The ‘Reagan’ biopic starring Dennis Quaid has been disqualified from the Best Picture Oscar nomination due to failing to meet the Academy’s DEI requirements. This high-profile rejection has ignited fierce debate about Hollywood’s institutionalized DEI standards. Do the Academy’s diversity requirements promote better filmmaking or simply enforce ideological conformity?
Oscar’s Diversity Requirements Block “Reagan” Biopic
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has excluded the popular “Reagan” biopic from Best Picture consideration because it failed to meet diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements instituted in 2020. The film, which stars Dennis Quaid as the 40th president and features a predominantly white cast reflecting Reagan’s actual historical circle, could not satisfy any of the Academy’s diversity criteria for its highest honor.
To qualify for Best Picture consideration, films must meet at least two of four standards requiring representation of underrepresented groups both on-screen and in production roles. “Reagan,” screenwriter Howard A. Klausner noted, “By these new rules, many previous winners would never have been recognized,” highlighting how historical accuracy in the film ultimately prevented it from meeting arbitrary diversity quotas.
🚨🇺🇸REAGAN BIOPIC BANNED FROM OSCARS OVER WOKE RULES?!
Dennis Quaid’s Reagan was disqualified from Oscar consideration because it didn’t meet the Academy’s DEI quotas, according to screenwriter Howard Klausner:
“Movies used to bring us together. Now they’re part of the cultural… https://t.co/ykgse73DXW pic.twitter.com/uGz27pwipe
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 3, 2025
Audience Loves, Critics Scorn
The Reagan biopic achieved a remarkable 98% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes while simultaneously receiving only an 18% score from critics, creating an 80-point gap that producer Mark Joseph plans to submit for a Guinness World Record. This extraordinary disparity underscores the growing divide between everyday viewers and professional critics, particularly regarding content perceived as celebrating conservative figures or values.
The film received no Oscar nominations but earned seven nominations from other groups, including six from the Golden Raspberry Awards (Razzies), which typically recognize what critics consider the worst films of the year. Despite critical disdain, Penelope Ann Miller won “Outstanding Performance In a Historical Drama” from the Family Film Awards for her portrayal of Nancy Reagan, suggesting the film’s artistic merits were recognized outside mainstream Hollywood institutions.
Reagan biopic was ditched from #Oscars2025 consideration for failing to meet Academy DEI standards — screenwriter Howard Klausner
Movies must prove they employ enough women, racial or ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ or people with disabilities. pic.twitter.com/SgvH9FT85m
— RT (@RT_com) March 3, 2025
DEI Requirements Create Industry Controversy
Producer Mark Joseph pointedly paraphrased Reagan’s famous debate line when responding to the disqualification, saying simply, “There they go again.” Klausner further revealed, “We were among 116 films that were eliminated for consideration this year,” indicating that the Academy’s DEI standards are reshaping the entire awards landscape and affecting a substantial portion of yearly film productions.
The Academy’s requirements, which only apply to the Best Picture category, demand that films meet specific thresholds of diversity, including at least 30% of the cast from underrepresented groups or significant involvement of these groups in production, marketing, or internships. The “Reagan” biopic, produced by Voltage Pictures with a $25 million budget and grossing nearly $30 million, demonstrated commercial viability but couldn’t overcome the institutional barriers to award consideration despite its financial success and strong audience reception.