“Reeks of agesim and anti/blackness” — Netizens react as anonymous Oscars voter reveals why they didn’t pick Cynthia Erivo in ‘Best Actress’ category

An anonymous Oscars voter's reason for not picking Cynthia Erivo in the ‘Best Actress’ category sparks outrage online. In an interview for IndieWire magazine published on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, the Academy Award voter detailed their "unfiltered takes" on the nominees.

While discussing their choice for Best Actress, the voter revealed they picked Karla Sofía Gascón (Emelia Pérez), adding that they did not choose Erivo for her age.

As news of the interview went viral, internet users were quick to react. One calling out the hypocrisy wrote:

"30 year olds playing high school students have been a thing in Hollywood since forever. Now a 30 year old actress can’t play a student at a University lmao this reeks of agesim and anti/blackness."

Many continued to criticize the voter, praising Cynthia Erivo's performance.

"And we're supposed to take these awards seriously?" one sarcastically questioned.

"I pray to god Cynthia wins it just to piss of that loser," another added.

"What does her age have to do with her performance?!! You literally have 30 year olds playing teenagers on tv right now wtf. They are really just trying to find any excuse," a fan reacted.

Others called for a structural change within the Academy Awards and its voting process.

"Between this and the voters who didn’t even bother to watch all the films this year, i think i speak for everyone when i say it’s time to replace all the members of the academy," a user commented.

"The academy needs to do what the grammys did and revamp the voting pool. everything i’ve heard from the voters has diminished the credibility of any results," another added.

"Bro, what I feel like these explanations clearly telling us that the people that vote for these Oscars they’re really not qualified for this because this is the most outrageous reason not to vote with someone that clearly deserved the award," said one.

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Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are set to perform live together at the Oscars ceremony

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are set to perform live together during the ceremony. Hosted by Conan O'Brien, the ceremony will also feature performances from BLACKPINK star Lisa, Doja Cat, and Raye, among others.

Cynthia Erivo stars as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba Thropp, in Wicked, which is based on the fantasy The Wizard of Oz. The story, set before the events of the book, centers around Elphaba and her friendship with classmate Galinda Upland (played by Ariana Grande), who becomes Glinda the Good.

Cynthia Erivo's performance has earned her numerous accolades and Best Actress awards and nominations. This includes an Astra Film Award, a TiBS Editors Choice Award, and a Dorian Award.

Erivo is up against Moore (The Substance), Mikey Madison (Anora), Fernanda Torres (I'm Still Here), and Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez). Final voting for the 97th Academy Awards ended on Tuesday, February 18. Meanwhile, her co-star Grande is nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

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The Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The event will be available to stream on Hulu.