Academy will NOT rescind surprise Oscar contender Andrea Riseborough's ... trends now
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has elected not to rescind the surprise Oscar nomination for Andrea Riseborough following an internal review.
Its 54-person board launched an investigation after Riseborough, 41, was nominated for Best Actress in To Leslie - a film that made around $27,00 in the box office.
Despite this, it had received 'aggressive' support from celebrities. Stars including Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Mia Farrow, Susan Sarandon, Minnie Driver and Edward Norton had praised Riseborough's performance in the low-budget drama, while Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Charlize Theron and Courteney Cox hosted private screenings of the movie.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a statement: 'The Academy has determined the activity in question does not rise to the level that the film's nomination should be rescinded.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,' Kramer noted. 'These tactics are being addressed with the responsible parties directly.'
The Academy chose not rescind Andrea Riseborough's Oscar nomination for Best Actress
Gwyneth Paltrow (left) and Charlize Theron (right) were among the many A-listers who held private screenings in their homes in a big push for the film to get an Oscar nod
The Academy found that the campaign for the film raised 'concern' and will implement changes to its regulations next year
The low-budget independent feature had taken just $27,000 at the box office when Riseborough, who plays a single mother struggling with alcoholism, appeared on the shortlist of nominees for Best Actress.
The nomination drew a slew of criticism as Riseborough had not been nominated for a Golden Globe or Critics Choice award, the traditional route to the Oscars.
The Academy launched a review on Friday to see if any of its rules – including one which bans 'direct solicitation' of votes from members – were broken.
While it opted not to rescind the Oscar nomination, Kramer said the board will make changes to its campaign regulations next year.
'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
