The 2025 Academy Awards are facing a fresh wave of controversy after an anonymous Oscar voter revealed they did not cast their Best Actress vote for Cynthia Erivo because, at 38, she was “too old” for her role in Wicked. The revelation has ignited heated discussions around ageism, racial bias, and the broader issues within the Academy‘s voting process.
Erivo, who received widespread acclaim for her performance in Wicked, has been a strong contender throughout the awards season, earning rave reviews and numerous nominations. Many argue that dismissing her based on age rather than talent underscores deep-seated biases in Hollywood that persist despite ongoing calls for progress. This latest incident adds to the ongoing narrative about the need for change within the Academy. While the Oscars have made strides toward inclusivity and diversity in recent years, this controversy serves as a reminder that biases—whether related to age, race, or personal preference—continue to affect the industry’s most prestigious awards.
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Final Oscar balloting closed on February 18, but the anonymous voter’s candid remarks have left a lasting impression. In a statement to Indie Wire that has circulated widely, the voter said, “Karla Sofía Gascón. It’s f—ing tragic she won’t win. It was an extraordinary performance. Better that wins than f—ing Demi Moore. I just so hated [The Substance]. And Cynthia Erivo was actually too old for Wicked.” The comment has struck a nerve with both fans and critics, many of whom are calling for systemic reforms and increased transparency in the Oscars’ voting procedures. “I pray to god Cynthia wins it just to piss of[f] that loser,” one social media user said. “And we’re supposed to take these awards seriously?” another asked.
The 2025 Academy Awards Continue To Face Backlash
This year’s Academy Awards have already drawn criticism for various controversial decisions, including the nomination of Karla Sofía Gascón for Best Actress and voters dismissing Dune 2 simply because they found it “boring.” Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascón, who is the first transgender woman to get a “Best Actress” nomination, saw her awards campaign fall apart after her controversial social media posts resurfaced in January. Despite the multiple awards and accolades that the film has received, it has also garnered mixed criticism from LGBTQ advocates about the film’s portrayal of the trans community.
In late January, screenshots posted on X by writer Sarah Hagi showed tweets from Gascón spanning several years that included Islamophobic, racist, and otherwise offensive comments on a variety of topics, including the 2020 death of George Floyd and the Oscars themselves. In November, GLAAD compiled commentary from several of those critics, arguing that the film “recycles the trans stereotypes, tropes, and clichés of the not-so-distant past” and represented a “step backward for trans representation.” Gascón addressed criticism of the film’s portrayal of trans people in an interview with Out in October, saying at the time, “All I could bring to the table was my own experience, which is clearly very different from a lot of people. I think as human beings, we all have different experiences, we have different lives.”
The Oscars are always home to various kinds of controversy and this year is clearly no different. The Academy probably wishes that argument and debate surrounded the actual films themselves, but as the old adage goes: “there is no such thing as bad publicity.”
Wicked
- Release Date
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November 22, 2024
- Runtime
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160 Minutes
- Director
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Jon M. Chu
- Writers
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Gregory Maguire, Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox, L. Frank Baum
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Cynthia Erivo
Elphaba Thropp
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Ariana Grande
Glinda Upland
Source: Indie Wire