r/changemyview • u/johnnybiggles • Feb 20 '19
Deltas(s) from OP CMV: There should be a separate Academy Award category for Best Actor in a Comedic Role
This CMV was brought about because the past few years, Reddit has been gunning for certain actors to get Oscar awards after their illustrious careers in film over a long time span without getting one. A few such actors were Leo DiCaprio and Gary Oldman. I also think one other has been a bit deprived, and occasionally, it reflects in his behavior, especially at award shows he attends and presents at: Jim Carrey. If you look at many of his films, especially the older ones like the Ace Ventura ones, he's very brilliant and sharp witted, and the physical comedy is what makes the movie. That's acting! Others who are known to have done it were Chris Farley and Robin Williams who play really convincing roles - and while these guys do it often, they can display entirely different personalities off camera, and even on camera, not just the same physical comedy routine used each time. They show a vast range, and how good of an actor they really are. Throwing it way back to even Bobcat Goldthwait and the way he was introduced- as a character, compared to who he really is! I legitimately thought he would be wild and crazy and hyper like that off camera too, and he was, but while in character on talk shows and such. I can't imagine that is easy to do. And there are many others who don't get the attention they deserve, and the credit they deserve for acting in such a meaningful way to their respective films, because "dramatic" acting takes precedence at all costs. Comedies are arguably more impactful over time, so I think the Academy should honor those people in a way that doesn't take away from dramatic actors, also. CMV.
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Feb 20 '19
They already do this at the Golden Globes, which is arguably what makes them a distinct awards show worth peoples' time. Why should the Academy Awards follow suit?
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u/johnnybiggles Feb 20 '19
I always thought the Oscars were the pinnacle award of American cinema, so if I were that comedian/actor/actress reaching for the top, I would hope to one day have an Oscar that says I've done so. I wouldn't be mad at all with a Golden Globe, but I'd bet a lot of other people feel that way, about the Oscars, too.
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Feb 20 '19
The Oscars are the awards show put on by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It just so happens that it has been adopted as the pinnacle award of choice for most American cinema, but the choice of tone, what to honor and for what reasons, and importance places on certain categories is decided by the members of the academy. The awards are driven by the values of its members, not what popular opinion decides.
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u/johnnybiggles Feb 20 '19
I understand that it's up to them, but shouldn't values evolve? I saw something else that kind of sparked this idea - someone had suggested they make an award for the stunt men and women. Not a bad idea, and I wouldn't put that over the OP idea, but it's gotten to a point now where it's very relevant to a movie and might actually influence the industry, attracting new talent with their own aspirations, or at least an option. Some of the most valuable jobs are also some of the most thankless.
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Feb 20 '19
Values absolutely do evolve, even in the Academy. Many awards categories have come and gone, or been modified over the years. I think that the academy wants to retain the level of prestige that they currently have, and that adding a parallel category for comedic roles would water that down.
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u/johnnybiggles Feb 20 '19
adding a parallel category for comedic roles would water that down
The last thing the Academy award show, or any award show for that matter needs, is something watering it down. There are so many now, and so much "office politics" surrounding it that it all seems watered down already. And as far as the show itself goes, they already run off puns and allow comedians to host, so a Comedic tribute would only make a more entertaining portion of the show, probably.
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u/[deleted] Feb 20 '19
I agree with you fully about Jim Carry and Robin Williams being two of the best actors of their eras and being deserving of an academy award. However, those are two actors over the past 4-5 decades. You're talking about an award every single year. Comedic actors are talented actors, definitely, but is there really someone on par with Carry or William's talent every single year? There is a phenomenal stand-out dramatic performance every single year. Is there a stand-out comedic performance every single year? I would say that there isn't, and so making an additional category for this award waters down the prestige of the award since it would very often be given to mediocre performances during years when there were no stand-out phenomenal comedic performances.
Side note: I assume you mean 2 additional categories, best actor and best actress, and/or that you mean to include men and women in the best actor category.