Deemed unsuitable by the committee – Listen to it
His song Robbie Williams “Forbidden Road” from the movie “Better Man,” which was nominated earlier this week for Best Original Song, has been ruled out, according to Variety.
The song, insiders say, “incorporates material from an existing song that was not written for the film” and was thus deemed ineligible for an Oscar.
Academy rules state that the lyrics and music of any song submitted for awards must be “original and written specifically for a motion picture.”
The melody of “Forbidden Road” bears notable similarities to that of “I Got a Name”, the Charles Fox-Norman Giebel song performed by G Cross in the 1973 film The Last American Hero. Coincidentally, Fox is one of three governors of the music branch of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The semi-biographical musical film about British pop singer Robbie Williams was directed by Michael Gracie.
“This is a decision that honors our rules and protects the special nature of the Original Song and Original Music categories” is stated in a letter received by the 400 members of the music section of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Voting for Oscar nominations will begin on January 8.
