Anonymous Oscar Voters

Indiewire

Hollywood Reporter

Okay, which DLers are these bitchy anonymous voting members of the Academy? Lol

[quote]"When they get in trouble for not giving Viola Davis an award, it's like, no, sweetheart, you didn't deserve it. We voted, and we voted for the five we thought were best," he finishes. "It's not fair for you to start suddenly beating a frying pan and say [they're] ignoring Black people. They're really not, they're making an effort. Maybe there was a time 10 years ago when they were, but they have, of all the high-profile things, been in the forefront of wanting to be inclusive. Viola Davis and the lady director need to sit down, shut up, and relax. You didn't get a nomination — a lot of movies don't get nominations. Viola, you have one or two Oscars, you're doing fine."

Holy shit, this is bitchier and more condescending than anything I've read about Miss Viola here on DL. Twitter is gonna go apeshit when it sees this. And the best part is, they can't cancel anyone because it's anonymous. I am cackling and feeling pure, undiluted Schadenfreude right now.

Whoever the director is seems like an asshole. "I was like ugh, why did this all-white, all-straight movie have to be good?"

[quote]I don't believe that thing of you have to be a murderer to play a murderer — I know it's all the rage. you can't play a gay guy unless you're a gay guy — it's so out of control with the wokeness. I'm a fervent liberal, but wokeness, I think we all agree, has taken over.

You know they've lost the argument when they have to resort to this outrageous comparison. But lots of people here on DL agree with him, so whatever.

[quote] I think Viola Davis is talented, I didn't see Woman King, but I'm a little tired of Viola Davis and her snotty crying. I'm over all of that.

That voter is definitely on DataLounge.

A lot of these people just seem stupid. TAR is not a hard film to grasp. And a few people outright admit they don’t watch most of the movies.

R8 how many people do full research when voting, period?

R9 That’s true…and depressing. A lot of the general population is dumb.

Viola didn't get nominated because she's Black or a minority.

She didn't get nominated because people don't like her. Or her snotty crying. Or her overall whining in general.

Viola only won an Oscar BECAUSE she’s a minority…specifically the right minority

You don’t see any Asian actors or actresses playing the race card

I'm curious about who the actor is. He is being eviscerated on Twitter for basically telling two Black women to shut up.

Sometimes, black women need to shut up r12.

Jada Pinkett Smith in particular

La Racisme!!!!

[quote] I voted for Stephanie Hsu, because she's an Asian woman, and I wanted to vote for the Asian woman

At least he's honest about it.

When I saw the description of the actor I first thought of Ralph Feinnes but I can't imagine he'd participate in something like this.

Whoever he/she is, I loved the shout out to Judy Davis in NITRAM and while I liked Blanchett in TAR, I think the actor's comparison of the two women is largely on point.

Agree about the “mafia” like Andrea comment. People say grassroots when it was really the epitome of Hollywood elitism, hosting their cliquey little VIP screenings to support her. Not saying she didn’t deserve it but I absolutely agree with that characterization.

R18 And what does that make every single studio campaign in history?

The actor sounds like a chatty American. What age would “longtime” actor imply? 40s, 50s?

The actor sounds like Ben Affleck

The description of Tar by the actors is on point

Looks like Cate is not winning that Oscar

R19 that’s a massive upfront campaign, not snotty little actress cliques getting together. And they’re also not trying to pass it of as anything other than it is.

She got nominated because the most popular girls in high school decided to make it so. It’s very different.

Michelle Yeoh posted that article for nothing since it's obvious she's going to win. What a dumb move on her part. She looks like a bad sport.

R24 = Michelle Yeoh

I laughed out loud with the Hollywood Reporter quote, "... and reminds you that it’s never really over in Hollywood unless you’re dead or Will Smith."

These anonymous voter comments do make me hopeful that Angela Bassett will take home BSA over JLC. Either way, poor Christopher Guest.

It's obnoxious how many of the Academy voters don't bother to watch the all the films. Yes, they really should watch all of them, lazy fucking cows.

R29 there’s thousands of voters and we’ve heard the thoughts of less than 10

Did Viola really beat a frying pan? She’s so loony.

R30, it's more like we've heard the thoughts of 3, and the opinions of 10.

Anaynous actor is white and MAGA

These anonymous takes are just confirming how racist and sexist Hollywood is

Academy voters! They're just like us!

R28 is so lazy she has to convert names into initials.

What a stupid c.

R29 Especially if you are someone who loves art and cinema. I would not feel comfortable voting for a performance/movie/etc... without seeing all of the contenders first and foremost. And I would vote solely based on the assigned category (acting, directing, etc...). I would not care about who sends me a gift basket, who was nice to me, who is overdue yada yada yada. All of that is irrelevant to the art.

Isn’t the frying pan comment actually a call back to Monique in Precious? So racist.

R30 I've heard "anonymous" Oscar voters make these same comments time and time again. I know it must be quite a task to see each and every movie nominated for every category, but they should at least try. R37 Exactly! The Oscars are such a joke.

The Actor really hated The Fablemans!

The actor sounds like Guy Pierce

The Academy changed the rules this year that you can vote even if you haven’t seen all the movies. How was it before? You had to see all of them? How did they know you watched? Or was it the honor system?

"When they get in trouble for not giving Viola Davis an award, it's like, no, sweetheart, you didn't deserve it. We voted, and we voted for the five we thought were best," he finishes. "It's not fair for you to start suddenly beating a frying pan and say [they're] ignoring Black people. They're really not, they're making an effort. Maybe there was a time 10 years ago when they were, but they have, of all the high-profile things, been in the forefront of wanting to be inclusive. Viola Davis and the lady director need to sit down, shut up, and relax. You didn't get a nomination — a lot of movies don't get nominations. Viola, you have one or two Oscars, you're doing fine."

Mel, back on the drink again?

R42 there’s always been plenty of voters who haven’t seen hardly anything. I’m not sure what they’re hoping to accomplish with the rule change. Actually encouraging voters to be even less informed about the films and not watching is stupid. There’s no way to enforce people to watch and never has been. But don’t fucking say it and expect the Oscars to be taken seriously while along trying to get more people to watch.

I think the Actor in the ew piece is Matthew McConaughey

R45 I doubt Matthew 's film knwledge expands to Judy Davis/Nitram--A film which was released only in Australia.

Also that bold /crass talk, although anonymous, sounds like it comes from a foreigner

Who is the bitchy gay DLer who says, “it’s like, no, sweetheart?”

[quote] Hollywood back-slapping, 'get a big stinkin' load of me,' it's not a newsflash, it just seems to get worse and worse."…"I think the Academy is making an effort to please everybody, and it's reflective of the state of the world, but I feel like they're being held hostage — somewhat unfairly — by the wokeness," the actor later adds, taking issue with the group's "increasingly political and increasingly commercial" tastes….. "When they get in trouble for not giving Viola Davis an award, it's like, no, sweetheart, you didn't deserve it. We voted, and we voted for the five we thought were best," he finishes. "It's not fair for you to start suddenly beating a frying pan and say [they're] ignoring Black people. They're really not, they're making an effort. Maybe there was a time 10 years ago when they were, but they have, Viola, you have one or two Oscars, you're doing fine."

OK, I simply HAVE to know who this is. Head screwed on straight, cynical, and bitterly mordant. Did they interview Addison DeWitt?

[quote] …and if Cate Blanchett opens a door, she gets an Academy Award nomination.

See? The hits keep coming from this guy.

It seems they gave enough clues on the Actor to make it a decent blind item. He definitely "reads" American to me, and has to be old enough to have the background in the industry as described. And famous/untouchable enough that he can speak with such candor. I'm getting a bit of ping from him too in the way of his bitchy but honest wording. Not too many actors are highly respected in dramas, thrillers and have also won TV awards. This should not be so hard but it is, at least for me.

Michael Keaton?

Bryan Cranston? He has a nice guy image to the public and doesn’t seem he would be that way, but you never know.

I agree with the poster upthread who thinks the anonymous actor could be Mel Gibson.

I like the Bryan Cranston guess.

I'm going with Woody Harrelson .

The anonymous actor is Alan Cumming.

The actor is correct, however. People ( and probably Viola herself) expected a nomination, because she is always nominated for something and she's black. But, her performance in this one was unworthy of a nomination. Get over it.

Some of the comments, particularly on Tar, are particularly abtuse, it certainly put the Oscars on perspective if the people voting are such mindless, venemous , cows.

Alan Cumming seems like an accurate guess

The actor is definitely gay. Talking about "gowns" and " house dresses"

The Fablemans really did suck. I was shocked when it became a front runner to win the Oscar. Thankfully that seems to have faded

So here is all what we "know" about the actor.

The Actor: His performances in critically heralded prestige dramas, biting mainstream thrillers, and on Emmy-winning TV shows have earned this actor consistent acclaim throughout his career.

"I'd sort of stopped watching them," one anonymous (and longtime) actor tells EW of his relationship to the Oscars before becoming a voting AMPAS member. "I was so disgusted by the whole thing, and then I got into the Academy, and now I'm forced to — so, be careful what you wish for. The whole Hollywood back-slapping, 'get a big stinkin' load of me,' it's not a newsflash, it just seems to get worse and worse.""I think the Academy is making an effort to please everybody, and it's reflective of the state of the world, but I feel like they're being held hostage — somewhat unfairly — by the wokeness," the actor later adds, taking issue with the group's "increasingly political and increasingly commercial" tastes.

This year, he criticizes media blowback over Best Actress snubs for Viola Davis (The Woman King) and Danielle Deadwyler (Till) as going one step too far, when, despite this year's crop of nominees still being overwhelmingly white, he feels the Academy is doing its part to champion diversity in the industry.

"When they get in trouble for not giving Viola Davis an award, it's like, no, sweetheart, you didn't deserve it. We voted, and we voted for the five we thought were best," he finishes. "It's not fair for you to start suddenly beating a frying pan and say [they're] ignoring Black people. They're really not, they're making an effort. Maybe there was a time 10 years ago when they were, but they have, of all the high-profile things, been in the forefront of wanting to be inclusive. Viola Davis and the lady director need to sit down, shut up, and relax. You didn't get a nomination — a lot of movies don't get nominations. Viola, you have one or two Oscars, you're doing fine."

White, or at least not Black, likely from the south with those linguistic "tells", been around for a while, respected in both film for dramas and thrillers, and has been on at least one if not more well regarded TV shows.

Known for giving no fucks and calling it like he sees it.

Harrelson hits all those marks. Hmmm....

R57 agreed. It’s really amazing that in most years any quality work gets rewarded. All these anonymous voters really seem ignorant and too lazy to watch films. I know it’s a lot to keep up with, but you have months to get informed.

Definitely NOT Cranston if is his latest statements are to be believed. He is fully woke.

It’s probably someone much lower profile than any of the names guessed so far. Harrelson? McConaughey? No way.

I'm having trouble imagining just who the actor was who was quoted at r4. He's lazy and can't even look up the name of "the lady director," a phrase that makes him sound 100 years old. His comment about being in the Academy makes it sound like he didn't get in until recently. I can't figure out why he's even in the Academy if he hates it so much, because all he does is complain about it.

If we could find a list of people recently admitted to the Academy, we'd probably find our answer.

Harrelson a good choice. Plus his stupid ass comments on the vaccinations and he would fit the bill. He definitely seems anti woke and probably MAGA.

I cannot see Harrelson calling himself liberal, though. No way in hell.

The Actor says in the interview that he’s American.

People on Twitter think it's Reed Birney, and I hate to say that the answers here do sound like Birney does in interviews. I'd be pretty disappointed to find out it was him, but maybe not that surprised.

Older article, but I seem to recall a recent self description of him being "anti-political".

The actor is obviously also a DL poster.

"Brian Tyree Henry, I actually didn't watch Causeway because there are some actors in there that I'm not a fan of, and I just didn't want to go there."

I laughed at this because this was my exact reason for not watching Causeway; I've seen too many bad Jennifer Lawrence performances to waste time on something she's in, and I'm hard-pressed to think of a more obnoxious celebrity.

This also sums up my feelings about Cate Blanchett:

"I think she's a talented woman, but she's so technical, she's ice cold, and I always see her acting. The person I wanted to be in there was Judy Davis in Nitram. Astonishing. You've got Cate Blanchett and Judy Davis, both from Australia, and they couldn't be more different. Cate is working it like crazy, like, get a big stinking load of me, and Judy Davis is just doing the work and knocking it out of the park every single time. I feel like Cate just wants us all to fall in love with her and be a movie star, and I'm not on board."

Blanchett likes to act like she is so above the Hollywood game, criticizing the televised horse race of awards season and preaching about the arbitrariness of prizes in the arts, all the while flying around the world and campaigning her ass off for a *third* Oscar. From her generation alone, I think Toni Collette is a better actress, and she is not nearly as celebrated.

too many are assuming the actor is white and also about ten years too young

The “actor” is Monique

I hear all of the actor talk in James Spader's voice, for some reason

Is there somewhere where you can see a full list of AMPAS members?

Spader isn’t really a bitchy or tuned-in type in real life. We have a mutual friend and he tells me that Spader is a lazy, happy-go-lucky pothead who couldn’t give a fuck about the industry and just takes everything as it comes. That’s why he let himself go to seed.

Woody Harrleson also strikes me as being along these lines.

These were the comments I found the most bizarre from this so-called "Actor":

[quote]The Academy has bent over backwards to be inclusive. Last year, there were more Black people presenting.

So the Academy inviting more black people to hand out Oscars to white people is his idea of inclusion? Wow, okay.

[quote]Danielle Deadwyler was so pandering [in Till] for an Academy Award nomination. She was good. I mean, who wouldn't be good in a part like that? The strong, wronged mother. But you look at the real Mamie Till, she's not wearing all of these incredible gowns and beautifully made-up. I thought it was a confusing message. If they'd really [made a movie about] that woman, who was not used to being in the public eye and wore house dresses, she [wouldn't have] had one incredible outfit after another. The ego behind this pushing her to be a movie star was too blatant for me.

So Danielle should be denied a nomination for her great performance because the costume designer got the look wrong? Okay, got it.

So they all admit EEAAO is actually bottom of the barrell trash yet vote for it to satisfy their woke minds. As if they know Big Brother is watching.

By the way, I agree that the Academy has done a lot over the last few years to open up the awards to non-white artists and doesn't always get the credit they deserve for it; however, that comment by this "actor" was tone-deaf in my opinion and why he should be very glad no one knows who he is.

Brutally Honest Oscar Ballot #2:

Brutally Honest Oscar Ballot #3:

Sorry, #3 is from last year. I don't know why THR has it on their site along with this year's.

R80 or maybe they think it's a very good movie? Holy crap you EEAAO haters are fucking obnoxious.

R82 this voter sounds like an idiot

Whenever they do these interviews I'm always amazed at how incredibly shallow the Oscar voters are when they give their reasons for voting. "I'm not going to vote for 'Banshees' because I once had a terrible time going through Customs in the Dublin airport. But I had a much better time in the Memphis airport because they have great giant pretzels for sale there, so I'm giving my vote for Best Picture to 'Elvis.'"

I’m more confused by the person who thinks TAR is unrealistic because a conductor couldn’t afford a private jet?

Finished the last of the Best Picture nominees last night, Triangle of Sadness. Explain what Im missing here Dont know how this got enough broad based support to make it into the final 10-no less the director, who beat out a spot that the director of All Quite(or even baz Luhrmann could have taken)

I read the quote from The Actor and thought “bitchy eldergay”.

F. Murray Abraham?

Wouldn't he have been in the Academy for a very long time now?

I can't believe Woody Harrelson has even heard of NITRAM, much less seen it. So I don't think it's him.

[quote]You don’t see any Asian actors or actresses playing the race card

They all do it round the clock.

Bullshit, R93

That quote at r93, is it sarcasm? Because Michelle Yeoh recently posted a mini essay on race and the academy, on her IG

Razzies winners

Cumming makes sense as the anon actor. I don’t believe it’s someone with a profile of Harrelson or McConnaughy because it’s not worth the risk of your name leaking. Cumming would actually enjoy having people debate his views.

Didn't the article state the actor was American?!

I vote that we not out the anonymous actor if it gets close to that point. If the source gets exposed and possibly disciplined, there goes the delicious snarkery that is these people's anonymous commentary.

R99 thinks blatant racism is DeLiCiOuS SnArKeRy

I could've sworn Nitram got released here in the US. Davis is wonderful in it though, but when is she not

You know, my friends and I love movies and ever since I was in College we have always made it a practice to watch as many of the nominated movies as we could. So it pisses me off that so many academy members admit they haven't bothered.

R102 yup. I’ve seen them all. It took weeks but it’s doable. I know people lead busy lives but cmon.

My initial take on "The Actor":

I like how their three-tiered description of “The Actor” for “heralded prestige drama,” “biting mystery thrillers” (??, which makes it sound like they suck) and “Emmy winning tv shows” could ostensibly be for appearances on just one or two shows with rehashed descriptions here to make their career sound more substantial and expansive. He probably guested on True Blood and The Handmaid’s Tale and hasn’t worked in years.

I doubt he's the A-Lister you're all making him out to be.

One thing a lot of you are slightly overlooking: The majority of actors are very, very stupid people. I mean, like toe-curlingly stupid.

That's not what I meant and you knew it, asshole @ R100. I meant ALL the anonymous comments EW has presented through these articles. If you out and cancel "The Actor," no one's going to talk to EW again.

The ACTOR in the 4 anonymous Oscars voters is some damaged goods. To say "The Fablemans" is the worst movie he ever saw was ludicrous. Sounds like he couldn't even get an audition for it.

NITRAM was released in the U.S., but it got about as much exposure as TO LESLIE.

Woody Harrelson has been nominated three times going back to 1997 with "The People vs. Larry Flynt ". I'm sure he became a member more than recently.

Do you automatically become an AMPAS member when you're nominated? I feel like that should be part of the package, like a consolation prize for all the losers. But maybe that would be excessive, numbers-wise

Woody.

If EEAAO wins best picture, it will end up on a list for the worst films that won the best picture Oscars in a decade.

My guess for "The Actor": Willem Dafoe

Yes, when you are nominated for an Oscar, you get an invitation to become an AMPAS member if you are not already one.

"Do you automatically become an AMPAS member when you're nominated?"

Yes

The actor is British, you can tell from the phrasing.

The article identified the actor as American

Thanks OP. I love that they all trashed Tar and the mechanical and fake Cate Blanchett.

R118 The fact the rest of their opinions paint them all as certifiable morons kind of cancels out their TAR takes, doesn’t it?

But they don't seem to understand that Blanchett is playing the mechanical and fake Lydia "Lynda" Tar.

R120 While we discover that toward the end of the movie, I just didn’t find her performance, or the story, engaging or interesting—whether she’s the fake or real “Lydia.”

And the Oscar goes to ...........Andrea Riseborough

I watched Women Talking recently and most of that cast in my opinion gave better performances than some of those nominated. Did the ensemble nature of the movie affect them getting nominated? Hard to choose out of them? If so that's bullshit. Foy was very good but Buckley was particularly impressive.

all the talking women in women talking were fine--the movie was a static slog though. probably would have made a better play if presented more theatrically. the one shock in the film was that is was contemporary when it could have easily been there turn of the last century

I didn't find it a slog but could understand why you would. Though I love movies that could easily work as a play. The fact it is set in 2010 wasn't weird. Have you seen mennonites? They have an old way of living and dressing.

R109 Woody would have been made a member of the Academy when he was first nominated if he hadn't been invited to join the Academy previously. Not him.

Actor definitely sounds gay and bitchy to me. How about Hugh Grant? He may not be gay, but he sure is bitchy.

[quote]If EEAAO wins best picture, it will end up on a list for the worst films that won the best picture Oscars in a decade.

Nope. It was fabulous.

“The Actor” is totally a DLer, toning it down, of course.

[quote] If it hadn't been for Viola Davis being mad she wasn't nominated, I don't think anybody would've questioned it.... it's ridiculous, it's sour grapes. The Academy has bent over backwards to be inclusive. Last year, there were more Black people presenting. It's like, come on. I think Viola Davis is talented, I didn't see Woman King, but I'm a little tired of Viola Davis and her snotty crying. I'm over all of that. I'm willing to believe that Andrea Riseborough gave a better performance. [Danielle Deadwyler] was so pandering [in Till] for an Academy Award nomination. She was good. I mean, who wouldn't be good in a part like that? The strong, wronged mother. But you look at the real Mamie Till, she's not wearing all of these incredible gowns and beautifully made-up. I thought it was a confusing message. If they'd really [made a movie about] that woman, who was not used to being in the public eye and wore house dresses, she [wouldn't have] had one incredible outfit after another. The ego behind this pushing her to be a movie star was too blatant for me.

[quote] I said a little prayer during TÁR that I would never have to watch Cate Blanchett act again. I thought, this has got to be the end of this, this can't go on. I think she's a talented woman, but she's so technical, she's ice cold, and I always see her acting. The person I wanted to be in there was Judy Davis in Nitram. Astonishing. You've got Cate Blanchett and Judy Davis, both from Australia, and they couldn't be more different. Cate is working it like crazy, like, get a big stinking load of me, and Judy Davis is just doing the work and knocking it out of the park every single time. I feel like Cate just wants us all to fall in love with her and be a movie star, and I'm not on board.

What I find odd about those secret surveys is that three of the four talk about how great “Banshees of Inisherin” was, how it was the best film, but they all voted for EEAAO in the top slot to make some sort of point, to give one to the film equivalent of “the little guy.”

What serious bullshit. The Reporter should go back to all four to find out what they think now, they’ll probably say “EEAAO” was over-awarded, this creative team will never recover from being over-hyped like this.

^I thought that was an interesting point too; for as much as they complain about "woke", my takeaway was: we liked Banshees the best, but it was full of a bunch of white guys & we had to give it to the Asian/under represented minority. The Oscars, and all awards in general, have always been political, but it takes away their meaning if all this is just about checking some equal opportunity box. I think that's why they were so pissed at Viola - they felt she had her turn & now it belonged to someone else.

R130, what they may not yet know is that, when black people talk about "people of color", what they really mean is black, and you see that whenever Latinos or Asians do well.

I thought Banshees was a fine film. Well made and well acted, and how Tar got a cinematography nomination and this gorgeous movie didn't will remain a mystery. Alas I did not enjoy it. I thought it was a cruel film. I would have nominated it but not vote it Best Picture.