As people who write about movies for a living, we understand taking them very seriously. We have our opinions about which films and performances are the best, just like everybody else. However, some people take their passion for movies to a whole other level. Actor Michael Rapaport is apparently one of these people. He feels very strongly that the wrong person won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Very. Strongly.
The actor posted the short clip to his Twitter page following the announcement of Mark Rylance’s win for the Oscar. The man is so upset that he falls out his chair while swearing. Eventually it becomes clear who he thought should have won the award when he breaks into a spontaneous "Rocky" chant. While one might believe this video was (gasp) staged for comedic effect, you somehow get the feeling that the emotion is completely genuine. He was totally in Rocky Balboa’s corner and was expecting victory.
To be sure, the announcement of Mark Rylance’s name was a little bit surprising. Ever since Sylvester Stallone took the Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor, he became the clear front runner for the Academy Award. Even though we thought a Mark Rylance upset was a distinct possibility, the whole idea of an upset is that it’s unexpected. For those whose investment in a particular actor or role is more emotional than logical, it can be a shock to the system when they don’t win. Michael Rapaport just couldn’t let the moment go. He posted multiple tweets in response to the loss as the night wore on.
While Bridge of Spies had received multiple nominations this year, the Best Supporting Actor award was the film’s only win. By comparison, Sylvester Stallone’s nomination was the only one that Creed received at all. Part of the reason that many expected Stallone to take the award was because of the long career that the actor has had, and the gap between nominations. He was nominated for the same role for the original Rocky back in 1976 and, while the film was named Best Picture, Sylvester Stallone was not named Best Actor.
Was Sylvester Stallone robbed, or was Mark Rylance truly the better performance this year? Let us know what you think.
