Hollywood A-Listers Push Academy To Reverse Decision To Not Televise All Oscar Awards

Topline

Over 70 film industry notables including composer John Williams and directors James Cameron and Guillermo del Toro released a letter Wednesday criticizing the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for its decision to not televise eight awards during the Oscars ceremony this month, accusing the Academy of relegating them “to the status of second-class citizen.”

Sound mixers Peter Grace, Robert Mackenzie, Kevin O’Connell and Andy Wright, winners of the Best … [+] Sound Mixing award for ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ pose in the press room during the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California.

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Key Facts

The letter, which was obtained by Variety and the Los Angeles Times, asked the Academy to restore the eight awards to the live telecast, arguing that excluding them values “some filmmaking disciplines over others.”

In February, the Academy said it would give out awards before the telecast for documentary short, hair and makeup, film editing, original score, production design, sound, production design, animated short and live-action short, and promised they will be “folded into” the Oscars broadcast, which airs March 27.

Among the names on the letter are Succession and Moonlight composer Nicholas Britell, Oscar nominated composer John Debney, producer and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, director Joe Roth and composer Alexandre Desplat.

Most of the signers are composers.

Crucial Quote

“Seeking new audiences by making the telecast more entertaining is a laudable and important goal, but this cannot be achieved by demeaning the very crafts that, in their most outstanding expressions, make the art of filmmaking worthy of celebration,” the letter ended.

Key Background

After the lowest-rated ceremony ever last year, the Academy has retooled the show to make it appeal more to the masses. This year’s ceremony will honor a “fan favorite” movie, which viewers voted for online and on Twitter. Leaders of the contest included the Camila Cabello-led Cinderella, Spider-Man: No Way Home and Sing 2, the Academy said on Instagram last month. The group’s decision to not televise the group of awards has also drawn ire from this year’s nominees, including Power Of The Dog director Jane Campion, Dune director Denis Villeneuve and West Side Story director Steven Spielberg. Spielberg told Deadline this week that he “disagrees” with the Academy’s decision, saying “when I look back and I think without John Williams, Jaws would wear dentures. With West Side Story, when Tony is singing ‘Tonight’ with Maria, without [production designer]

Contra

“When deciding how to produce the Oscars, we recognize it’s a live event television show and we must prioritize the television audience to increase viewer engagement and keep the show vital, kinetic, and relevant,” Rudin said, defending the group’s decision to Academy members in a letter obtained by IndieWire. “Every awarded filmmaker and artist in every category will still have the celebratory ‘Oscar moment’ they deserve on the stage of the Dolby, facing an enrapt audience.” Will Packer, who is producing this year’s ceremony, said it’s the “right decision” and promised that “nobody is going to be shortchanged.”

Tangent

Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall will host this year’s ceremony on ABC. It’s the first time in three years the show will have a host.