Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio have been given producing credits on “The Wolf of Wall Street” by the Academy, a rare instance of AMPAS disagreeing with the Producers Guild’s recommendation on which producers deserve a nomination.
In another break with the usual practice of the Academy accepting the PGA’s recommendation, the AMPAS Producer Branch ruled that Riza Aziz, who received a Producers Guild nomination for the film, would not be eligible for an Oscar Best Picture nomination.
The film’s other two credited producers, Emma Tillinger Koskoff and Joey McFarland, were vetted by the PGA and accepted by the Academy.
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Aziz’s production company, Red Granite, released this statement after the Academy announcement was made: “We are thrilled that the Academy has recognized the invaluable contributions of Marty, Leo, Joey and Emma on behalf of ‘The Wolf of Wall Street.’ Riza Aziz and Red Granite remain honored to be part of the production team”
A Producers Guild panel typically decides which of a film’s credited producers deserve nominations. Although the Academy’s Producers Branch has final authority over its nominations, in almost all instances AMPAS accepts the PGA recommendations.
Of the five credited producers on “The Wolf of Wall Street” — Aziz, Koskoff, McFarland, Scorsese and DiCaprio — the guild ruled that the first three performed the majority of the functions of a true producer, but that Scorsese and DiCaprio did not.
When Oscar nominations were announced, the Academy had left blank the names of the producers who would be credited with the Best Picture nomination for “Wolf.” On Tuesday, AMPAS announced that those nominations would go to Scorsese, DiCaprio, McFarland and Koskoff.
The Academy has been routinely accepting the PGA’s nominations since 2009, when it changed its formerly restrictive rules to allow more than three producers to receive best-pic nominations under exceptional circumstances.
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Of this year’s Best Picture nominees, “American Hustle” has four nominated producers and “12 Years a Slave” has five.
In all cases except for “Wolf,” AMPAS agreed with the Producers Guild’s recommendations.