A film about American culture has a much better chance of winning an Oscar, according to psychology researchers.
Champagne, glitter and red carpet. Presented by Jimmy Kimmel, the Oscars ceremony is fast approaching. Damaged last year by the controversy, the high mass of the cinema should take place more serenely on February 26th. The nominations include, in fact, a more diverse profile of actors and filmmakers.
But not all have the same chances of claiming the supreme honor. Several parameters significantly increase the chances of winning an Oscar, as shown in a study published in the British Journal of Psychology. And social belonging has a major role.
77% more chance
Are all actors and filmmakers equal before the Oscar jury? The answer is clearly negative in view of the work of the University of Queensland (Australia). The researchers analyzed the nationality of 908 actors. 97 received an Oscar, 383 had the honor of being among the nominees. The same number of BAFTA winners (1) was scrutinized. This British ceremony is often considered the antechamber of the Oscars.
In order to make things easier, the team focused on the awards for best actor and best actress. Bad news for Isabelle Huppert, a priori favorite for the Oscar for best actress: Americans have 77% more chance of winning the statuette. People from Uncle Sam’s country win more than half of the prizes. The mechanics are the same on the other side of the Atlantic. Her Majesty’s subjects have a 62% higher chance of winning.
The theme also matters
“If we find an extraordinary performance, it is not necessarily thanks to its objective quality,” explains Dr Niklas Steffens, who signs this publication. Viewers are much more likely to recognize the brilliance of a performance if they share the social group of its author. The analysis of both sides of the Atlantic confirms this observation. Americans are more often awarded at Oscars than at BAFTAs, and the reverse is true for the British.
If the nominations prove to be fairer, the awarding of the prize very often remains in favor of nationals of the country. In terms of equality, the Academy Awards jury obviously has lessons to take from its British colleagues. They show much less inclination towards their compatriots.
But there is another factor to take into account: the subject of the film. At the Oscars, it’s better to talk about American culture. 88% of Americans leave with the statuette when they do, compared to 26% the rest of the time. Things therefore seem to be off to a good start for the favorite of several categories. Musical comedy La La Land (Damien Chazelle) pays homage to Hollywood.
(1) British Academy of Film and Television Arts
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