This morning I had one of those moments when I said to myself, "Man,
GOOD MORNING AMERICA needs to have me on its staff as a segment producer or something." Today, one of the entertainment news topics focused on whether on not well-reviewed blockbuster action/fantasy hits will get some Oscar love come nomination time like the serious prestige films usually released in the fall season do. This segment was generated by the box office and critical success of
WONDER WOMAN, directed by Patty Jenkins.
GMA and ABC News entertainment reporter
Chris Connelly gave his opinions and, well, he pretty much dumped a bucket of cold water on the hot buzz of Oscar talk for action/fantasy blockbusters. He felt that action/fantasy blockbusters don't get Oscar nominations in the most popular categories.
Connelly is good man. I've never worked with him. But I've watched him over the years. Occassionally, I've disagreed with him. One morning live on GMA, a few minutes before the announcement of Oscar nominations for 2010, he made a statement about Javier Bardem. Connelly said that Bardem didn't have a chance to get a Best Actor nomination for
BIUTIFUL because it's a subtitled foreign film and the Academy usually goes with actors who deliver performances in English. I'd seen BIUTIFUL, reviewed it, and felt Bardem had a very strong chance to get an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. I even tweeted my opinion on Twitter a couple of minutes after Connelly's live GMA statement.
Early in 2011, Javier Bardem's name was announced as a Best Actor Oscar nominee for the Spanish film, BIUTIFUL. Chris Connelly was wrong.
Today, GMA anchor Amy Robach mentioned to Chris Connelly that 2015's
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD got 6 Oscar nominations including Best Picture. His response was that the other 5 nominations were all for technical work and not in top categories, aside from the Best Picture nod.
This is just my reminder that the blockbuster action/fantasy sequel
ALIENS got 7 Oscar nominations including Sigourney Weaver for Best Actress of 1986 in the female-driven sci-fi horror thriller.
Years before that,
STAR WARS won 6 of its 10 Oscar nominations.
Those 10 Oscar nominations included Best Picture of 1977, Best Director (George Lucas), Best Original Screenplay (George Lucas) and Best Supporting Actor (Alec Guinness).
I'm sure you know that STAR WARS was a major Hollywood blockbuster and became a pop cultural phenomenon.
By the way, early this year, minutes after the top Oscar nominations were announced live during GMA, Chris Connelly was on the panel with
Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan. Connelly mentioned that Meryl Streep had just made Oscar history with her 20th nomination. However, in this #OscarSoWhite age of controversy regarding Hollywood's serious need for diversity and inclusion, he overlooked and never mentioned that Viola Davis had just made Hollywood history by becoming the most Oscar-nominated black actress since the Academy Awards were born. And it was her 3rd nomination. Viola Davis went on to win that Best Supporting Actress Oscar for FENCES. A record-breaking 3rd nomination compared to a record-breaking 20th nominations. Now there's a statement on Hollywood's need for more diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities. Viola Davis also stars on the hit ABC series, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER.
So...Dear GMA...if you're hiring segment producers for your entertainment segments, contact me. I need a job.
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