I still don't get why there was such a buzz about Colin Farrell. He's Irish to begin with, playing someone who's Irish. Sometimes I just don't get the nominating criteria.
Wait - so you're saying that if a person from one country plays a character from that same country, they shouldn't be nominated?
Not at all. My thought behind it is that there was such acclaim for his acting in the movie (which I didn't care for, BTW) that I don't think he needed much range to play an Irishman. You have Butler who transformed himself into Presley, Fraser who underwent makeup and overall changes in manner to do his role, etc. To me, acting should show a little more range and ability to be almost a chameleon when portraying their character, be it based on a real person or not. My main argument is that the acclaim behind Farrell playing an Irishman wasn't quite deserved, IMO. It isn't like he had to stretch a lot to play the role.
This argument seems... perplexing, to say the least. You believe all Irish people are identical and it takes no effort to play for an Irishman to play an Irishman, even if that character is nothing like the actor? By your rationale, Butler is an American playing an American. That doesn't need much range, right?
You're missing the point I was making, and I apologize for not making it the way I have it in my head. I'm not centering on the person's background. I'm centering on their range. I'm sorry if I'm not articulating it the way I'm thinking it in my head.
I agree with the point that plenty of Americans play Americans and recieve acclaim. Many of them just act like themselves, such as Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise, but have a very likeable demeanor and display emotions authentically. This is where I think Colin fits it too. He came off as likable and sincere. I can't speak for other areas of Ireland, but I do know that a kid from Anaheim California playing someone from Tupelo Mississippi and Memphis Tennessee convincingly wasn't easy, and that's without considering the stage performances or the various ages of Elvis. I had no issuees with Colin Farrell's nominations, but was a bit surprised by all the critics awards he was getting early on. With most of those, and the ones Fraser was getting too, Austin was winning the most promising or breakthrough awards while still being nominated for lead actor. I think it being his first leading role for those critical bodies made it easy for them to give him the newbie awards, and then less difficult to go with someone else for lead actor. Often times the breakthrough and most promising nominations and wins go to actors who aren't also nominated for lead actor. On many of them Austin was listed as the runner up for lead actor, so it makes you wonder how many he might have won had it not been his first lead role. I don't think it's a reach to assume that it being his first leading role also affected the voting in the major award ceremonies that followed, and that Austin didn't win, that don't have breakthrough or most promising categories. It's unfortunate that people vote along the mindset of actors needing to have paid their dues and not solely on performance, but it's a reality. A lot of awards experts and even anonymous Oscar ballots were saying things like how great Austin was but he's young or it's his first lead so they're predicting or choosing someone else.
Well, if it makes anyone feel better, we're not the only disgruntled crowd. The Angela Bassett camp is furious all-over social media due to her losing to Jamie Lee Curtis. They're claiming that even though both could have been viewed as legacy awards, regardless of the winner, that Curtis being the daughter of Oscar nominees and winners, tipped the scales, especially since Bassett was in a Marvel movie. They're also claiming that Curtis wasn't even the best supporting actress in her own film. Of course, every year you have upset fans of the non-winners, but this goes back to my point about the Oscars being so recognized that people give it too much prestige. Especially when their favorites have won at other ceremonies.
Anton Monsted also won this award at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards. So, The Elvis soundtrack as won the Supervision of Music award at the Guild of Music and Hollywood Music in Media and best soundtrack at the Hollywood Music in Media and the American Music Awards.
I did a little digging, because I have no life, and I discovered a couple more lead actor wins for Austin. I'm only listing lead actor wins, not any of the Most Promising or Best Breakthrough Performances, which I agree are a way of throwing him a bone to make them not have to consider him for their lead actor awards. Anyway, the two at the bottom are the recently discovered additions of his list of wins: The Hollywood Foreign Press/Golden Globe (Best Performance in a Motion Picture -Drama) The British Academy of Film and Televison (Best Leading Actor) The Australian Academy of Cinema and Televison International (Best Lead Actor) Sunset Circle Awards (Best Actor) International Press Academy/Satellite Award (Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical) People's Choice (Drama Movie Star of 2022) The Minnesota Film Critics Alliance (Best Actor) Sant Jordi Award (Best Actor in a Foreign Film)
I look at it like this. Brendan Fraser won the biggie, but he still didn't get the sweep. That says a lot about Austin Butler. If you go back since there's been 5 big award ceremonies (Golden Globe, Critics Choice, BAFTA, SAG and the Oscars) some actors and actresses have won all 5, or 4 out of 5. Butler getting the Golden Globe for Drama and the BAFTA, not only prevented Fraser from running the table, but the Butler wins are even more significant with the stigma of it being his only leading performance and on top of that, the Fraser comeback narrative. The way things have gone for Brendan, I don't think anyone but Austin prevents the sweep. We've discussed the AACTA International and the Satellite, and really they should both be considered too by now. 12 years of the AACTA International (their non domestic awards) and 27 for the International Press Academy/Satellite. If we consider them it makes 7 and Austin and Brendan both have 3 each, and both have 1 of another, from two different categories. I also confirmed again that outside of North America, SAG and Critics Choice are not considered that significant. Regardless of how people feel about the Hollywood Foreign Press, the Golden Globe and especially the BAFTA, are the ones after the Oscar that people recognize and consider the most prestigious. From that standpoint Austin has 2 of 3, even if he lost the big one (for political reasons)
Great point about preventing the sweep. I looked it up. Since The Golden Globes, Critics Choice, SAG, BAFTA and the Oscars have all coexisted over the last twenty-seven years, a whopping eighteen times, an actor or actress has swept all five awards for the same performance. Ten have been the actress and eight has been the actor. It happened as recently as last year with Will Smith. I can't remember a time in recent years where so many people have been going on and on about what a great performance someone gave as they have with Brendan Fraser, and how he should win everything because of it and his comeback story, other than those who were claiming Austin should win everything but may not because of his lack of experience and youth. It is telling how well Austin did to prevent not only the Fraser performance, but also his narrative that was massive, from taking all five. Especially when you consider that Austin held him to only three. As far as I'm concerned, seeing as how Austin pulled that off, when so many other actors and actresses have won all five, I'm convinced Austin wins all five if he had a couple of more leading roles and was maybe a few years older, or if Fraser didn't have his sentimental story to go with his performance. So, the next time you watch "Elvis", instead of thinking "How in the heck could the not give Austin the Oscar, or even SAG or Critics Choice?" Instead, say to yourself, "This is so great that he even stopped Brendan Fraser in The Whale from winning everything."
I knew it was a lot but glad you checked out how many. One example I'll mention is Philip Seymour Hoffman for 2005/06. Joaquin Phoenix was sensational in Walk the Line as Johnny Cash. He had all of his stage mannerisms down and sang all the songs. I thought for sure he was going to do much better than he did. However, all he managed was a Golden Globe for Musical or Comedy. Hoffman took all five biggies, Golden Globe for Drama, Critics Choice, BAFTA, SAG and the Oscar. Phoenix couldn't win even once when the two faced off. Hoffman was the last time I personally remember everyone being so high on a male actor as they have been with Fraser. So, again, Austin's 2 biggies against Fraser, Golden Globe Drama and BAFTA, are huge.
It really has been astonishing how successful the Baz Luhrmann Elvis movie has been. Did any of us even dare to imagine a worldwide box-office take of almost $300 million? Did any of us imagine eight Oscar nominations for Elvis, including Best Actor, when this movie was first talked about? Did anyone imagine The American Film Institute picking the Elvis movie as one of the ten best of the year? Did anyone of us, including optimistic fans like me, predict that Austin might actually win several prestigious Best Actor awards at the very beginning of this process. I am still in a hotel in Portland, Oregon awaiting to take my lady home by ambulance on Monday and after visiting with her in the cardiac ICU unit, I got back to the hotel and turned on the television and HBO was showing the Elvis movie once again. I can never turn the channel when it comes on randomly, Lol. I ordered some room service for one and the very young gentleman came into the room and immediately noticed the Elvis movie, "Oh man, that's the Elvis movie; I just love that film. It's fantastic isn't it." That's who Baz and Austin were really trying to reach and they did it. We will see if everybody is still taking about The Whale and Brendan Fraiser's Oscar win ten years from today, but I can guarantee you many old and new Elvis fans will be talking about the Baz Luhramnn film ten years from now. I believe Elvis has now sold over nine million dollars on DVD and Blu-ray sales already.
They won't be talking about the Whale in even 2 years or less, short of it being on the list of Oscar winners. But that conversation will go the way of so many about how the Oscars vote for the wrong reasons.
Agreed. The Whale will likely also have the distinction of being one of the worst films to ever feature a Best Actor Oscar winning performance. The Academy has damaged their own credibility with the public by choosing some winners based on sheer sentiment and politics instead of true merit.
Oscars 2023: How A24, ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Won – The Hollywood Reporter The Oscars deviate from BAFTA in all 8 top categories for first time this century (yahoo.com)
All of this aside, Austin was doomed due to it being his first lead role, I'm convinced. I don't think it was biopic fatigue, and even though the Fraser narrative helped, I still feel Austin wins had he already been more established within the cliques or had a more respectable resume. The amount of Breakthrough/Breakout and Most Promising Awards he was getting from the smaller film critic bodies, while still being nominated for best actor, shows how strong this mindset is. Even more so since he wasn't even losing to Fraser mostly then, but to Farrell. Also, how amazing was his breakthrough performance when he still got all the best actor nods, when most who are nominated for breakthrough or most promising aren't even chosen as nominees for lead actor or actress, and the ones who are further recognized are usually nominated for supporting roles? I wish the Oscars, and even SAG and Critics Choice had Breakthrough/Breakout Awards. At least then Austin would get that additional exposure for his performance to the masses, and everyone would then know that him not winning lead or best actor was because of reasons other than performance. Here's a list of all his wins, Lead/Best Actor and Breakthrough/Breakout/Most Promising: A whopping eleven Newbie awards: Atlanta Film Critics Circle 2022 Winner AFCC Special Award Breakthrough Performer Elvis (2022) Chicago Film Critics Association Awards 2022 Winner CFCA Award Most Promising Performer Elvis (2022) Chicago Indie Critics Awards (CIC) 2023 Winner Windie Breakout Artist Florida Film Critics Circle Awards 2022 Winner Pauline Kael Breakout Award Elvis (2022) Gold Derby Awards 2023 Winner Gold Derby Film Award Breakthrough Performer New York Film Critics, Online 2022 Winner NYFCO Award Breakthrough Performance Elvis (2022) Online Association of Female Film Critics 2022 Winner OAFFC Award Breakthrough Performance Elvis (2022) Palm Springs International Film Festival 2023 Winner Breakthrough Performance Award Elvis (2022) Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards 2022 Winner PFCS Award Breakthrough Performance Elvis (2022) San Diego Film Critics Society Awards 2023 Winner SDFCS Award Breakthrough Artist Elvis (2022) Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2023 Winner Virtuoso Award Elvis (2022) Three with different competition than the traditional list: Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards (Their Domestic version for Australin films only) 2022 Winner AACTA Award Best Lead Actor in Film Elvis (2022) People's Choice Awards, USA 2022 Winner People's Choice Award Drama Movie Star Elvis (2022) Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Awards 2022 Winner HCA Award Best Actor Elvis (2022) Eight traditional Lead/Best Actor wins BAFTA Awards 2023 Winner BAFTA Film Award Best Leading Actor Elvis (2022) AACTA International Awards 2023 Winner AACTA International Award Best Lead Actor Elvis (2022) Golden Globes, USA 2023 Winner Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama Elvis (2022) Minnesota Film Critics Alliance Awards 2023 Winner MNFCA Award Best Actor Elvis (2022) Sunset Film Circle Awards 2022 Winner SFC Award Best Actor Elvis (2022) Satellite Awards 2023 Winner Satellite Award Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical Elvis (2022) CinEuphoria Awards 2023 Winner CinEuphoria Best Actor - International Competition Elvis (2022) Sant Jordi Awards 2023 Winner Sant Jordi Best Actor in a Foreign Film (Millor actor en pel·lícula estrangera) Elvis (2022)
I went back and read some of the anonymous Oscar ballots and wanted to throw up. One person actually said "Austin gave a beautiful performance but I went with Brendan for daring to do the smaller movie and darker story." Nothing to do with who gave the better performance. Someone else said about Fraser that they love a good comeback story. Unreal. Then a very suspicious sounding one said "I can tell you right now that Brendan Fraser is going to win" Then there were others that flat out said Austin's young he'll have more chances. As if the category is about rewarding you for your legacy.
Yeah, I read those too and was also sickened. I'm going to reamin positive and celebratory I don't have videos for all his wins but here's a few https://youtu.be/cwjyxio6JFY https://youtu.be/bVO7PSlVUxU https://youtu.be/gYEGZBuSXTw AB on TikTok
Exactly my attitude as well, now that I got to vent my disappointment about the Oscars. I am also not going to take out my anger on the very gifted Brendan Fraser, who shows enthusiastic clapping during Austin's spectacular and unexpected win in that wonderful video during the BAFTA awards in Britain. Brendan has been a class act in all the interviews I've seen with him. He and Butler seem to have a great mutual respect for each other. I still don't think Brendan should have won the Best Actor award, but that should not be held against him. He is a very fine actor and seems like a genuinely nice, but very sensitive individual.
I strongly agree. It seems like the Oscars in recent years have gone overboard in awarding films that few people will really be passionate about in five or ten years. Don’t get me wrong. I’m certainly not saying it should be a popularity contest. There have always been some winners in major categories that are largely forgotten relatively quickly but it just seems it’s tilted way more that direction now. When I look at the Best Picture winners in my lifetime from the 70’s through now there is a huge difference starting around 2013 from the time period before.The majority of winners once were films that, more often than not, were seen by quite a few people. Maybe not the most popular movies but they were generally big enough that it was easy to have a conversation about them with people that weren’t mega cinephiles. Now it seems like most years it’s largely films few people saw or ever will see. I was really disappointed that Once Upon A Time In Hollywood didn’t win Best Picture and felt the same way about Austin not winning Best Actor.
Thanks, and since you don't frequent this thread I'll leave you a limited version of my recent thoughts and post. Austin won the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Awards) and the Golden Globe, both vs Fraser. Since The Golden Globes, Critics Choice, SAG, BAFTA and the Oscars have all coexisted over the last twenty-seven years, a whopping eighteen times, an actor or actress has swept all five awards for the same performance. It is telling how well Austin did to prevent not only the Fraser performance, but also his narrative that was massive, from taking all five. Especially when you consider that Austin held him to only three. So, the next time you watch "Elvis", instead of thinking "How in the heck could they not give Austin the Oscar, or even SAG or Critics Choice?" Instead, say to yourself, "This is so great that he even stopped Brendan Fraser in The Whale from winning everything." For the record, here are all Austin's wins as Elvis, not including his 11 Breakthrough performance awards: Golden Globe BAFTA AACTA International Sunset Circle Award Satellite Award People's Choice Minnesota Film Critics Sant Jordi Award CinEuphoria Award
I was also thinking that as much as we would have loved for Austin to have won SAG or Critics Choice, we still would have been hugely let down if he did, but lost the Oscar. Compare Adrien Brody 2002/03 to Russell Crowe 2001/02. Literally only one year apart. Brody lost all four of the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, BAFTA and SAG but unbelievably won the Oscar. Crowe won all the first four but then shockingly lost the Oscar. I can't say for certain, but I wouldn't be surprised if Brody is more happy to this day with just his Oscar than if he had done what Crowe did, although Crowe had four major awards. Now Crowe already had an Oscar from the year before in 2000/01, so it was probably easier for him to deal with it, than if he hadn't already had one. Anyway, my point is, even if Austin had done what Crowe did, winning all of the first four but losing the Oscar, we wouldn't feel any different than we do now with him winning two of the first four. Now, I won't go as far as to say if Austin only had one of the first four or big five that I'd feel this way, you gotta at least get two, to remain in the conversation. Fortunately, Austin did and by doing so it adds more validity to his other lesser known wins.
