TV/Movies Megathread

[Sheilbh]

If they simply merged the categories, making them gender-neutral like the behind-the-camera ones, that would lead to less actors being awarded overall, which 1) would be a pity, given the central role actors play in motion pictures 2) diminishes the opportunities for diversity.

Music awards get away with it because they have a million subcategories for genres. I suppose movie awards could go the way of the Golden Globes with the comedy/drama thing, but I've personally always hated that.

I don't know if there are better proposals out there about how to carry out that in a way that works.

Although I can't remember which but a music award merged them and then this year didn't have any female nominees. So, many of the people who wanted them merged said they now also needed a mandatory 50/50 gender split which...

I could be wrong but my instinct is that merged awards would lead to fewer women winning than men.

Surprised how well All Quiet did - I was surprised it was a Best Picture nominee too. Maybe it's just what happens with streamer produced films that they're often only in the cinema for a week so I don't really notice them coming and going.

[The Larch]

I suppose that the biggest upset was Michelle Yeoh taking the Best Actress award from Cate Blanchett.

Btw, I've heard a couple of reports on de-gendering the acting awards, and Jamie Lee Curtis actually mentioned it during her press interviews as well. Do you see that happening at some point?

If they simply merged the categories, making them gender-neutral like the behind-the-camera ones, that would lead to less actors being awarded overall, which 1) would be a pity, given the central role actors play in motion pictures 2) diminishes the opportunities for diversity.

Music awards get away with it because they have a million subcategories for genres. I suppose movie awards could go the way of the Golden Globes with the comedy/drama thing, but I've personally always hated that.

I don't know if there are better proposals out there about how to carry out that in a way that works.

In one of the pieces I heard they mentioned that this has already been introduced this year by the Independent Spirit Awards, for instance, and what they had is just Best Lead and Best Supporting Performance awards, with 10 nominees each. The winners, for the record, were Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan.

The people from the piece agreed that this would probably not work for the Oscars, that you can't just remove two of the big awards and don't replace them with anything to compensate. Don't think they considered splitting on drama and comedy categories, though.

[Grey Fox]

I suppose that the biggest upset was Michelle Yeoh taking the Best Actress award from Cate Blanchett.

Btw, I've heard a couple of reports on de-gendering the acting awards, and Jamie Lee Curtis actually mentioned it during her press interviews as well. Do you see that happening at some point?

The Quebec tv industry has done it & the next awards will be gender less. A good test case I guess.

I think it's a really stupid idea & that we will quickly be reminded why they came up with gendered categories in the first place when white straight man win most awards regularly.

[HVC]

I suppose that the biggest upset was Michelle Yeoh taking the Best Actress award from Cate Blanchett.

Btw, I've heard a couple of reports on de-gendering the acting awards, and Jamie Lee Curtis actually mentioned it during her press interviews as well. Do you see that happening at some point?

The Quebec tv industry has done it & the next awards will be gender less. A good test case I guess.

I think it's a really stupid idea & that we will quickly be reminded why they came up with gendered categories in the first place when white straight man win most awards regularly.

Equality is all well and good until your side stops winning

[HVC]

Last of us season one has come to a close. Bella Ramsey was really very good in the role.

[Sheilbh]

Also really good in Catherine Called Birdy - which I think deserved a bit more attention than it got.

[HVC]

Also really good in Catherine Called Birdy - which I think deserved a bit more attention than it got.

She's been good since game of thrones. And her non binary-ness works well for season 2 if and when that happens.

[The Larch]

I suppose that the biggest upset was Michelle Yeoh taking the Best Actress award from Cate Blanchett.

Btw, I've heard a couple of reports on de-gendering the acting awards, and Jamie Lee Curtis actually mentioned it during her press interviews as well. Do you see that happening at some point?

The Quebec tv industry has done it & the next awards will be gender less. A good test case I guess.

I think it's a really stupid idea & that we will quickly be reminded why they came up with gendered categories in the first place when white straight man win most awards regularly.

As I mentioned, the Independent Spirit Awards (granted, a very different constituency) already implemented them this year, and the winners went on to win their categories' respective Oscars.

[The Larch]

If they simply merged the categories, making them gender-neutral like the behind-the-camera ones, that would lead to less actors being awarded overall, which 1) would be a pity, given the central role actors play in motion pictures 2) diminishes the opportunities for diversity.

Music awards get away with it because they have a million subcategories for genres. I suppose movie awards could go the way of the Golden Globes with the comedy/drama thing, but I've personally always hated that.

I don't know if there are better proposals out there about how to carry out that in a way that works.

Although I can't remember which but a music award merged them and then this year didn't have any female nominees. So, many of the people who wanted them merged said they now also needed a mandatory 50/50 gender split which...

I could be wrong but my instinct is that merged awards would lead to fewer women winning than men.

The possibility of a very uneven split between men and women was also mentioned in one of the pieces I read, and the advocated for assuming that in some years it might be a real possibility, but that on other years the tables would surely turn.

It'd be a complete mess for awards being given more for an actor's career than a particular performance, though, as the amount of big names without an award would surely increase.

[The Larch]

For comparison's sake, here's the list of nominees for this year's Spirit Awards.

Best Lead Performance

Cate Blanchett
Dale Dickey
Mia Goth
Regina Hall
Paul Mescal
Aubrey Plaza
Jeremy Pope
Andrea Riseborough
Taylor Russell
Michelle Yeoh (Winner)

So that's 8 women and 2 men, and 4 that were also nominated for the Oscars.

Best Supporting Performance

Jamie Lee Curtis
Brian Tyree Henry
Nina Hoss
Ke Huy Quan (Winner)
Brian d'Arcy James
Trevante Rhodes
Theo Rossi
Mark Rylance
Jonathan Tucker
Gabrielle Union

Here we have 7 men and 3 women, with 3 that were also Oscar nominated.

All in all, 11 women and 9 men, so almost full parity.

[Sheilbh]

The possibility of a very uneven split between men and women was also mentioned in one of the pieces I read, and the advocated for assuming that in some years it might be a real possibility, but that on other years the tables would surely turn.

I'm less confident - in part because I think the film industry just reflects the society we're in. This is an unusual year with Michelle Yeoh and I think that's good.

My impression is that the good, meaty, leading roles for women in cinema tend to be earlier in their career when they're in their 20s and 30s (and then roles again when they're a lot older). I think those roles for men are more consistent across their career. So I can't think of many women who've had a career shaped like, say, di Caprio, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt etc. There's a gap between attractive leading woman and elder stateswoman/character actor. Maybe that's starting to shift with Everything Everywhere All At Once and Tar.

I think men can risk not getting nominated/winning when they're young in a way women can't. So I'm fairly confident Paul Mescal and Austin Butler will have long careers and star in some nice complex leading roles, I don't think it's as certain/the same for women.

It'd be a complete mess for awards being given more for an actor's career than a particular performance, though, as the amount of big names without an award would surely increase.

I think that's always a thing though even when it's ostensibly based on a performance. With Jamie Lee Curtis I think it's as much a lifetime achievement as for her actual performance. I feel like the next time Glenn Close is up for a nomination she will (rightfully!) win as a bit lifetime achievement and an apology for all the times she didn't

As I mentioned, the Independent Spirit Awards (granted, a very different constituency) already implemented them this year, and the winners went on to win their categories' respective Oscars.

Yeah I'm not sure because I think they do have a very differernt constituency and set of films generally. But I think there is a bit of an indy-fication of the Oscars going on right now. If that carries on then it might be worth looking at.

[Josquius]

Even assuming men or women don't totally dominate the best overall actor award and nobody has any gripes there, that'd still be just one person winning this 'the best actor in the world. official' award rather than 2 as things stand.
Do we add a second place to make up for it?

[Josephus]

Also really good in Catherine Called Birdy - which I think deserved a bit more attention than it got.

She's been good since game of thrones. And her non binary-ness works well for season 2 if and when that happens.

I heard they're replacing them for the next season.

[HVC]

It'd be a shame if they replaced her

[Josephus]

It'd be a shame if they replaced her

Actually, I take it back. I thought I read somewhere that they was, but more fool me for using something I read on the Internet as fact.