Amanda Seyfried's Documentary Role Sparks Historic Oscar Buzz

A24's documentary 'You Can See Everything' is generating Oscar buzz not only for Best Picture but for a historic potential Best Supporting Actress nomination for Amanda Seyfried. The film grossed over $15 million in its opening weekend across about 800 theaters, achieving the highest-grossing debut in under 1,000 theaters in over two decades. It is the biggest non-music documentary opening since Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 in 2004 and the largest debut for any film on under 1,000 screens since 2006's Borat.

Directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, the film had a super-secret one-time screening at the Telluride Film Festival over Labor Day weekend before its wide release. Pundits are now speculating on its Oscar chances across multiple categories, fueled by its commercial success and A24's aggressive awards campaign.

A24 mounts aggressive awards campaign

The distributor is strategically positioning the film for awards season with targeted industry screenings. A24 held a screening for members of the documentary branch at the Directors Guild of America on Saturday, which was packed and enthusiastic. This was followed by an official AMPAS screening at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Sunday afternoon, attended by an estimated 530 people. Directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim appeared for a Q&A moderated by the author of the report after the AMPAS event.

Seyfried's secret role fuels speculation

The identity of the Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning star appearing in the film's second half was kept secret. Amanda Seyfried, who played Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout and won an Emmy for the role, was seen at Saturday’s Academy Museum Gala. She was coy and evasive when asked about Holmes or her participation in the film. A24 sources have confirmed their belief in her eligibility. "They still are in the process, but I am told they believe she is eligible and are definitely mulling the possibility of campaigning her," they said. IMDb has begun listing Seyfried, Christopher Abbott, and Nathan Fielder on the film’s official page.

Historic precedent creates Oscar uncertainty

No actor has ever been nominated for an Oscar for appearing in a documentary in the Academy Awards’ 99-year history. The film is being considered for Best Supporting Actress, a move that would break that long-standing precedent. Academy rules for actors do not prohibit documentaries, only uncredited performances, and all performers in the film, including Seyfried, are fully credited. The closest modern example is Maria Bakalova in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, though that film is not a documentary. No actor has ever been nominated for playing themselves in a film, though John Malkovich did so in Being John Malkovich and was SAG-nominated as part of the ensemble.

Critics Choice opens a path for recognition

Other major awards bodies present significant hurdles. Both SAG-AFTRA and the Golden Globes explicitly rule out documentaries from performance categories. There is an effort to change SAG-AFTRA rules, but the submission deadline has passed. In contrast, the Critics Choice Association has opened a path. It nominated 'You Can See Everything' for its Critics Choice Documentary Awards on November 8, where it is up for five awards including Best Documentary Feature. The association confirmed that "despite the separate ceremony, all documentaries, and by extension performances in them that apply, could be nominated for Critics Choice Awards." A24 is exploring other awards possibilities despite the barriers elsewhere.

Critical praise for the film's craft is also noted, highlighting David Bolen’s exceptional cinematography, Ari Balouzian’s haunting music, and Adam Locke-Norton’s impressive editing, which shaped 700 hours of footage into a tight two-hour and fifty-four-minute runtime. The Critics Choice Association has nominated 'You Can See Everything' for its Critics Choice Documentary Awards on November 8, where it is up for five awards including Best Documentary Feature.