Constance Wu’s Response to Casey Affleck’s Oscar Nod Powerfully Explains the Difficulty of Separating Art From Artist

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Although Best Actor front-runner Casey Affleck found his awards campaign briefly sidetracked as past allegations of sexual harassment began resurfacing, the Manchester by the Sea star ultimately nabbed an Oscar nomination on Tuesday morning without much trouble at all. His performance—a very good one—has been celebrated by critics and industry members alike, and it’s all but inevitable at this point that he’ll emerge victorious with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in February.
Fresh Off the Boat actress Constance Wu, for one, wasn’t surprised by Affleck’s consistent success. But she still used the occasion of his nomination to speak out against the prestigious recognition he continues to receive.
Men who sexually harass women 4 OSCAR! Bc good acting performance matters more than humanity,human integrity!Bc poor kid rly needs the help!
— Constance Wu (@ConstanceWu) January 24, 2017
Boys! BUY ur way out of trouble by settling out of court!Just do a good acting job,thats all that matters!bc Art isn't about humanity,right?
— Constance Wu (@ConstanceWu) January 24, 2017
Here's a thing I wrote during an convo w/ @PeterShinkoda about how Casey Affleck's win will be a nod to Trump's. pic.twitter.com/FjrRsniS9d
— Constance Wu (@ConstanceWu) January 24, 2017
I've been counseled not to talk about this for career's sake. F my career then, I'm a woman & human first. That's what my craft is built on.
— Constance Wu (@ConstanceWu) January 24, 2017
Wu is making a very specific point here. The conversation surrounding Affleck—and others this year, including Mel Gibson and, less successfully, Nate Parker—often comes down to the “art versus artist” debate, the notion that holding someone’s art responsible for his or her alleged actions is potentially unfair. Wu pushes against this with a firm rebuttal: The very art being lauded and positioned as worthy of recognition (Casey Affleck's performance as a man reeling in grief from tragedy) is about the human experience and intends to honor the “dignity” and “the treatment of human life.”
She’s posing an important question, too, about the stock being placed in accolades. As she writes, “The absence of awards doesn’t diminish a great performance.” Indeed, the purpose of awards is in part to celebrate the artist, anyway—it’s why a comeback narrative for a major name like Mel Gibson can be so powerful. This is a contentious issue that is unlikely to find resolution any time soon. But Wu’s comments sharply expose what one side of the debate tends to overlook.