Earlier, followers have been outraged that the lead actress of a finest image nominee was left off the visitor listing.
LOS ANGELES — “West Aspect Story” star Rachel Zegler might get her Oscars second in spite of everything. The 20-year-old actor has been invited to be a presenter on the ceremony, in response to a report in The Hollywood Reporter.
The gesture got here two days after Zegler, who performs Maria, posted on social media that she had not been invited to the awards and can be rooting for “West Aspect Story” from her sofa. The Steven Spielberg movie is nominated for seven Academy Awards, together with finest image, director and supporting actress for Ariana DeBose, who is anticipated to win.
The put up drew quite a lot of consideration on-line as many couldn’t fathom why the lead of a finest image nominee wouldn’t have been invited to the ceremony or a minimum of been requested to current an award.
“I hope some final minute miracle happens and I can rejoice our movie in particular person however hey, that’s the way it goes typically, I assume,” Zegler wrote on Instagram Sunday. “Thanks for all of the shock and outrage — I’m disenchanted, too. However that’s OK. So pleased with our film.”
Greatest image nominees are allotted a sure variety of tickets by the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences, which the movie’s studio then doles out as they see match. Presenters and particular person nominees get a pair of tickets. And different spots within the room go to the broadcaster, sponsors and academy members, who can enter a lottery.
Zegler isn’t nominated, however her subsequent massive function is as Snow White, which she is at the moment filming in London. Some questioned why The Walt Disney Co., which owns Oscars broadcaster ABC, wouldn’t need their new Snow White there in some capability, like presenting or performing. Others noticed it as a missed alternative to have a rising younger Latina star represented on the present.
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Russ Tamblyn, who performed Riff within the 1961 “West Aspect Story” and is a voting member of the Academy, tweeted that it was the Academy’s, “obligation to seek out Rachel a seat on the Oscars…. After they say illustration issues, that is what meaning. Please do proper by her.”
Alec Baldwin tweeted that he would purchase Zegler two tickets to the present.
And “One Day at a Time” showrunner Gloria Calderón Kellett tweeted at ABC and the Academy, “How concerning the uncommon time that Latine individuals have a film nominated for an OSCAR you invite the lead. Latine persons are 18.5% of this nation. ENOUGH!”
Oscars tickets are at all times sizzling commodities and this 12 months are much more restricted than traditional due to efforts to take care of extra space between company to assist forestall the unfold of COVID-19. Most Academy members have by no means gotten to attend.
And the outrage has solely intensified as an increasing number of presenters with restricted connections to the nominated films or the film enterprise in any respect are introduced. On Monday, producers revealed that DJ Khaled, Tony Hawk, Kelly Slater and Shaun White would all be presenting awards on the present, which shall be broadcast reside on ABC on Sunday beginning at 8pm ET.
Information of Zegler’s invitation to current got here Tuesday afternoon. Zegler has but to remark and it’s nonetheless unclear if she’ll be capable to attend on this quick discover and together with her Snow White manufacturing schedule.
Representatives for the Academy, Disney and Zegler didn’t reply instantly to requests for remark.
