If Heath get a posthumous Oscar, would that redeem the Academy?

[Marge_Innavera]

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing that would redeem the Academy would be a special feature on some Oscar night about overlooked films -- including an acknowledgement that Brokeback had been a casualty of homophobia in general and the questionable ethics of some AMPAS members in particular. And I'm reasonably sure that won't happen in this millenium.

However, if Heath is nominated for an Oscar for TDK, I won't be able to resist watching. And while I feel he should have won an Oscar two years ago for Ennis, I don't think that winning it for the Joker would be a lesser honor. Acting is acting. The injustice would be that this would be his first and last Oscar, and it should be his second.

[Jeff Wrangler]

However, if Heath is nominated for an Oscar for TDK, I won't be able to resist watching. And while I feel he should have won an Oscar two years ago for Ennis, I don't think that winning it for the Joker would be a lesser honor. Acting is acting. The injustice would be that this would be his first and last Oscar, and it should be his second.

I won't waste my time watching. While I agree that winning for the Joker would not be a lesser honor, on the other hand, to be perfectly honest, my suspicious mind would--or will--never be able to escape the, well, suspicion that the very fact that Heath is dead influenced some voters, so the win would--or will--for me be, in some sense, tainted a bit.

[optom3]

I won't waste my time watching. While I agree that winning for the Joker would not be a lesser honor, on the other hand, to be perfectly honest, my suspicious mind would--or will--never be able to escape the, well, suspicion that the very fact that Heath is dead influenced some voters, so the win would--or will--for me be, in some sense, tainted a bit.

That is exactly how I feel. There would always be some small space in my head thinking it was a pity vote.Or sh-t we messed up last time, better get it right this time chaps.
The sad thing is that both Heaths acting and BBM will be discussed for ever down the line.
I think with TDK it will only be Heaths performance as the joker which is referred to.

[Ellemeno]

I think Heath should have won for Ennis and BBM should have won for film.  But I'm going to keep watching the Oscars for the same reason I always have - it's fun.  Doesn't punish them if I don't watch them, I just miss out.

Someone who worked on one of his last movies with Heath said that when he wasn't on set, some of the time he was in his trailer watching films he would be asked to vote on as an Academy member.  I felt so good reading that - that Heath took his responsibility as a new voting member of AMPAS seriously.

[fernly]

I'm not ever going to watch the Oscars again just for enjoyment. The multiple travesties of that year's voting ended it for me.
That said, if Heath is nominated, I'll watch for that part of the ceremony, and hope he wins.
Same as I'll watch if when the other leads in Brokeback are nominated for future roles.
But will a win for Heath redeem the Oscars, nope. Never.
Like others have said, only an apology and an acknowledgement of what really happened would make even a start at redeeming the Oscars...
and I'm not waiting on any pigs to start flying...or snowballs staying frozen in hell.

[fernly]

Does anybody remember what Dustin Hoffman said? I think he came on stage at some point after (all or some of) the acting awards were announced, and looked down at Heath, Jake, and Michelle, and said something like, "Don't be sad...you're young...there'll be other chances..."

[David In Indy]

That is exactly how I feel. There would always be some small space in my head thinking it was a pity vote.Or sh-t we messed up last time, better get it right this time chaps.
The sad thing is that both Heaths acting and BBM will be discussed for ever down the line.
I think with TDK it will only be Heaths performance as the joker which is referred to.

We all felt very cheated and disappointed that night. It was very disillusioning. And I'm sure it was a real kick in the ass for the cast and crew.

[ednbarby]

Does anybody remember what Dustin Hoffman said? I think he came on stage at some point after (all or some of) the acting awards were announced, and looked down at Heath, Jake, and Michelle, and said something like, "Don't be sad...you're young...there'll be other chances..."

I don't remember him saying anything like that.  I do remember him saying something that was reverent of Heath's work in the movie.  I wish I could remember what it was, exactly, but my mind fails me at the moment.  I do remember gaining a lot of respect for him for saying and doing what he did.  It was more like a subtle, yet obvious, nod to Heath than saying "Buck up, Bucko."

I agree totally with your post before this one, by the way.  I think giving him a posthumous Oscar is the least they could do.  And I do mean the least.  I can't decide whether I'd be more pissed if they just ignored the performance altogether or if they rewarded it out of, well, satisfying The Bottom Line.

Here's my bet, and I'm taking it to the bank:  He'll get a posthumous nomination.  But he will not win.

And I will not be watching, in any event.

[loneleeb3]

No. Too late.
Heath should have gotten it for Ennis and BBM should have gotten the Best Picture award period.

AMEN!!! My Sister!

I haven't seen the movie yet but have no doubt his preformance was oscar worthy!
However, if he wins it won't redeem the Oscars in my mind. The had the chance to do the right thing while he was alive and they blew it.

[Ellemeno]

Does anybody remember what Dustin Hoffman said? I think he came on stage at some point after (all or some of) the acting awards were announced, and looked down at Heath, Jake, and Michelle, and said something like, "Don't be sad...you're young...there'll be other chances..."

Yes, I remember this.  I don't remember the words he used, but that was the gist.  It was lovely, because he didn't say it to just anybody - he said it to the people he thought ought to have won, and he said it on an enormous telecast, from the heart. 

If only he had been right about there being enough time...