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Oscar Campaigns That Turned Heads: A Look at the Wildest Stunts in The Academy Awards History

  • February 12, 2025
  • 8 minute read
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Hollywood loves a good Oscar race, but some campaigns have taken the competition to wild extremes. Strategy is key, yet sometimes, all the rules go out the window. From flashy self-promotion to headline-making controversies, these Oscar bids turned awards season into pure spectacle. Remember Melissa Leo’s glossy self-promotion that had everyone talking? Or the recent buzz surrounding the now infamous Emilia Pérez

? 

Some worked, some backfired badly, but all of them grabbed attention! And here are the best of the best a collection of some of the most outrageous, unpredictable, and downright bizarre Oscar campaigns that left the industry and fans, completely stunned!

How the Gangs of New York’s Oscar push backfired

Back in 2003, Miramax’s Oscar push for Gangs of New York

took a very controversial turn when the

studio released ads featuring an op-ed by esteemed director Robert Wise which urged Academy members to award Martin Scorsese the Oscar for Best Director. However, it was later reportedly revealed that publicist Murray Weissman had actually penned the piece with Wisese’s approval.

 

This revelation sparked industry outrage, leading to the withdrawal of the ads and a rebuke from the Academy

. Despite the ten nominations, Gang of New York

 left the ceremony empty-handed while Chicago

 walked away with Best Picture. 

Read More: “He didn’t trust me”- ‘Hitch’ Director Andy Tennant Opens Up About Will Smith And Things That Bug Their Relationship

Melissa Leo’s bold bid for The Fighter

Melissa Leo and Michael McCarthy decided to take an unconventional route in 2011 to secure her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Fighter

. Leslie Leo worried that her age would limit her exposure compared to younger co-stars, financed her own ads, featuring herself in glamorous attire

. This move sparked widespread discussion and parody, but Leo remained unapologetic, stating that the ads demonstrated a different side of her. Despite the controversy, her audacious strategy paid off when she clinched the Oscar-winning actress!

Shakespeare in Love vs. Saving Private Ryan

In 1999, the Oscars witnessed quite a dramatic twist when Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan

, a gripping WWII epic was the favorite to win Best Picture. However, Shakespeare in Love

, a romantic comedy produced by Harvey Weinstein, received a surprising victory

. Weinstein’s aggressive campaign strategy had played a pivotal role in this result. He orchestrated an unprecedented promotional blitz including numerous screenings, parties, and press engagements to keep the film in the spotlight. 

Additionally, Weinstein also reportedly hired consultants to lobby Academy members and launched a whisper campaign suggesting the film’s power was limited to its intense opening scene, Saving Private Ryan

‘s.

This approach swayed voters, leading Shakespeare in Love

 to secure seven Oscar Awards including Best Picture and Best Actress for Gwyneth Paltrow while Saving Private Ryan

 took home five, notably Best Director for Spielberg. 

Sally Kirkland’s DIY Oscar quest

Remember when back In 1987, Sally Kirkland starred in the indie film Anna

, portraying a once-famous Czech actress navigating a challenging life in New York? Kirkland realizing that her film lacked the budget to produce, took matters into her own hands

attending every event possible, personally promoting herself to journalists and even investing her own money in hiring press agents and purchasing trade ads.

Reportedly, she also wrote letters to Academy members she knew and enlisted friends like Andy Warhol and Joan Rivers to help spread the word.

After all this, her relentless efforts did pay off with Kirkland winning a Golden Globe, an Independent Spirit Award, and also securing an Oscar nomination. Although she ultimately lost the Oscar to Cher for Moonstruck

, Kirkland’s grassroots campaign remains one of the most determined in the history of the Academy Awards.

Lady Gaga’s daring Oscar campaigns

Lady Gaga’s Oscar pursuits have been nothing short of theatrical. Starting from back in 2019, while promoting A Star Is Born

, she reportedly often remarked, “There can be 100 people in a room, and 99 don’t believe in you, but all it takes is one

.”

This line soon became a meme, showcasing her knack for memorable moments. Although she did not clinch the Best Actress award, she did secure Best Original Song for ‘Shallow’.  

Then in 2022, Gaga intensified her efforts for House of Gucci

by immersing herself in the role of Patrizia Reggiani,

living as the character for 18 months and adopting her accent. She even crafted an 80-page biography of Patrizia. Despite these ventures, she still slipped away from an Oscar nomination.

A-List allies propelling To Leslie to Oscar spotlight

In a surprising turn during the 2023 Best Picture year, the indie film To Leslie

leaped into the Oscar race thanks to an active star-studded push at the Hollywood Academy Awards. Directed by Michael Morris

the story about a struggling mother’s life under the radar had flown under the radar for long since its 2022 South by Southwest debut. However, Morris and his wife, actress Mary McCormack rallied their Hollywood friends to champion the performance of lead actress Andrea Riseborough. 

Celebrities like Elton John, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Charlize Theron hosted the screenings and donned praise on the film

. Social media buzzed with identical endorsements at the  same time, calling To Leslie

“a small film with a giant heart.

” For To Leslie

this grassroots campaign culminated in Riseborough securing a Best Actress nomination, edging out the anticipated contenders like Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler.

Emilia Pérez going from celebrated to canceled in record time

Recently in 2024, Emilia Pérez

 dazzled Cannes, clinching the Jury Prize and a historic Best Actress award for its four leading ladies: Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz

. This film, a Mexico-set mob musical about a trans cartel boss looking at a fresh start, got a whopping 13 Oscar nominations

making it the most ever for a non-English language film. However, the celebration was short-lived with film critics attacking the portrayal of Mexican culture and trans identity noting that the movie was filmed near Paris but not Mexico. 

The situation only worsened when Gascón’s racist and islamophobic tweets resurfaced.

Despite her apologies, the backlash only intensified with Netflix cutting ties

and co-stars expressed their disappointment.

 These Oscar campaigns are as much a part of Hollywood drama as the awards themselves. From self-funded promotions to headline-grabbing stunts, these bold moves prove that winning an Academy Award is not always about the talent, but about playing the game just right!

Read More: Netflix’s Misconduct Hotline Wins ‘S– Tape’ Star Cameron Diaz’s Approval as She Expresses Shock Over Industry Growth

Which wild Oscar campaign shocked you the most? Do you think these stunts help or hurt an actor’s chances? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!  

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