I’m told that there was much rejoicing inside the Team Disney Burbank building yesterday as studio execs met to discuss all the Academy Award nominations that the Walt Disney Company just earned.
The suits were said to be particularly pleased with Johnny Depp’s nomination as best actor in Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” According to someone who was there, “The execs don’t think that Depp has a snowball’s chance in hell of actually winning the Oscar. But his nomination will make it that much easier for the Mouse to move a couple hundred thousand more copies of the ‘Pirates’ video and DVD. So the company will be happy to mount a campaign for Johnny if it will help support sales of the film. “
But when the subject of “Destino” came up, I’m told that representatives of Disney’s PR department were petrified. They were said to be beside themselves, fretting about what they should do about this Oscar-nominated short.
“This is really a lose/lose situation for the Walt Disney Company,” said one studio insider. “If the studio doesn’t mount a really aggressive promotional campaign in order to claim a Best Animated Short Oscar for ‘Destino,’ Roy and Stanley get the right to complain that the Disney Company deliberately torpedoed this film’s chance. Out of fear over what Walt’s nephew might say once he gets up on stage at the Kodak Theatre.”
“On the other hand, if Disney does put together a great Academy Award promotional campaign for ‘Destino’ and the short does actually win, all the suits still have to sit there and sweat. Wondering if Roy is going to use his opportunity — standing there in front of over 200 million television viewers worldwide — to talk about his campaign to remove Eisner.”
Well, while Disney execs were worrying about what Walt’s nephew might say were the former Disney board member to actually make it up onstage at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre, Roy E. Disney was being extremely gracious and kind as he spoke with the press about “Destino”‘s Oscar nomination. In a statement that was released through his www.savedisney.com website, Roy was quoted as saying:
“WOW!!! Oscar® Nominations are one of those things you hope like the dickens for — and even talk yourself into believing you could receive — and then get in a really cold sweat when the day comes. Well, this time we got one, for Destino! I am absolutely thrilled to the bone. A lot of love and hard work went into this short film by a lot of dedicated people, and my deepest thanks go to each of them. They always say that ‘just getting nominated is honor enough,’ and while that’s true, I would sure love to win the Oscar® itself!”
In a gesture that impressed many voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Roy’s statement over at www.savedisney.com featured a direct link back to a web page which listed every person who worked on “Destino.”
“Making sure that credit is given where credit is due? That’s a pretty classy thing for Roy to do,” said one animator (Who asked not to be name, out of fear of reprisals from Disney Company officials). “That’s one of the reasons that ‘Destino’ ‘s got my vote.”
“But — to be honest, Jim — the real reason that I’m voting for ‘Destino’ is I just have to hear what Roy will say should his short win,” this animator concluded. “Will he take the high road and just thank the Academy for honoring Dalí and Walt Disney’s dream? Or will he take the low road and — on ABC yet, the Disney Company’s own television network — lambaste Michael Eisner for being such a bonehead? Ah, there’s no way I’m missing the Academy Awards this year!”
It’s just this sort of sentiment that has execs at the Walt Disney Company concerned. Which is why they’re reportedly looking into the rules of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to see who’s actually allowed to accept the Oscar for Best Animated Short. Traditionally, it’s just the film’s director and producer who are allowed up onstage to accept the award and make a short statement. But then — given the pivotal part Roy played in finally getting this 58-year-old production rolling once more — it only stands to reason that Walt’s nephew would also be allowed up on stage. To bask in the glory and — perhaps — make a brief comment of his own.
But — for now — Roy’s just basking in the glory of having been nominated for such a prestigious honor. And the execs at the Walt Disney Company? They’re allegedly already fretting about how they’re going to get through the next few weeks. As the members of the Hollywood press corps continually badger the studio’s PR department about what Disney’s going to do about “Destino.”
Me personally? I can’t wait ’til February 29th — Academy Award night — to see how this all plays out.