With the 2023 Oscars luncheon scheduled, the Academy Awards are coming closer and closer; however, Andrea Riseborough was absent.
While Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, Angela Bassett, Guillermo del Toro, and others gathered to honor their noble talents as actors and filmmakers, not every nominee was there, and it's no surprise that Riseborough skipped the event.
Following accusations of faking Academy guidelines regarding lobbies to get her film To Leslie nominated, the English actress has sparked outrage among the nominees this year. Michael Morris and Riseborough are accused of holding special screenings for A-listers on the voting jury in order to give the film some traction it didn't naturally receive.
Some would describe this behavior as unfair, while others would argue it isn't too different from how awards season operate, given the circumstances.
But for Riseborough, the cloud appeared to be enough to sway her from attending the luncheon. James Cameron was also absent from the love-in ceremony for the nominees in the past.
While To Leslie isn't a bittersweet journey, it's certainly a wonderful performance, since most people don't hire publicists in order to boost their industry recognition. If you were a betting person, you'd expect her to not pick up a maiden award as the Academy acknowledged an issue with her nomination, even if she did not rescind it.
To Leslie and Riseborough, at least, Stephen King is giving them glowing praise. It has to be worthwhile.