Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino expressed her disappointment at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for not featuring her late father, Paul Sorvino, in the In Memoriam list during the 2023 awards show telecast.
Paul Sorvino was a film and television actor known for playing dramatic roles in both the criminal and law enforcement sides of the law.
He is famous for his role as Paulie Cicero in Martin Scorsese's 1990 gangster film, Goodfellas, as well as for supporting roles in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (1996), and Nixon (1995).
He passed away from natural causes at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, last summer on July 25, 2022. He was 83.
When his daughter Mira noticed her father was conspicuously left out of the In-Memoriam montage at the 95th Academy Awards telecast on Sunday night, she said the omission was "baffling beyond belief."
The following day, she took to Twitter and wrote:
“It is baffling beyond belief that my beloved father and many other amazing brilliant departed actors were left out."
“The Oscars forgot about Paul Sorvino, but the rest of us never will!!”
She added a follow-up in the thread with a link to an Instagram post highlighting the moment she made her dad proud by winning the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for Woody Allen's 1995 film, Mighty Aphrodite.
"I for one am remembering Dad on this Oscars night…," she wrote in the caption.
After learning about her father's omission from the In Memoriam tribute, Mira updated her Instagram caption with:
"P.S.–when I posted this I had not learned of Dad’s omission and that of several other incredible artists from the in Memoriam section."
"Incredibly hurt and shocked that my father’s lifelong, irreplaceable, enormous contribution to the world of cinema was overlooked by whomever made that list."
"We his adoring family, and you, his adoring public, know just how unique and incredible he was."
"We hope @theacademy does something to put this right."
Although his name was left out of the slideshow honoring other late actors that included Anne Heche and Charlbi Dean, they were listed as part of an extended tribute online which viewers were directed to through the use of a QR code that appeared on the screen following the televised montage.
Fans continued expressing their sympathies for Mira and also paid respects to her venerated father.
Twitter users took it upon themselves to honor her father's illustrious career by remembering his past achievements in Hollywood.
Paul Sorvino's wife, Dee Dee Sorvino, also spoke out about her husband's name missing from the telecast list and called for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to apologize.
Dee Dee said in a statement issued to People Magazine:
"Paul Sorvino was one of the greatest actors in cinematic history in Hollywood. It is unconscionable that he would be left out of the In Memoriam segment of the Oscars."
"It's a three-hour show, they can't give a couple more minutes to get it right?"
"Paul Sorvino gave decades to this industry and was loved by all."
The widow condemned the Academy for reducing her late husband's legacy to a QR code and demanded they could've done better.
"Paul was not the only deserving soul left out, and a QR Code is not acceptable. The Academy needs to issue an apology, admit the mistake and do better."
"Paul Sorvino deserves better, the audience deserves better. Is the Academy so jaded they forget people who are loved, who have given their hearts to this industry?"
She added:
“Shame on the Academy if this is not corrected. Mistakes are made, this was a big one. Please do something to make it right.”
In response to the overall backlash to omitting several names worthy of mention, the Academy explained the process that goes into compiling the list to honor the industry's deceased.
They wrote:
"The Academy receives hundreds of requests to include loved ones and industry colleagues in the Oscars In Memoriam segment."
"An executive committee representing every branch considers the list and makes selections for the telecast based on limited available time."
"All the submissions are included on A.frame and will remain on the site throughout the year.”
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