Actor Mira Sorvino has blasted the Oscars for omitting her late father, Goodfellas star Paul Sorvino, from its “In Memoriam” montage on Sunday night.
“I for one am remembering Dad on this Oscars night...” Mira tweeted after Sunday’s ceremony.
At the 1996 Oscars, Mira memorably caused her dad to break down in tears, as she thanked him while accepting her Best Supporting Actress statuette for Mighty Aphrodite.
Mira had posted a clip of that moment on her Instagram, with the warm words: “On this first year after his passing it is truly a bittersweet but beautiful memory. I love you Dad, I miss you so much.”
She updated her post after the snub, writing: “When I posted this I had not learned of Dad’s omission and that of several other incredible artists from the In Memoriam section.
“Incredibly hurt and shocked that my father’s lifelong, irreplaceable, enormous contribution to the world of cinema was overlooked by whomever made that list.
“We, his adoring family, and you, his adoring public, know just how unique and incredible he was. We hope [the Academy] does something to put this right.”
The following morning, she got even more explicit with her criticism, calling it “baffling beyond belief that my beloved father and many other amazing brilliant departed actors” didn’t appear in the “In Memoriam” segment.
“The Oscars forgot about Paul Sorvino, but the rest of us never will!!” she added.
Paul Sorvino died at the age of 83 last July, having appeared in such films as Reds, Nixon, The Rocketeer and That Championship Season.
“In Memoriam” segments are compiled by a committee at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Other notable omissions from this year’s reel included Anne Heche, Leslie Jordan, Tony Sirico and Tom Sizemore. South African actor Charlbi Dean, who starred in the Best Picture contender “Triangle of Sadness” and who died at age 32 of sepsis in August, was also not included.
All of them made the Academy’s online list, however.
Robert Blake, who died just days before this year’s Oscars, conspicuously did not appear on either the broadcast list or the online version.
He starred in the 1967 film In Cold Blood but was arguably better known for being tried and acquitted in the murder of his wife Bonny Lee Bakley.