‘Fruitvale Station’ faux pas: Oscar screeners put Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz in wrong categories

theGRIO REPORT - Fruitvale Station, the dramatic re-telling of the last night of Oscar Grant's life, has been a major player in the Oscar discussion ever since it's release this past summer...

TheGrio Staff

Oct 14, 2013

Fruitvale Station, the dramatic re-telling of the last night of Oscar Grant’s life, has been a major player in the Oscar discussion ever since its release this past summer.

But a mistake made with its crucial Academy Awards screener might prove costly when it comes time for the nominations to be announced.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, DVDs sent out to academy voters promoted stars Melonie Diaz and Octavia Spencer as contenders for lead acting as opposed to the more appropriate supporting actress category.

The Weinstein Company, which released Fruitvale, quickly issued a correction:

Dear Academy Member, It has come to our attention that there was a misprint on the packaging of the DVD screener of FRUITVALE STATION. The actresses Melonie Diaz and Octavia Spencer are to be considered in the category of Best Actress In A Supporting Role. If you have not received your screener yet, you will receive it shortly. If you have any questions or issues, please contact our Awards Office…

Voting on nominations does not begin until December 27th, and it’s unclear if the mix-up will ultimately hurt Spencer or Diaz’s chances of getting recognized.

According to the Huffington Post, “most Oscar prognosticators expect the race to also include Oprah Winfrey (Lee Daniels’ The Butler), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave), June Squibb (Nebraska), Julia Roberts (August: Osage County), Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle), Margo Martindale (August: Osage County) and Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine), among others.”