Academia of Artes and Ciências Cinematográficas approved a package of significant changes for the 99th edition of Oscar, scheduled to take place in 2027. The main modification allows actors and actresses to receive multiple nominations within the same acting category. The measure comes into force if the professional reaches enough votes to be among the five most voted for with different jobs. The decision ends a ban that had been in force for more than eight decades on the awards.
The new regulation changes the dynamics of campaigns promoted by Hollywood studios during the awards season. Anteriormente, the organization limited interpreters to just one spot per category, forcing a strategic division of votes or the exclusion of one of the works. The change aims to reflect the real merit of performances at the polls. Analistas point out that the update eliminates the need for behind-the-scenes maneuvers to avoid cannibalizing votes from the same artist.
Historical restriction Fim changes campaign dynamics for actors
The newly approved rule states that if an actor receives massive support from the Academia actors’ wing for two different films, he or she will occupy two of the five available spots. The preferential voting system will continue to operate normally. The difference lies in the final processing of the ballots. The previous mechanism automatically discarded the second most voted performance by the same professional in the same category.
The historic blockade was implemented shortly after the ceremony held in 1945. Naquela On this occasion, the actor Barry Fitzgerald received simultaneous nominations in the categories of Melhor Ator and Melhor Ator Coadjuvante for the exact same role in the film “Bom Pastor” (1944). The unusual situation forced the board of directors at the time to rewrite the statute. The restriction prevented an artist from competing against themselves with the same character, but was eventually extended to limit multiple nominations in the same category, regardless of the film.
With the update, Academia recognizes that an interpreter can deliver multiple works of excellence in the same calendar year. The organizing committee assessed that the exclusion of a highly voted performance undermined the transparency of the process. Estúdios will no longer need to choose which film to prioritize in the main campaign. The responsibility lies entirely with the preference of the voters of the branch where it operates, which makes up the largest group of members of the institution.
Caso of Kate Winslet illustrates the impact of the old rule on voting
The impact of the old rule became evident during the 2008 awards season. Actress Kate Winslet starred in two critically acclaimed feature films: “Was Apenas a Sonho” and “O Leitor”. Durante to Ouro’s Globo ceremony, she won Melhor Atriz’s awards over Drama and Melhor Atriz Coadjuvante respectively. The clear division of categories seemed to pave a two-pronged path for Oscar.
However, Academia’s acting branch concentrated Winslet’s votes in the main category for both films. Como the regulations prohibited two nominations for Melhor Atriz, the organization only counted the votes of “Leitor”, which had the highest preference. The performance in “Was Apenas a Sonho” ended up being completely excluded from the competition. The actress won the statuette for “O Leitor”, but the process exposed the flaws in the disposal system.
Similar Casos events have occurred over the decades, forcing studios to sign up leading actors as supporting actors to secure two nominations in different categories. The practice, known in the industry as category fraud, has become common. The new 2027 guideline eliminates the need for this maneuver. Professionals will be able to compete fairly in the categories that truly correspond to the screen time and narrative importance of their characters.
New Diretrizes regulates use of artificial intelligence
Além of changes in acting categories, Academia introduced the first formal set of rules on the use of artificial intelligence in film production. Technology has advanced rapidly in recent years. The board of governors determined that the use of generative tools must follow strict ethical parameters for films to remain eligible for awards.
The new conduct manual establishes clear requirements for independent studios and production companies. The rules seek to balance technological innovation with the protection of human labor in the audiovisual industry. The organization has defined the following mandatory criteria:
- Transparência total information about which scenes or visual elements were generated by artificial intelligence algorithms.
- Proibição of the use of digital replicas of actors without the prior and formal consent of the professionals involved.
- Comprovação that the main authorship of the script, direction and editing belongs to human beings.
The implementation of these guidelines reflects concerns raised during the recent writer and actor strikes at Hollywood. Academia operates in accordance with labor agreements signed by unions. The central objective is to ensure that cinematographic art continues to be evaluated by human creativity. Digital Ferramentas will be accepted only as technical support instruments, not as a substitute for fundamental artistic expression.
International film Categoria gains new eligibility criteria
The reform package also covers the fight for the Melhor Filme Internacional prize. Academia made submission rules more flexible, moving away from the traditional model that required the appointment of only one official representative per country. The move recognizes the globalized nature of modern co-productions. Muitos current projects involve funding, teams and locations from multiple nations, making it difficult to classify under a single national flag.
The committee responsible for the international category assessed that the old format excluded high-quality works that did not fit into strict geopolitical parameters. The new structure allows for a broader assessment of world cinema. Local selection committees will have updated guidelines for submitting feature films. The change aims to increase the diversity of voices and narratives present at the awards, following the evolution of the global exhibition market.
The rules come into force exclusively from the 99th ceremony onwards, guaranteeing adaptation time for the entire cinema production chain. Produtores, campaign strategists and distributors will need to reevaluate their launch tactics. Academia plans to hold information sessions with its members throughout the year to clarify the technical details of voting. The electronic counting system will undergo software updates to support the new mathematical variables required by the 2027 regulation.