Robbie Williams’ Oscar hopes have been dashed after his song “Forbidden Road” from the film “Better Man” was disqualified from consideration for Best Original Song. Variety has learned that the Academy deemed the song ineligible due to its incorporation of material from a pre-existing song.
Academy Rules Violated
According to Academy rules, songs submitted for awards consideration must be “original and written specifically for the motion picture.” Insiders revealed that “Forbidden Road” contains melodic similarities to “I Got a Name,” a song performed by Jim Croce in the 1973 film “The Last American Hero” and written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel. Notably, Charles Fox is a governor in the Academy’s music branch.
Decision Made After Similarities Discovered
A letter sent to the Academy’s music branch members confirmed the disqualification, stating that the decision “honors our rules and protects the special nature of the Original Song and Score categories.” The similarities were reportedly brought to the attention of the branch executive committee this week, leading to the decision yesterday afternoon.
This news comes as a blow to Williams, whose song was shortlisted earlier this week. It serves as a reminder of the strict standards upheld by the Academy when it comes to originality in music composition.
Stay tuned for updates on the Oscar race!
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