Members of the Academy cast their ballots individually. They don’t debate and discuss and decide on what message to send. Sometimes, their spouses or children fill out the ballots for them. It’s ridiculous to suggest that there’s some kind of group think going on. Members vote for who they like.

They are supposed to see all the nominated films but most don’t. It’s rarely a case of the best person winning, because not everyone can agree on who that is. If more Academy members see one film instead of another, chances are better that that film is going to take home an award. The Academy Awards are a publicity stunt. In the grand scheme of things, they mean nothing and winning one often means landing a great role rather than turning in a great performance.