by Film critics shared their mixed reactions to Andrea Riseborough’s surprise nomination for the 2023 Oscars.
On Tuesday, January 24, this year’s Academy Awards nominees were announced. You can read the full list of nominees here.
Among the scorn and surprise in the nominations was Andrea Riseborough’s inclusion in the Best Actress category.
British actor starring in independent drama to Leslie as a Texas mom who won the lottery. But while his performance received rave reviews, the film earned just £22,000 at the global box office when it was released in October, leading many to believe that voters saw him as a contender.
But in mid-January, a guerrilla campaign began for Riseborough’s candidacy on social media. High-profile stars, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Amy Adams, Jennifer Aniston and Jane Fonda, all praised the film online and called for it to be considered by the award voters. Cate Blanchett also mentioned Riseborough in her speech while accepting the Critics’ Choice Award.
After the news that he had been nominated for an Oscar on Tuesday, Riseborough said he was “surprised” by the news.
But while social media users agreed that his underrated performance deserves award recognition, many shared their disappointment at the two Black actors being named category leaders (for Danielle Deadwyler). Untilfor Viola Davis Woman King) was not nominated.
“All in recognition of a ‘little movie with a big heart’,” wrote film critic Chris James. “Still, it feels weird when Danielle Deadwyler (also in a ‘little movie with a big heart’) has been beating the pavement for months and finally being despised, while Andrea Riseborough walks in a week after her famous friends got on IG.”
Journalist Rendy Jones commented: “Looking back, I love Andrea Riseborough because she is an extraordinary actress. The context of his candidacy is truly bizarre. The influence of the popular white girls who get you Oscar nominations when you’re not even in conversation gives you high school energy.”
“The problem isn’t that a long list of white actors is happy to be Andrea Riseborough champion,” one Twitter user wrote. “The problem is, none of them felt the need to do this for the minority competitors in the leading categories.”
Writer Anthony Christian Ocampo states, “Hollywood’s most powerful actors – Theron, Paltrow, Aniston, Norton, Arquette – gathered at the 11th hour to secure an Oscar nomination for Andrea Riseborough.” “It’s true that his performance is stellar. It’s also true that this effort could never happen for an actress of color.”
“You might think Andrea Riseborough is *crazy* talent, that award campaigns are inherently unfair anyway, and you could also ask if those in actors would similarly stand behind a Black woman. Esp in a year where no Black women were nominated for Lead Actress,” she said. Wrote Terri White, former editor of Empire.
for Blanchett Tarfor Michelle Yeoh Everything Everywhere at the Same Timefor Michelle Williams Fabelmans and for Ana de Armas Blonde Complete the Best Actress category.
The 95th Academy Awards will be announced on Sunday, March 12.
