Ukrainian Expat Group Questions ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Oscar Eligibility Over Allegation A Russian Oligarch Was Undeclared Financier

deadline.com:

A Ukrainian expatriate group disseminated to press an open letter addressed to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, questioning whether Top Gun: Maverick should be allowed to remain in this year’s Oscar race following reports the film was partly funded by a Russian oligarch who put money in the film as a silent investor in LA-based New Republic Pictures.

The mega-hit – in which Tom Cruise reprised his role as US Navy pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell – is nominated for best picture, adapted screenplay, editing, original song, sound and visual effects in this year’s Academy Awards taking place this Sunday.

The Toronto-based Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) asked AMPAS to review the film’s Oscar eligibility, following media reports in January that Russian billionaire Dimitry Rybolovlev indirectly helped finance the film.

Rybolovlev is on a list of Russian businessmen sanctioned by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. The purpose of the letter per UWC is to stamp out the potential for Russian meddling in the content of Hollywood films. “The Ukrainian World Congress expresses its serious concerns over Russia’s influence on the Hollywood film industry,” UWC president Paul Grod wrote in an open letter addressed to AMPAS president Janet Yang that was circulated to press on Monday, during the final two days of Oscar voting that ended 5 PM PST Tuesday.