Nothing -- not Tom Cruise's snub nor Austin Butler's lingering Elvis Presley inflections -- has caused quite as much a stir around this year's Oscars as the best-actress nomination for British actress Andrea Riseborough.
Riseborough was unexpectedly nominated for her performance as an alcoholic Texas single mother in the scantly seen indie drama "To Leslie," 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 US$27,322 at the box office, "To Leslie" and Riseborough have made a lot of noise.
So what's the big deal? Cronyism in Hollywood isn't exactly news; it's more or less the modus operandi. But Riseborough's nomination -- and the strong response it's engendered -- has disrupted this year's Oscar season, with potential repercussions for the Academy Awards in March and the bids of all future Oscar hopefuls.
Two highly regarded performances were left out: Viola Davis in "The Woman King" and Danielle Deadwyler in "Till." That the category's most glaring snubs were both Black women has been a point of discussion. "Till" director Chinonye Chukwu, in a post on Instagram, suggested the system had failed. "We live in a world and work in industries that are so aggressively committed to upholding whiteness and perpetuating an unabashed misogyny towards Black women.
Kate Winslet, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Amy Adams and Courteney Cox all hosted screenings for the film. "You should be winning everything," Winslet told her in a virtual Q&A. Other stars like Edward Norton, Susan Sarandon, Mira Sorvino and Rosie O'Donnell added their praise for her on social media.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Letters, Jan. 30: 'Absolutely nothing wrong with Smith letter to PM'SMITH NAILED IT
Read more »
Tom Verlaine, Television Frontman & Guitarist, Dead At 73Tom Verlaine, frontman and guitarist for seminal NYC punk band Television, has died at 73. The New York Times reported that the punk pioneer died Saturday in Manhattan. Jesse Paris Smith, daughter of Verlaine's ex and frequent collaborator Patti Smith, told the outlet that Verlaine died 'following a brief illness.' Born Thomas Miller in Denville,…
Read more »
Guitarist Tom Verlaine, co-founder of Television, dies at 73Tom Verlaine, guitarist and co-founder of the seminal proto-punk band Television who influenced many bands while playing at ultra-cool downtown New York music venue CBGB alongside the Ramones, Patti Smith and Talking Heads, has died. He was 73.
Read more »
For ‘Q’ host Tom Power, the reward is in ‘just chatting’ with the celebrities he interviewsCBC’s ‘Q’ has become the first flagship daily radio show to drop as a podcast first, one with more of a focus on in-depth, intimate interviews.
Read more »
Controversy over Oscars' best actress nominationsViola Davis' exclusion from the list of nominees for Best Actress at the Oscars has drawn scrutiny over the inclusion of Andrea Riseborough.
Read more »
N.L. education minister John Haggie taking time off due to health concern | SaltWireTom Osborne is filling in on department of education matters during John Haggie's absence due to a health concern.
Read more »