On Tuesday, actress Michelle Yeoh shared and then deleted a Vogue article questioning whether Oscar rival Cate Blanchett needed another statuette to add to the two she already has, while a win for Yeoh would be “life changing”.
Yeoh, for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and Blanchett, for “Tár,” are considered the best actresses at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday.
Yeoh’s Instagram activity just hours before the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voting ended may have violated the governing body’s “References to Other Nominees” rule, The Daily Beast reported. The rules state that social media from people associated with an eligible film that casts “a negative or derogatory light on a competing film or production will not be tolerated.”
“Any tactic that singles out the ‘competition’ by name or title is expressly prohibited,” another standard says. It is unclear whether a reference to a journalistic work constitutes a forgery.
“Detractors would argue that Blanchett’s performance is the strongest — the veteran actress is undeniably stunning as prolific director Lydia Tár — but it should be noted that she already has two Oscars under her belt,” the Vogue article reads in Yeoh’s Instagram post now deleted. . “A third party might confirm its status as an industry titan, but given its expansive and unmatched body, do we need another confirmation?”
“For Yeoh, meanwhile, an Oscar would be life-changing: her name will forever be preceded by the phrase ‘Academy Award Winner,’ and should result in meatier parts after a decade of criminal underutilization in Hollywood.” the article continued, with the headline: “It’s been over two decades since I won Best Non-White Actress. Will this change in 2023?”
The article focused on the lack of inclusion at the Oscars and rooted for Yeoh.
Andrea Riseborough of the obscure “To Leslie” received a best actress nomination in January after last-minute local promotion from Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet and other big names prompted the Academy to investigate. Riseborough retained his appointment.
HuffPost did not immediately reach the academy or Yeoh for comment.
