Amaze! Amaze! Amazon MGM Studios, like the rest of Hollywood, is putting forth its slate for Academy Award consideration, and for Project Hail Mary, they’re pushing for James Ortiz, the puppeteer and voice of the alien Rocky, to get a Best Supporting Actor nomination.
Rocky, for those of you who haven’t had the pleasure, is the rock-alien whom Ryan Gosling’s Ryland Grace meets in the void of outer space. The two are both trying to find a solution to the microbe-like aliens eating their respective suns and form a lifelong friendship along the way.
The Oscars have shied away from recognizing puppets with its awards; just ask Miss Piggy about it the next time you see her. But clearly the studio is making a push here, given the rightful popularity of the character. They’re also submitting Lionel Boyce, who plays Ryland Grace’s pal/security detail on Earth, for the category.
Boyce and Ortiz are being submitted in just one of fifteen categories that the studio is submitting for Oscar consideration. The others are Best Actor for Gosling (of course), Best Supporting Actress for Sandra Hüller, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Casting, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Score, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects.
It will be interesting to see if the Academy picks up what Rocky is throwing down and awards Ortiz a nomination. Time will tell, and we can look up at the stars at night and contemplate life on other planets (or just watch Project Hail Mary again) while we wait to see how things shake out.
