Oscar Isaac has shared his views on the Oscars’ new popular movie category, calling the addition “pretty stupid”.
The category for Outstanding Achievement In Popular Film was announced earlier this month and was met with a tepid reaction. Many stars and film fans alike accused the Academy of “snobbery”.
Speaking to USA Today, Star Wars actor Oscar Isaac said: “It seems pretty stupid. I don’t really understand it. I haven’t read the rules of the thing. It seems pretty dumb but I guess that’s above my pay grade.”
He carried on to voice some questions he had over the new category. “I don’t really understand what it means,” he said. “Who accepts the award? What’s the criteria for it? Is it based off of box office? I don’t really get it.”
He continued: “The reason why people get awards and why they don’t now is already a slippery slope. Another category seems a little meaningless but maybe not any more than the rest of it is.”
Isaac is currently filming Star Wars: Episode IX, in which he plays Poe Dameron. The film is set for release on December 20, 2019.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that the actor was slapped by the late Carrie Fisher 24 times during the filming of Star Wars: The Last Jedi after it took a number of takes to nail one particular scene.
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The scene in question saw General Leia (Fisher) berating Poe Dameron (Isaac) after he helped destroy the Imperial Dreadnaught. A clip showing the behind-the-scenes moment was released on the Blu-Ray edition of the movie earlier this year.
That was one of the first things we shot and I think we did 24 takes,” Isaac recalled in the clip. “That was very surreal, to be slapped by Princess Leia repeatedly.”