I don’t really pay much attention to all of these anonymous Oscar voter ballots being published by the trades. At the end of the day, all it amounts to is a sample, a very minuscule one, not even 1% of the close to 9700 Oscar voters.
However, let’s zero in on one particular ballot that caught people’s attention, shall we?
Entertainment Weekly posted a slew of anonymous ballots this morning, one of which has some on social media raging to no ends.
They want this person outed. Of course, that won’t happen, you don’t reveal your sources, so their rage will go on. Maybe they can seek therapy over this boogeyman.
The anonymous (and longtime) actor’s ballot specifically tackles the Black Actress snubs, criticizes the media blowback, and, especially, zeroes in on Viola Davis and her ‘Woman King’ director Gina Prince-Bythewood.
"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, 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."
Biting words that can only be uttered in total anonymity. If he said this publicly then he’d be automatically sent to the Hollywood gulag.
This anonymous (and longtime) actor is described by EW as having given “performances in critically heralded prestige dramas, biting mainstream thrillers, and on Emmy-winning TV shows […] this actor earned consistent acclaim throughout his career.”
I’m not going to post all of the Tweets this has elicited, but it’s quite amusing. There’s the link, go ahead and read people melting down over this anonymous actor. Hint, hint: He’s a racist.
