‘Jewface’ allegations resurface after 2 controversial Oscar nominations

Bradley Cooper’s controversial make-up as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro has been nominated for an Oscar (Picture: Jason McDonald/Netflix)

Two controversial Oscar nominations have reignited the heated row surrounding claims of ‘Jewface’ in recent films.

As recognition was bestowed on some of the biggest movies of the year on Tuesday by the Academy, including Oppenheimer, Barbie and Poor Things, two specific nominations caused an outcry in some quarters.

Bradley Cooper’s ambitious Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro, which scored seven nods from the Academy overall, and Golda – a film about Israel’s fourth prime minister – were both nominated for their make-up and hairstyling.

Both films feature non-Jewish stars, in Cooper, 49, and Dame Helen Mirren, 78, respectively, donning prosthetics – including false noses – to play the lead roles.

Many see this as fuelling antisemitic stereotypes, despite Bernstein’s own family speaking out in defence of Cooper’s decision to reflect their father’s ‘nice, big nose’.

‘I see The Academy have shortlisted Golda and Maestro in the *Hair And Makeup* category. Literally: Oscar nominations for Jewface,’ tweeted comedian David Baddiel on social media platform X.

Golda, in which non-Jewish actress Dame Helen Mirren plays Israel’s Prime Minister Gold Meir, also received a nod in the same category (Picture: Sean Gleason/Bleecker Street via AP)

Cooper as Bernstein, who has also been nominated for best actor and original screenplay, as well as best film, with Carey Mulligan as Felicia Montealegre, a best actress nominee (Picture: Jason McDonald/Netflix)

The actor was defended by Bernstein’s children for wearing a prosthetic nose (Picture: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

‘And the Oscar for the best prosthetic nose on a gentile actor goes to…’ responded Nir Kahn in the comments.

‘The Oscars love to reward Jewface, it seems,’ posted Sam Zilberstein, while user @monicanen argued, while sharing the nominations in the category: ‘Two films here that relied on ‘jewface’ but complete dismissal of Barbie and Priscilla where their looks were meticulously researched and executed.’

Poor Things, Oppenheimer and Society of the Snow were the other films nominated in the category.

However, other film fans didn’t agree, with user @zwitterio claiming that they ‘[didn’t] think it’s an ethnic thing but a nose thing’.

‘They gave an award to Nicole Kidman for wearing a big nose to play Virginia Woolf – she was described as “brave” to do it,’ they added, referencing the actress’s performance in 2002 drama The Hours.

In October, the make-up artist in charge of Cooper’s five-hour transformation into Bernstein, Kazu Hiro, addressed the scandal and apologised, as he admitted he hadn’t expected backlash in the response.

‘I wasn’t expecting that to happen. I feel sorry that I hurt some people’s feelings,’ Hiro explained at a New York Film Festival screening.

The real Leonard Bernstein in 1970 (Picture: Peter King/Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty)

Golda Meir, pictured in 1973 (Picture: UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty )

Israel’s former PM was quite a transformation for Dame Helen (Picture: Sean Gleason/Bleecker Street via AP)

The star previously weighed in on the ‘Jewface’ backlash to her casting (Picture: Getty)

Dame Helen has also previously addressed the backlash, saying that she could see there was ‘something offensive’ about ‘assuming a certain physiognomy’ to play a particular race.

Speaking about whether she can see why people are uncomfortable with what some term ‘Jewface’, the actress said: ‘I think I can see, but sometimes I can’t see, because I can’t see who in this room is Jewish.

‘We are all such an amazing mix and certainly I don’t have an issue with Kirk Douglas playing a Viking. Kirk Douglas was Jewish.

‘I think the whole question of assuming a certain physiognomy because you’re playing a particular race. There is something offensive about that.’

‘On the other hand, if you’re playing Leonard Bernstein, and this is really what Leonard Bernstein looked like, you know, maybe it’s a good idea. It’s as I said it’s a very delicate balance,’ she told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

Jewish British actress Tracy-Ann Oberman has previously shared her disappointment on Cooper’s make-up, which she deemed ‘the equivalent of Black-Face or Yellow-Face’, while Dame Mauren Lipman criticised Dame Helen’s casting as Meir.

Metro.co.uk has contacted the Academy and reps for Netflix and Embankment Films for comment.

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The make-up and hairstyling category made room for criticised nominees.