The Oscars' Rules For Best Original Song Is Why Madonna Missed A Big Career Achievement 13 Years Ago
Madonna has had much success throughout her career, but the Oscars' rules for one particular category meant she missed out on another accolade more than a decade ago. With a career spanning more than 40 years, and being recognized as one of the greatest recording artists of all time, many of Madonna's songs are frequently in movies and TV series. She has also moved into acting, taking on roles in movies such as Desperately Seeking Susan and Evita, winning a Golden Globe for her performance in the latter.
Madonna also served as the director for the 2011 historical drama W.E., which explores the romance between Edward VIII of England and Wallis Simpson, resulting in his controversial abdication in 1936. The movie received negative reviews upon its release, with actor David Harbour admitting his reservations about W.E. during filming. However, W.E. received praise for its soundtrack and costumes, which saw the movie earn an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design. It was set to be nominated in another category, but due to the Academy's rules, it was ruled out as ineligible.
Madonna's 'Masterpiece' Was Deemed Ineligible For Best Original Song In 2012
The Song Was Released As Part Of The Soundtrack For W.E.
For the soundtrack for W.E., Madonna provided the song "Masterpiece," which she co-wrote with Jimmy Harry and Julie Frost. The ballad was described by Madonna as "about a woman who has fallen in love with this untouchable thing, this man that was raised to be king," which represents the early stages of the relationship between Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII (via Yahoo). The song received high praise and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 2012. "Masterpiece" was initially shortlisted for the Best Original Song award at the Oscars, but was ultimately deemed ineligible.
According to the Academy's rules, any song submitted for the Best Original Song award "must be used in the body of the motion picture or as the first music cue in the end credits" (via Oscars). The song "Masterpiece" isn't played in the movie until one minute into the end credits, which meant the song was ineligible for an Oscar nomination (via Spin). While "Masterpiece" was successful at the Golden Globe, and received another nomination at the 2012 World Soundtrack Awards, its disqualification from the Oscars meant Madonna missed out on the first Academy Award nomination of her career.
What Other Famous Songs Didn't Get Nominated Due To The Oscars' Rules
The Rules For Oscar Nominations Have Changed Across The Years
Since its establishment in 1934, the Academy Award for Best Original Song has seen a few changes in its rules for nominations. One of the first big changes came in 1941, when "The Last Time I Saw Paris" from Lady Be Good won the award, despite the song not being written for the movie. After a successful petition from the composer, Jerome Kern, the rules were changed to ensure only songs written for a specific movie could receive a nomination.
The Academy's rules also state that any song submitted for the Best Original Song award "shall be evaluated on its effectiveness, craftsmanship, and creative substance" and would not be eligible if it has "been diminished in impact by the predominant use of songs or any music not composed specifically for the film," ensuring each nomination is judged in terms of originality. In 1995, the song "Gangsta's Paradise" from Dangerous Minds, was deemed ineligible for an Oscar nomination due to it having been sampled from the Stevie Wonder song "Pastime Paradise" (via Huffpost).
Most recently, the song "Forbidden Road" from Better Man was disqualified from receiving a nomination for Best Original Song, drastically cutting the Robbie Williams biopic's chances at winning an Oscar in 2025. While it was originally shortlisted, it was determined that "Forbidden Road" bears too many similarities to the song "I Got a Name" by Jim Croce, resulting in its disqualification from the shortlist. Better Man received a nomination for Best Visual Effects, but its disqualification from Best Original Song means that Robbie Williams has similarly missed out on the first Oscar nomination of his career.
Sources: Yahoo, Oscars, Spin, Huffpost
