Who votes for the Oscars and how does it work?

It’s the biggest awards ceremony in the world of film, and Oscars success can come to define entire careers – but who actually gets to decide who the winners are?

The Academy Awards takes place once again on Sunday (March 12), and it remains the most prestigious ceremony of the year in part because of who gets to vote in them.

Every year, once the contenders have been submitted, the fate of the winners is in the hands of not just a handful of people, but hundreds.

Members of the Academy then decide on their favourites and cast their votes. There are reportedly more than 10,000 members of the Academy, made up of people such as actors, filmmakers and musicians.

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While it’s hard to say with much certainty who is or isn’t in the Academy and therefore had a chance to vote for the winners each year, it’s likely that people who have been previously nominated for Oscars will be a member.

Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

The membership is also split up into a total of 17 different branches, which all specialise in different areas. The largest of these branches is the acting categories, with around 1,300 members said to have a vote.

It’s part of why the Oscars are so prized by actors and filmmakers, as they’re voted on by their peers and people who have previously been recognised for their work.

The Academy Awards take place on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Everything Everywhere All at Once is nominated for the most awards, with a total of 11, and German film All Quiet on the Western Front is close behind with 10.

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