What's it like inside the minds of Oscar voters? This, apparently: an anonymous member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences directors' branch told The Hollywood Reporter's awards analyst Scott Feinberg that Meryl Streep's Best Actress-nominated work in "August: Osage County" was "bottom-drawer." Academy members, they're just like us?
To be fair, the unnamed voter did note that he or she "loves" Streep in general, but just wasn't enamored with the actress's work in John Wells' film, an adaptation of Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning play that was expected to compete for numerous Academy Awards this year, but was only nominated twice: Best Actress for Streep and Best Supporting Actress for Julia Roberts. ("Julia Roberts was horrendous," the voter told THR.)
Other quips from the masked voter: "Her" put them to sleep; "12 Years A Slave" was "interesting, admirable and well done," but didn't take "courage" to make; Leonardo DiCaprio gave a "popcorn performance" in "The Wolf of Wall Street"; and Jennifer Lawrence "dazzles" in "American Hustle."
As for Best Picture? This voter selected "American Hustle," with "12 Years A Slave" finishing at No. 2 on the ballot. That result differs slightly from the Academy member who was polled by The Daily Beast's Michael Musto. The voter, who was given the pseudonym Pat by Musto, selected Alfonso Cuaron's "Gravity" as Best Picture, with "12 Years A Slave" again sitting at runner-up.
I voted for 'Gravity' because I thought it was unique and well done. I didn’t think the acting was that good. I thought Sandra Bullock was adequate. I wish they had gotten an actor who could have gone deeper and you could have really felt for. But of all the films, it was the most memorable.
The 86th Annual Academy Awards are set for Sunday, March 2.
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