More Oscar Snobbery, Brad Renfro Ignored In Memoriam
This is exactly what I was alluding to in my earlier post about the inherent snobbery which goes into the selection process of the Academy Awards. Character actors are often ignored for their great performances for what can only be what Academy voters deem as a lack of versatility, or even popularity by the masses. If the people voted for whom they deemed to have given the best performance, I am sure the outcome would be different more often than not.
Actor Brad Renfro appeared in 21 films before his tragic death on January 15, from a heroin overdose. Brad was 25 at the time of his death, and his recent life had been marred by substance abuse problems, including an arrest in 2005 for attempting to purchase heroin. This however, does not diminish his talent or his previous work, which garnered him critical acclaim at the time. His first role was in the blockbuster The Client, a film adaptation of a book by John Grisham. (I love his books btw)
He also starred alongside the likes of Brad Pitt, Dustin Hoffman, Robert de Niro and Kevin Bacon in Sleepers, and with Scarlett Johannson in the indie classic Ghost World. In 1995, he won Hollywood Reporter’s “Young Star” award, and was voted nominated in the People’s “Best 30 Under 30.”
My point is, while Brad had derailed his career at the end, he was hardly a nobody and was certainly someone people in the industry respected for having talent and potential. They didn’t ignore Heath Ledger who died because of an accidental overdose, but of course, he’d been nominated for an award.
The Academy has released a statement to Us Magazine, stating:
“It was really an editing decision because we can’t fit everyone in,†a rep for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tells Usmagazine.com. “There was no specific reason.â€
That’s some BS right there. Heath Died AFTER Brad, and how hard would it have been to stick Brad’s picture in there? Seriously, this industry takes these young people, throws them into a world of excess, practically plies them with drugs, sucks them of their soul and then discards them like yesterday’s trash.
Tell me Academy, how about you edit this, you buttlicks!
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Luvs it D. They are honestly a bunch creeps. Everyone has sanitized the hell out of the Heath Ledger death - but the memory of this poor boy was hung out to dry. That sucks.
Comment by ebayer — February 25, 2008 @ 7:26 pm
bravo
Comment by jd — February 26, 2008 @ 12:18 am
Thankyou. Is it just me or was Heath Ledger a really ‘cold’ one tone actor. He could do intense but not much more… but Brad had so much variety. So much behind the eyes. He just didn’t get to work consistently with the right people.
Comment by Sienna — February 26, 2008 @ 4:02 am
LOL @ that end! Good one! Brad deserved to be a part of that tribute!
Comment by Heather — February 26, 2008 @ 12:27 pm
Well said!
Comment by Dawn — February 26, 2008 @ 2:07 pm
Did you see where Whoopi Goldberg was also left out of the “Oscar Hosts” montage?
It’s a stupid excuse. I think that if they had just admitted, “oops, our mistake, the segment producer forgot to include him - it was an editorial mistake” that would have been better than the idiotic backtracking, that only makes them look worse.
Comment by crazymom — February 26, 2008 @ 9:42 pm