Americans aren’t paying close attention to the Oscars, but they are certain in their love for “American Sniper.”
Although just one in five Americans say they are following the Oscars fairly closely, 34 percent of people in that category say “American Sniper” should win the Academy Award for Best Picture, according to a new Economist/YouGov poll.
The next closest movie is Selma, with 13 percent.
29 percent of Americans overall think American Sniper should win, flowed by Selma (8 percent), The Grand Budapest Hotel (5 percent) and Boyhood (4 percent.)
Nearly three of out ten Americans (34 percent) following the Oscars think actor Bradley Cooper should win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Navy Seal Chris Kyle in “American Sniper.” The same goes for all Americans — 27 percent believe Cooper should bring home the award.
The movie, which portrays the life of the deadliest sniper in U.S. history, has received equal parts praise as much as criticism. It is expected to perform well at the Oscars.
Twenty-two percent of people following the Oscars (compared to 11 percent of all Americans) think Michael Keaton should win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in “Birdman,” garnering him second place in the poll.
Overall, the poll found that only a third of those following the Oscars very or fairly closely admitted to having seen none of the films nominated in the Best Picture or acting awards categories.
