By Valerie Milano
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 2/8/21 – Oscars pundits are perplexed and puzzled that a 57-year-old unknown, underdog actor put down by pundits as an “older longshot curiosity” for emerging as a favorite for Best Actor 2021 nomination when awards insiders polled each other online as to who they thought gave the best performance in a lead role out of the 200 films in the Academy Screening Room for consideration.
“This isn’t supposed to happen,” an awards insider said. “The favored candidates have spent millions buying ads in the trades and TV, spending copious amounts of money on swag and expensive wine and dinners to buy the race and keep people from looking at indie gems that don’t have the budget to seduce film critics and voters. Harvey Weinstein exacerbated the corruption of campaigns for Oscars, changing the culture for the worse.”
“Big studios locked up other awards indicators like the Golden Globes. No one saw this coming and it defies insurmountable odds for an actor with no marketing budget, in a faith-based indie, a niche film, to come out as a possible nominee members think gave the best performance.”
“Unknown actors usually don’t have a prayer when it comes to snagging an Oscar nomination. Minister-turned-moviemaker
Richard Rossi may get a miracle on the strength of his portrayal of con man preacher Brother Billy in Canaan Land,” CBS reporter Vanessa Farraday said.
Oscars pundits are perplexed and puzzled that a 57-year-old unknown, underdog actor put down by pundits as an “older longshot curiosity” for emerging as a favorite for Best Actor 2021 nomination when awards insiders polled each other online as to who they thought gave the best performance in a lead role out of the 200 films in the Academy Screening Room for consideration.
“This isn’t supposed to happen,” an awards insider said. “The favored candidates have spent millions buying ads in the trades and TV, spending copious amounts of money on swag and expensive wine and dinners to buy the race and keep people from looking at indie gems that don’t have the budget to seduce film critics and voters. Harvey Weinstein exacerbated the corruption of campaigns for Oscars, changing the culture for the worse.”
“Big studios locked up other awards indicators like the Golden Globes. No one saw this coming and it defies insurmountable odds for an actor with no marketing budget, in a faith-based indie, a niche film, to come out as a possible nominee members think gave the best performance.”
“Unknown actors usually don’t have a prayer when it comes to snagging an Oscar nomination. Minister-turned-moviemaker Richard Rossi may get a miracle on the strength of his portrayal of con man preacher Brother Billy in Canaan Land,” CBS reporter Vanessa Farraday said.
Rossi is competing for an Oscar with his controversial film “Canaan Land” about a con man preacher named Brother Billy (played by Rossi) who falls in love with a sincere Christian (Rebecca Holden of Knight Rider fame). Holden is also praised for stellar acting and singing in the film as Sister Sara.
“Rossi’s portrayal lays bare Billy’s secrets. His performance as an aging grifter who lives off the kindness of women is a master class on acting. It is the greatest acting performance of the year,” Tom Greenberg, an Oscar prognosticator said.
“Canaan Land is an outsider climbing ranks,” Kelly Tabor said, who runs a fan club for Rossi’s work. “Like a Kentucky Derby homestretch, on the bit with full strides, pulling with momentum, pushing out, ahead, clearing its rivals as the closer, to the Winner’s Circle for the prize, there’s the late-breaking indie newcomer, Canaan Land.”
“I hope any attention I’ve received is a victory for older actors who have labored in the trenches,” Richard Rossi said.
“Canaan Land” can be seen for a limited time on Vimeo.com here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/
Academy voting members can see the film free in the Academy Screening Room on the Oscar website.
