Evan Rachel Wood thinks Academy should overhaul Oscar campaigning, get rid of 'big money'

While many are excited by awards season now being fully underway, one Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences member is not feeling too hot about it.

Westworld and Frozen II actress Evan Rachel Wood began tweeting some criticism of the Oscars Wednesday night, starting with a joke about having to watch “the same 12 people get nominated” this year. When someone tweeted back asking if the potential nominees are “all white again,” Wood replied, “No but I am sure the directors will be all men.” Gender diversity and racial disparity are both problems that the Academy has made large strides to change, especially following the #OscarsSoWhite controversy of recent years past.

In another tweet, Wood said her comments may get her kicked out of the Academy, but she wanted to make a larger point about how the amount of money that goes into awards campaigns, and the self-fulfilling prophecies of which actors and (usually male) directors can sell movies, rapidly thins the playing field of potential nominees.

In the director race, lots of eyes are on Greta Gerwig for her movie Little Women, which debuts in December. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood director Marielle Heller and The Farewell‘s Lulu Wang are also in the mix, but they’re being largely overshadowed by the field of predominantly male directors, including Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Martin Scorsese (The Irishman), Sam Mendes (1917), Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story), Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit), Pedro Almodóvar (Pain and Glory), and Jay Roach (Bombshell).

“This is not to throw shade at the Academy or the films. BUT if we got BIG MONEY out of campaigning, (just like elections) then maybe it would be fair? Just a thought,” she said in one tweet, adding in another, “Also, not blaming it all on the Academy. The industry will only cast Actors that get the movies ‘Financed’ and it becomes a very small pool very quickly.”

When asked in another tweet whether she would go to the Oscars if nominated, Wood replied that she “would go graciously while reminding myself that my value is not based on award although it would feel good I am sure. You just gotta see the cage to be free of it.”

Wood, who is also a Time’s Up member and has been very vocal about issues like sexual abuse and pay equity, quoted a tweet that made note of how involved disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein was in building the modern Academy Awards campaign. “I feel like we need to talk about that and dismantle it,” said user @AConnorManning. “THIS,” Wood said.

Nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards will be announced Jan. 13; the Oscars ceremony takes place Feb. 9.

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