Judging by what he just posted on Facebook, and has since deleted due to backlash, I don't think Paul Schrader gives a damn about Oscar consideration.
The writer-director of "First Reformed" has had incredble momentum building for his film ever since it won at the Gothams earlier this week and the nabbed him a Screenplay prize via the New York Film Critics Circle yesterday, not to mention that same voting body giving Ethan Hawke a well-deserved Best Actor award for that film. Suffice to say, before today's news, Schrader was on tap to potentially win the Best Original Screenplay award at the Oscars.
However, a sabotage, courtesy of Schrader himself, may have just happened. In a now-deleted post on Facebook, the filmmaker discussed how he was approached to direct a new film, but as he read the script, it was clear in his mind that Kevin Spacey should be cast as the lead. However, the producer of the film shot down that idea, telling Schrader that hiring the actor “is not possible.”
Schrader then went on to comment on the current #MeToo zeitgeist in Hollywood by saying, “I believe there are crimes in life but no crimes in art. Spacey should be punished for any crimes his actual person created. But not for art. All art is a crime. Punishing him as an artist only diminishes art. Put Celine in jail, put Pound in jail, punish Wilde and Bruce if you must, but do not censor their art.”
Whether you agree or disagree with Scharder, this type of comment usually doesn't bode well when you're campaigning for Oscars.
