Critic claims Hollywood house maids cast Oscar votes

The 87th Academy Award nominations are actually cast by Hollywood house maids, or so says veteran film critic Barry Norman.

While speaking to Radio Times, Norman said that Oscar voters don't generally watch every film and some of them, especially the elderly, get their maids to watch them on DVD and deliver their opinions, the Independent reported.

Chris Martin had once even admitted that he filled in the form belonging to his then-wife, and former Best Actress winner Gwyneth Paltrow, where he voted for Mickey Rourke.

Norman said that while being nominated for an Oscar was a victory in itself, when it came to picking the winners, people tend to vote their personal likes and dislikes.

The critic supported his "maid theory" giving example of the 2011 film 'The Help,' as the American period drama about a young white woman and her relationship with two black maids, set during the Civil Rights era in 1963, had bagged four big Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Actress for Davis, Best Supporting Actress for Chastain, and a win for Best Supporting Actress for Octavia Spencer.

Norman believes that 'Birdman' star Michael Keaton would nab the Best Actor win on 22nd of Feb, but added that he actually thought Edward Norton, who is up for best supporting player was better than him, and so were David Oyelowo (Selma) and Timothy Spall (Mr Turner), who were "sadly overlooked for nominations.