It’s award show season and things are getting pretty heated with the Oscars looming large on the horizon. Industry award shows are a delicate balance of industry recognition, publicity, and glitz, and nobody — absolutely no one — wants to go away without a nomination.
Wicked was one of the major movies of the year, and its leading lady Cynthia Erivo has high hopes for winning the coveted EGOT — an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony — a gargantuan task made possible by her nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of Elphaba Thropp. Wicked had already been shortlisted for 4 Oscars, but the official nomination is sure to have been “Popular” with Erivo.
Wicked gave legions of fans, new and old, a different look into the wonderful world of Oz by bringing it to the big screen. Erivo’s co-star, singer and actress Ariana Grande, has already won several awards for her performance as Glinda, and Wicked mania has well and truly spread throughout the world. It’s fair to say that as movie musicals go, Wicked is up there with the best of them, bringing the cultural phenomenon that is the Wicked musical to gravity-defying new heights.
Given the way the movie slotted itself firmly into the cultural landscape, it’s unsurprising that Wicked has picked up so many awards and nominations, although there are apparently some who aren’t exactly “rejoicified” at its attention. For example, director Jacques Audiard looked particularly unhappy with Cynthia Erivo’s nomination for Best Actress.
Audiard directed Emilia Pérez, a musical crime comedy film centered around the titular character Emilia, a former cartel boss and her story of gender transition. The film was released to a good critical reception in the U.S. and Europe but met a lesser welcome in Mexico for a number of reasons, including its use of stereotypes, which was pointed out by Mexican screenwriter Héctor Guillén who called out the film for its “Racist Euro Centrist Mockery”.
Despite its varied reception, the film has won “glory” at the Golden Globes, and its leading lady Karla Sofia Gascón is the first transgender actress to be nominated for the coveted Academy Award for Best Actress, putting trans visibility front and center. Audiard and the cast of Emilia Pérez should be justifiably pleased with their nominations after the hard work of the cast and crew, but in scenes described as “bitter and unprofessional,” Audiard can be seen derisively shaking his head at Cynthia Erivo’s own nomination for Best Actress.
Posted to X by a Wicked fan account, the video attracted a lot of comments in support of Wicked and Erivo, along with many critical of Emilia Pérez — including posts packaging Héctor Guillén’s scathing criticism of the movie into an easily digestible image.
The Oscars are big business in the industry and tensions are running high, so a bit of conflict is understandable. Yet any suggestion that Erivo doesn’t deserve her nomination is bound to displease many, as her grounded portrayal of Elphaba Thropp gave the character depth and nuance while her sensational vocals helped catapult Wicked to massive critical and commercial success. It’s one thing to be supportive of your own movie and an actress you’ve worked closely with on a passion project, but it’s something else entirely to be dismissive towards another actress. It’s just about learning and accepting that it’s more than possible to build someone up without tearing someone else down.
Published: Jan 26, 2025 09:08 am