An Oscar for Rocky? ‘Project Hail Mary’ Puppeteer James Ortiz Is Eligible for Best Supporting Actor (EXCLUSIVE)

Amazon MGM Studios' "Project Hail Mary" has submitted James Ortiz for supporting actor in the Oscars, making him eligible for Academy Award consideration in acting categories. Ortiz's work as a puppeteer and voice actor for the film's spider-like alien, Rocky, raises questions about the classification of nontraditional acting roles. The Academy's Special Achievement Award, introduced in 1972, was designed to recognize groundbreaking work that doesn't fit into existing categories, but it has largely been abandoned.