Outside favourite Word of mouth propels Riseborough to list

Andrea Riseborough has earned a surprise Oscar nomination after a starstudded campaign that insisted she deserved an award.

The 41-year-old actress, known for looking almost unrecognisable from role to role, appeared in the relatively unknown drama To Leslie, by English filmmaker Michael Morris.

Despite most Oscars favourites already having been decided, a campaign in the autumn of 2022 saw celebrities including Jane Fonda, Cate Blanchett and Kate Winslet insist

To Leslie was a “masterpiece” and Riseborough’s performance deserving of an award.

Riseborough has now earned a nomination in the Best Actress category for the forthcoming 95th annual Academy Awards.

Some of the praise was shared on social media in statements some film fans have criticised for appearing to be a copied and pasted message, leading some to speculate that there was an orchestrated push to gain To Leslie good publicity and “Oscars buzz”.