For the first time in Oscar history, a voice acting performance could be nominated. David Ortiz plays Rocky in “The Astronaut – Project Hail Mary” – all the information.
The Oscars are considered the most important and coveted film award in the industry. The event has been changing in recent years. For example, from 2029 the awards ceremony will no longer be broadcast on ABC, but will instead be streamed on YouTube. The Academy is also trying to become more and more diverse: At the 2026 Oscars, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the first female person of color, was awarded the Oscar for best cinematography in the film “Blood & Sinners”. There is now a curious submission for a nomination in another category.
Oscar for Rocky?
The film “The Astronaut – Project Hail Mary” is one of the most successful cinema releases of the year so far. Lead actor Ryan Gosling plays an astronaut who wakes up on a space station with no memory of who he is or what his mission is. He soon finds out that his job is to save the sun from going out – and he won’t do this job alone.
His support is Rocky, a stone and talking alien creature. It was precisely this role that caused a lot of media talk. The character was brought to life through so-called voice acting, an acting skill that typically gets little attention during awards season. Stage actor and puppeteer David Ortiz took on the role of Rocky – and for many, in an impressive way.
As “Variety” reports, this acting performance should be given more weight and appreciation. Accordingly, the mime and his performance should be submitted for a nomination in the “Best Supporting Actor” category. According to the Academy’s current rules, this is entirely possible. If a nomination actually comes about, it would be the first for a voice acting performance in the history of the award. So it will be worth watching the awards season in early 2027 to find out: Will a stone become an Oscar winner?
What about other awards ceremonies?
The Oscars are not the only relevant prize of the film year. So which awards could Rocky also have a chance at? Nominations are also possible at the Actor Awards, which are traditionally seen as an indicator of upcoming Oscar winners. The rules of the Golden Globes, however, prohibit such nominations.
The Critics Choice Awards do not have any specific rules that would exclude viewing. There could also be a nomination at the BAFTAs. A voice acting performance has already been taken into account here: In 2001, Eddie Murphy found himself on the shortlist for best actor for his role in the animated film “Shrek”.
