Melissa Leo Did Nothing Wrong

It was reported on the Gold Derby website that Melissa Leo, nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Alice Ward in "The Fighter," took out and paid for her own trade ads in an effort to show off her more "glamorous side." You might think that Paramount Pictures which released "The Fighter" would be taking care of this for her and that she didn't need to do this, but Melissa felt the need to show another part of her that differed from the roles she is best known for. However, the whole deal has sparked a "firestorm" of controversy over the "propriety of such self promotion." While she has defenders, Sasha Stone of Awards Daily called her "an embarrassment" for what she did, and Dixon Gaines of Moveline said that her actions have "the whiff of desperation all over it."

But did Melissa Leo really do anything wrong? I may be biased as I have been a big fan of hers ever since she played Sgt. Kay Howard on NBC's critically acclaimed "Homicide: Life On The Street," but my answer to that question is a resounding no. This whole deal immediately reminded me of when I had film and television classes with a casting director at UC Irvine. The most important things she told us is how this is "show business" and not "show art." We quickly learned that the person who would promote an actor's career the most is the actor themselves. Sure, you have agents and managers getting you out there, but in the end they are merely an extension of you. In essence, you are your own cheerleader.

Melissa explained her reasons for doing this with Pete Hammond of Deadline. She was frustrated over not being able to land talk show gigs or magazine covers, so she took matters in her own hands:

"I knew what I was doing and told my representation how earnest I was about this idea. I had never heard of any actor taking out an ad as themselves and I wanted to give it a shot."

Looking over these pictures, it is important to note that no mention of her performance in "The Fighter" is ever made. All that is shown along with her images is the word "consider," so can you really say that she's campaigning for an Oscar she may already have in the bag? Right now, Melissa is best known for playing blue collar mothers, and we all know how Hollywood loves to typecast actors. I don't think she used these pictures as a way of persuading Academy voters, but to show that there is more to her than what we've seen so far. With a lot of media attention she is getting, Melissa is taking the opportunity to showcase herself in the hopes of being cast in a variety of roles. When all is said and done, why not? She has always been a great actress, and her acting range is wide without question.

All this talk is very ironic considering that last year's Best Supporting Actress winner Mo'Nique refused to do any self promotion for her performance, and she got hammered as a result. Moreover, I think it's no secret that ageism plays a lot in show businessa. Melissa is in her 50's, as if that's supposed to be a detriment to her career at this point. If we lived in a perfect world, this would not (and should not) be an issue. You don't need to produce any evidence proving how youth oriented Hollywood is. Is Melissa were 20 years younger, she would be getting all those talk show offers and magazine covers without question.

This should have absolutely no bearing on her odds to win the Best Supporting Actress, and Melissa still appears to be the front runner in that category. Her age or intentions in taking out ads should in no way be held against her. Melissa has always been a great actress, and seeing her get the respect she so deserves not just for this performance, but her career overall is very gratifying. Melissa's work speaks for itself, and she has been in this business for the long haul. She deserves the Oscar regardless of how people may view her as a result of these ads. Sasha Stone and Dixon Gaines owe her an apology!

See also:

Melissa Leo Wins Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes for "The Fighter"

Source:

"Melissa Leo ignites firestorm of controversy," Joseph White, Gold Derby website, February 10, 2011.