Submission Error May Have Cost Streep SAG Noms
Sony Says Staffer Submitted 'Adaptation' Actress In Wrong Category
POSTED: 6:27 p.m. EST January 29, 2003
Meryl Streep's snub in the Screen Actors Guild Award nominations Tuesday may have been the result of a mistake by a Sony studio staffer -- who submitted the legendary actress' name in the wrong category.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Sony Pictures admitted Tuesday that an unidentified employee mistakenly submitted Streep's name for the Outstanding Female Lead competition for her role in the dark comedy "Adaptation" -- instead of the Outstanding Supporting Female category.
The Times said Sony discovered the error when the ballots were mailed last month, and appealed to SAG to let them fix the mistake and pay for the costs of re-printing and shipping. Not wanting to set a bad precedent, however, the organization declined.
As a result, Streep was on the ballot against herself, where she was properly submitted as a lead actress for the drama "The Hours." Streep's publicist, as well as Sony and Paramount Pictures (which released "The Hours") suspect the actress was the victim of a split vote.
"It's possible that's what happened," said Streep's publicist, Lois Smith told the Times.
And they all have good reason to feel that way. Streep has been showered with awards and/or nominations for both films.
For "Adaptation," Streep won the Best Supporting Actress award from the Golden Globes, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, as well as the film critics associations from Chicago and Florida.
In addition, she was nominated for a Best Actress Golden Globe for "The Hours," and also just earned a nomination in that category for the British Academy of Film and Television Awards. She's also up for a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA for "Adaptation."
"It was an unfortunate mistake," Sony spokesman Steve Elzer told the Times in regard to the "Adaptation" missive. "But it should not take anything away from her remarkable performance in the film."
Streep has been nominated for four Female Lead SAG awards in the past, for her roles in "Music From the Heart," "One True Thing," "The Bridges of Madison County" and "The River Wild."
Several of Streep's co-stars are up for individual SAG awards. Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore are both up for "The Hours" in the Outstanding Female Lead and Outstanding Supporting Female categories, respectively.
For "Adaptation," Nicolas Cage was nominated for Outstanding Male Lead, while Chris Cooper nabbed a Supporting Male nomination.
Streep, however, is listed as a cast member in the Outstanding Acting Ensemble category, however, for both "Adaptation" and "The Hours."
Last year Universal mistakenly submitted Jennifer Connelly's name for the Outstanding Female Lead category for the SAG awards for "A Beautiful Mind." Connelly was still nominated in the category, but lost out to Halle Berry for "Monster's Ball."
Connelly went on to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for the role, as did Berry for Best Actress.
Oscar ballots were due from voters Wednesday, and Streep will find out if she made the cut Feb. 11. Unlike SAG -- which asks the studios what categories they want their candidates placed in -- Oscar voters have free reign to place the nominee wherever they wish, reported the Times.
Streep, 53, has been nominated for 11 Oscars, and won for Best Supporting Actress for 1979's "Kramer vs. Kramer" and Best Actress for 1982's "Sophie's Choice."
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According to the Los Angeles Times, Sony Pictures admitted Tuesday that an unidentified employee mistakenly submitted Streep's name for the Outstanding Female Lead competition for her role in the dark comedy "Adaptation" -- instead of the Outstanding Supporting Female category.
The Times said Sony discovered the error when the ballots were mailed last month, and appealed to SAG to let them fix the mistake and pay for the costs of re-printing and shipping. Not wanting to set a bad precedent, however, the organization declined.
As a result, Streep was on the ballot against herself, where she was properly submitted as a lead actress for the drama "The Hours." Streep's publicist, as well as Sony and Paramount Pictures (which released "The Hours") suspect the actress was the victim of a split vote.
"It's possible that's what happened," said Streep's publicist, Lois Smith told the Times.
And they all have good reason to feel that way. Streep has been showered with awards and/or nominations for both films.
For "Adaptation," Streep won the Best Supporting Actress award from the Golden Globes, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, as well as the film critics associations from Chicago and Florida.
In addition, she was nominated for a Best Actress Golden Globe for "The Hours," and also just earned a nomination in that category for the British Academy of Film and Television Awards. She's also up for a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA for "Adaptation."
"It was an unfortunate mistake," Sony spokesman Steve Elzer told the Times in regard to the "Adaptation" missive. "But it should not take anything away from her remarkable performance in the film."
Streep has been nominated for four Female Lead SAG awards in the past, for her roles in "Music From the Heart," "One True Thing," "The Bridges of Madison County" and "The River Wild."
Several of Streep's co-stars are up for individual SAG awards. Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore are both up for "The Hours" in the Outstanding Female Lead and Outstanding Supporting Female categories, respectively.
For "Adaptation," Nicolas Cage was nominated for Outstanding Male Lead, while Chris Cooper nabbed a Supporting Male nomination.
Streep, however, is listed as a cast member in the Outstanding Acting Ensemble category, however, for both "Adaptation" and "The Hours."
Last year Universal mistakenly submitted Jennifer Connelly's name for the Outstanding Female Lead category for the SAG awards for "A Beautiful Mind." Connelly was still nominated in the category, but lost out to Halle Berry for "Monster's Ball."
Connelly went on to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for the role, as did Berry for Best Actress.
Oscar ballots were due from voters Wednesday, and Streep will find out if she made the cut Feb. 11. Unlike SAG -- which asks the studios what categories they want their candidates placed in -- Oscar voters have free reign to place the nominee wherever they wish, reported the Times.
Streep, 53, has been nominated for 11 Oscars, and won for Best Supporting Actress for 1979's "Kramer vs. Kramer" and Best Actress for 1982's "Sophie's Choice."
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- Jan. 28, 2003: 'Chicago' Leads SAG Noms
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