Searchlight Pictures
Among the many controversies of this year’s Oscars race, the debate over actors being nominated in the wrong categories has gained significant attention. Often referred to as “category fraud,” this practice involves placing actors in supporting roles to boost their chances of winning, despite potentially deserving a lead role.
The 2025 Oscars season has been marked by issues ranging from offensive social media posts to controversies over the use of AI. Another contentious topic is the categorisation of actors. For example, Kieran Culkin is nominated for best supporting actor in A Real Pain, which has sparked discussions about whether he should be considered a lead. Similarly, Zoe Saldaña received a nomination for supporting actress in Emilia Pérez, raising questions about the fairness of these designations.
Understanding Category Fraud
Category fraud is not an accusation of actual illegal activity. Instead, it’s a strategic placement of actors to prevent them from competing against each other and to increase their chances of winning. For instance, in Wicked, Cynthia Erivo, who portrays Elphaba, is nominated for lead actress, while Ariana Grande, who plays Galinda, is in the supporting category. On the Broadway stage, both actresses were nominated for lead roles, suggesting a different approach in the film adaptation.
In another case, Matthew Stewart from Screen Time Central analyzed the screen time in Emilia Pérez. He found that although Zoe Saldaña has slightly more screen time, she was nominated for supporting actress, while Karla Sofia Gascón, who has slightly less screen time, was considered a lead actress. This has led to criticism over the categorisation’s fairness.
The Case of A Real Pain
The argument over Kieran Culkin’s nomination in A Real Pain is particularly intense. Culkin has nearly equal screen time to the film’s director, Jesse Eisenberg, who takes on a dual role. However, Culkin is nominated for best supporting actor and not as a lead actor. This raises questions about whether another actor with a more prominent role should have been given the lead spot.
Culkin won a Golden Globe for lead actor in Succession last year, and his performance in A Real Pain is equally acclaimed. His supporting actor nomination in this film has led some to believe that the categorisation is strategic rather than fair.
Industry Perspectives
The categorisations of actors is often strategic, so that two co-stars aren’t splitting the vote, or so a semi-lead can cannonball into the supporting – Michael Schulman
According to Michael Schulman, an expert on the Oscars, the categorisation of actors is strategic to ensure that co-stars don’t split the vote. This means that a semi-lead might be categorised as supporting to improve their chances of winning.
Schulman adds that while neither Geena Davis nor Susan Sarandon won an Oscar for Thelma & Louise because of their dual lead nominations, Culkin is a favorite to win for supporting actor. If he were considered a leading actor, his chances would be significantly reduced.
Historical Instances of Category Fluidity
While the categorisation of actors can be seen as strategic, there are historical instances where the Academy’s nominations have contradicted studio marketing. For example, in 2021, both Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield were nominated for best supporting actor in Judas and the Black Messiah, despite Kaluuya being the marketing’s lead and Stanfield as supporting.
Why Not Productions
The Kaluuya and Stanfield case illustratively demonstrates that the Academy’s voters do not always follow studio categorisations, leading to results that can be unpredictable and sometimes controversial.
Defining Lead and Supporting Performances
The distinction between “lead” and “supporting” performances is subjective and can be influenced by factors like screen time, character development, and narrative focus. While some argue that actors with equal screen time should be categorized as leads, others contend that the emotional and narrative arcs of their roles are more important.
In A Real Pain, for example, Culkin’s role is as integral to the film as Eisenberg’s, despite Eisenberg having slightly more screen time. Similarly, in Emilia Pérez, Saldaña’s and Gascón’s contributions are equally significant, and their categorisation raises questions about whose performance the film primarily revolves around.
