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Why Fans Don't Think Marisa Tomei Deserved An Oscar For 'My Cousin Vinny'

Nowadays Marisa Tomei is best-known for her paintings in The Marvel Cinematic Universe, however back within the Nineteen Nineties, she was once seen as the woman who didn't deserve the Oscar. This is a ways from what any actor wish to be recognized for. After all, before she became Aunt May within the Spider-Man films, Marisa used to be doing a little really stellar paintings. This includes her Academy Award-winning efficiency in My Cousin Vinny.

Before the 1992 film, which was roughly inspired by real events, Marisa used to be a busy running actor. But there's no doubt My Cousin Vinny made her a famous person. Still, to this day, film fans don't consider she deserved to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. In reality, there's a primary conspiracy theory suggesting that she wasn't even meant to have her name called...

Marisa Tomei's Oscar Conspiracy

Marisa Tomei used to be up towards some performing heavyweights on the 1993 Academy Awards. This includes Joan Plowright (Enchanted April), Judy Davis (Husbands And Wives), Vanessa Redgrave (Howard's End), and Miranda Richardson (Damage). But it was Marisa who took house the coveted (and priceless) trophy.

Following her win (and to this very day) a conspiracy theory circulated. This idea unfold like wildfire during the champagne-soaked streets of Hollywood, causing Marisa to deal with it head-on within the press. There's without a doubt that she was once harm by the belief that her name wasn't even meant to be known as.

The city legend is that Oscar presenter (Shane and City Slickers superstar) Jack Palance used to be intoxicated when he announced the winner. Instead of claiming Vanessa Redgrave's identify, he blurted out Marisa's. Of route, if this had took place, the producers of the Academy Awards would have rushed the stage and made the correction. This is, in the end, what happened right through the La La Land/Moonlight debacle in 2017.

Related: Spider-Man: Far From Home: Marisa Tomei Is Fed Up Of Playing The Role Of "The Mom"

"That urban legend is really cruel and unfair to Marisa. It’s a completely bogus, silly conspiracy theory. Completely ridiculous," My Cousin Vinny manufacturer Paul Schiff stated throughout an oral history by Rolling Stone.

Did Marisa Tomei Deserve To Win An Oscar?

The answer to this question is within the eye of the beholder. Polls on IMDb counsel that Marisa didn't deserve to win for enjoying Mona Lisa Vito, Joe Pesci's fiery partner. Then once more, the film (as well as her performance) still has thousands and thousands of fans whilst one of the most paintings Marisa was once up towards has pale into the recesses of the minds of most effective essentially the most obsessed movie-lovers.

My Cousin Vinny made extra money than the entire films it used to be up against in that class. And people are still speaking about Marisa's performance, regardless of what the context of it is.

"For the nine months before the nomination, everyone told me that they loved the film. They’d go, 'And who was that amazing woman playing Lisa?'" My Cousin Vinny director Jonathan Lynn said to Rolling Stone. "Everybody in the business asked me that question. I wasn’t surprised when she was nominated. We all know that comedy is harder than drama or tragedy, but they give almost all the awards to drama and tragedies."

Related: Is 'My Cousin Vinny' Based On A True Story?

"I have a theory about it," Paul Schiff added. "When it came out, it was the first or second year that videotapes were distributed to Academy members, so they could sit in their homes and watch all the movies for nominations and the ultimate awards. That year, there were a couple of Merchant-Ivory movies and some very highbrow, pedigreed, important films. I’m not sure that the Academy membership would have gone out to see My Cousin Vinny in a theater, but I know they did watch it on video at home. I think we really benefited from that. Academy members wanted to take a break after watching some very serious movies and check out this comedy."

How Marisa Tomei Was Cast In My Cousin Vinny

In the Rolling Stone oral history of the making of My Cousin Vinny, director Jonathan Lynn mentioned that the hardest part of the casting process was finding the correct individual to play reverse Joe Pesci as Mona Lisa Vito.

"The studio offered it to any Italian American they could think of with any name value. They all passed. I think they thought the part wasn’t big enough," Jonathan mentioned. "I started auditioning lots of people. They all came in to read, and nobody was right. I was getting very worried. By chance, John Landis phoned and said, 'I’m finishing shooting Oscar this week,' which was a film with Sylvester Stallone and Danny DeVito. 'Would you like to come down to Paramount and look at the amazing set before it’s broken down?' I said sure. Marisa came onto the set and did her little scene. I said to John, 'Who is this? She’s really good.' She was playing a 1920s blonde flapper, nothing at all like Lisa, but I could see she had good timing."

"I said to Fox [studios], 'I know who I’m going to cast.' They said, 'We want to see a screen test of your first three choices.' I said, 'OK.' We did a test of three women, including Marisa," Jonathan endured. "Then I took the test to Joe Pesci, who was filming Goodfellas. I said, 'I’ve got these three screen tests. I want you to know if you think it’s the same person I think it is.' He said, 'Yeah, Marisa Tomei.' I said, 'Right, I agree.' I then went to Fox. They picked somebody else from the screen test. We had an argument with the president of the studio for about half an hour. Finally, I produced my trump card. I said, 'Joe Pesci thinks it should be Marisa.' Studios never want to have a fight with a leading actor, especially shortly before a film begins. There was a pause and then he said, 'Look, it’s your film. You cast who you want.'"

Next: This Controversial Comedian Almost Played Joe Pesci's Role In 'My Cousin Vinny'

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Christie Applegate

Update: 2024-05-01