Diana Ossana, the co-scribe behind the seminal romance film "Brokeback Mountain," revealed the poignant moment she realized their Oscar aspirations would not be realized. Starring Anne Hathaway, Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger, and Michelle Williams, the film had emerged as a front-runner during the 2005-2006 awards season, yet it was overlooked at the Academy Awards.
Ossana recounted to The New York Times a harrowing encounter that unfolded weeks prior to the ceremony, after Oscar voting had concluded. She attended a nominee's gathering hosted by Paul Haggis, the director of "Crash," at his residence. Among the attendees was Clint Eastwood, whom Ossana, an avid fan of "Unforgiven," was eager to meet.
"Paul began escorting me over to Eastwood," Ossana reminisced, "and he said, 'Diana, I have to tell you, he hasn't seen your movie.' It felt as though someone had delivered a swift kick to my stomach." This revelation was a devastating blow, prompting Ossana to conclude, "That's when I knew we would not win Best Picture."
Indeed, on Oscar night, "Crash" triumphed over "Brokeback Mountain" in the Best Picture category, despite the latter having amassed the most Best Film honors throughout the awards season, including wins at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs.
According to Variety, several members of the Academy's acting branch publicly expressed their opposition to "Brokeback Mountain," with Ernest Borgnine and Tony Curtis being particularly vocal. These performers declared their refusal to watch the film, with Curtis stating in an interview that contemporaries such as Howard Hughes and John Wayne would not approve of it. He dismissed the film's significance, asserting, "This picture is not as important as we make it. It's nothing unique. The only thing unique about it is that they put [gay] cowboys on the screen."
To commemorate its 20th anniversary, Focus Features recently re-released "Brokeback Mountain" in theaters, allowing new audiences to experience this groundbreaking cinematic masterpiece.
