Joining Spielberg on the opposition was Star Wars: The Last Jedi’s Laura Dern, while John Bailey, the organization’s president, was among the supporters.
In the end, the members decided it was better to hold off on bringing in this new Oscar category rather than rush it out in time for the 91st ceremony, which will be held on February 24.
After more than 40 years of directing and producing major motion pictures, Steven Spielberg’s opinion definitely carries weight in the entertainment industry, and when the Academy members came together last week to vote on the Popular Movie category’s future, sources who spoke to The New York Times said that Spielberg “was uncomfortable” with introducing this category at the next Oscars ceremony.