Oscar Insiders Say There's a '1,000% Chance' Voters Will Lie About Watching Nominated Films

The Academy just rolled out a new rule requiring voters to watch every film in a category before casting a ballot, but insiders are already predicting it will fail spectacularly. One awards strategist told Entertainment Weekly there’s a “” chance members will simply lie, raising questions about the integrity of Hollywood's most prestigious award.

The Academy's New Honor System

It’s long been an open secret that not all voters do their homework. In an interview ahead of the ceremony, an Oscar-nominated actress admitted she hadn't seen most of the contenders. More recently, surveyed four voters and found three hadn't watched Best Picture nominee *The Substance*.

To combat this, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences () has implemented a “procedural change” for the current awards season. Now, a category will only unlock on a member's digital ballot after they've proven they've seen all the nominated films. This is tracked automatically via the official Academy Screening Room or through a self-reporting form for outside viewings, which requires verifiable details like time and location. “I really believe that our members take this responsibility very seriously,” an Academy officer stated, adding, “I don’t believe that people will fib.”

An Unintended Power Shift?

Industry insiders aren't so sure. “The TV Academy and [have this policy] already, and there’s no way to police it,” an anonymous awards strategist said, suggesting people often vote for friends or to support a social message rather than a film's quality.

However, a studio campaign representative offered a different take, theorizing the new system could have an unexpected side effect: giving more voting power to the specialized branches. “If you’re a busy actor or director, you’re probably just not going to vote in that category,” the rep estimated, referring to below-the-line awards like sound or score. This means the relatively small number of members within those specific branches (e.g., sound editors, composers) will have more sway over the final winner. The change could curb the kind of 'down-ballot' voting that leads to sweeps, like big night, where voters may have just checked the box for the same film across multiple technical categories.