With the Academy awards 2025 marked in bold on every cinephile's calendars, the spectators are more than eager to have the bests of everything be given out already. With movies like the most-talked-about and even being the best-picture-frontrunner, Anora, the very long and very heart-wrenching the The Brutalist starring Adrien Brody and finally, the Vatican thriller, Conclave, the star of many discussions—are at the center of attention.

Given how the Best Picture category was already a controversial turnout this year, the Anonymous Oscar ballots have only added salt to the wound. As Variety spoke with 84 individual AMPAS members and more industry professionals, a surprising revelation came to light, igniting fury and 'unprofessional' claims among the audience as two voters confessed to having blatantly cut down on their votes by assuming Ralph Fiennes to have already won an Oscar for his acting in Schindler's List in 1993, a snub that hurts his fanbase to this day.

At stark par with Adrien Brody for best actor, so much so that the loss of the latter might have resulted in Fiennes' favor, the turn of events has taken away the total draw of the two contenders. Moreover, as how traditions go, it is also considered unlikely for a four-time BAFTA bagger to be lining up an Oscars next. Having won four BAFTAs this year, the Conclave actor's chances at the Oscars seem to have weakened, with only Oppenheimer in 2023 and Nomadland in 2020 being the only successful lineups. 

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While decisions taken are assumed to be the utmost professional even while a mock and teasing-of-sorts manner of a prep-session, the spectators of the unfolding of the 97th Academy Awards may be a little disappointed with the results for not merely a reason as to not being voted the best.

What had ticked the spectators and avid fans of Conclave completely off was the lack of regard in the tone of voice as the declarations had been made. The two separate votes having been kept from Ralph Fiennes being not only a loss but also based on a bias that insinuated a nature of unnecessity. Said to have been cut from Fiennes' right, the two votes were not cast in assumption of Fiennes already having been an Academy winner courtesy of Schindler's List, when the actor had, in stark and grave fact, not. Cue a flurry of rightfully and passionately disappointed onlookers.

The enthusiasts have also noted how Adrien Brody, in fact, seems to be an actual Oscar holder, prior to the current tandem of instances. 

With the ballot results out, the audience has successfully divided into several school of thoughts. Having been given a potential taste of what the real deal of events might ensue, but also hopes for predictabilities to be defied, the wait for the 97th Academy Awards is not lost upon them. Despite the seemingly rigged nature of the 'conclave', pre-award-ceremony. 

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What do you think of this miscalculation at the Oscars ballot voting? Let us know in the comments below.