “It’s not fair that you suddenly start banging on a frying pan and say they’re ignoring black people. Really they are not doing it, they are making an effort. There was maybe a time 10 years ago where they did, but they, of all the high-profile things, have been at the forefront of wanting to be inclusive. Viola Davis and the principal need to sit down, shut up, and relax. You didn’t get a nomination, a lot of movies don’t get nominations. Viola, you’ve got an Oscar or two, you’re doing well.”.

Nor did the controversy with the appointment of Andrea Riseborough (for whom no one voted) go unnoticed. On the one hand, the actor stressed: “I’m sure other people were doing similar political maneuvering behind the scenes, they just didn’t get caught.. If it weren’t for Viola Davis being upset about not being nominated, I don’t think anyone would have questioned it… It’s ridiculous, it doesn’t make sense.”, on the campaign for her nomination for ‘To Leslie’. Adding that she hadn’t seen “The King Woman” but that “I’m a little tired of Viola Davis and her crying”. The director says so, for his part it’s all been very strange since then “It’s the first time a white man has had to do this.“. Underlining it “The shocking thing is that it worked for her” adding that in various parties I have heard how women from the academy have said they would vote for her.

The spot, probably the most expert on the subject, declared it “found no problem [con las tácticas de la campaña]” to which the costume designer also added that: “We have to enter a world where the Academy Award has become an incredible career-defining award and people will get there through different methods, And this is one of them. I think it’s the first time, I don’t think it’s the last time. I have no problem with that”.

Vote

As for the votes, while they are not supposed to represent the majority, nor the final results, it serves as a framework to get an idea of ​​what some members of the Academy might think about the nominees and their films.

BEST FILM

All but commercials coincided with the insertion first place at “All at once everywhere”. For his part, the spot put him at number eight, his favorite being “Almas en torment de Inisherin”, which he didn’t know what to expect but ended up making him feel “Fantastic” for the great achievement that according to him Martin McDonagh managed to achieve.

In this category, the director also wanted to underline that he only voted for three films (‘Ellas hablan’ and ‘Almas en tormento de Inisherin’ in second and third position), abstaining in the rest of the positions, so that this could not prevent the victory of ‘All at once everywhere’.

BEST DIRECTOR

The actor voted for “All at once everywhere” obliterating Steven Spielberg’s direction “naughty and very sentimental” adding that he had not fully understood the work of the film and that “The story wasn’t that interesting. Okay, you make movies, so what? Who doesn’t make movies as a kid?”. The director, for his part, underlined the exclusion of women in the category and, disappointed by the group of candidates, also voted for ‘Everything and immediately everywhere’. To which was added the vote of the costume designer. Again, the commercial was out of place with the other three and gave Spielberg its vote as, according to him, the film as a whole showed him as a master at his prime.

BEST ACTOR

A little more variety and dissonance in this category, but no surprises since then none of the four dropped out of the big three favourites: Austin Butler, Brendan Fraser (by two votes) and Colin Farrell, although by this time Butler and Fraser would have advanced the interpreter of ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’.

BEST ACTRESS

Unanimity: Michelle Yeoh is the favorite of the anonymous four. Everyone agrees that Yeoh’s performance is far superior to Cate Blanchett’s. They commented on the performance of Ana de Armas, who at one point convinced one of them that she was Marilyn Monroe herself, but was unsuccessful in winning the statuette.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Different opinions: does the actor think the performance of Brendan Gleeson is amazing and he’s wonderful. And that despite the fact that Ke Huy Quan is good, his presence in the list may be due to sentiment and not interpretation. Despite this opinion, the director and costume designer voted for Ke Huy Quan. Both point out that the acting is brilliant and that he plays a good supporting role for Yeoh’s lead. On the other hand, advertising bets on Barry Keoghan, who says it “Hold a masterclass operating in an incredibly competitive field.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Despite the director’s positivism who hopes for it “I wish everyone could get an Oscar. They are all outstanding”decided to vote for it Stephanie Hsu why “She’s an Asian woman and I wanted to vote for Asian women.” The actor opted for the role of Kerry Condon, stating that he loved the film and that he also “there weren’t many bombastic performances” immersing everyone in the story and leaving “ego aside”. As soon as Angela Bassettodespite the fact that the latter said so “he was a cartoon character” That “over-articulates everything in this weird, fake English way”, will receive the vote of the spot and the costume designer that they don’t do it in isolation because of the performance, but one includes all the marketing of the film in his vote and the other, that Basett deserves it because “usually someone awarded for their career, not necessarily for the performance for which they are nominated” this is your case.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Tie between “Inisherin’s Banshees” and “All at once everywhere”. The trader and the actor, who opted for Martin McDonagh’s screenplay, argue that it is a film “Beautiful” which creates some characters and an offbeat world that is wonderful. While the other two voted for the other one because it’s original and because it’s according to the costume designer “they were able to weave all the stories together in a way that made a lot of sense”.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Sarah Polley is admired for her “Exceptional” Work in “They talk” receive commercial and director vote, while designer votes for his favorite movie of the year ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and actor gets ‘Living’ because ‘All Quiet Front’ gives him “anger” for not following the book.