The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is weighing a rule change for the 2027 Oscars that would let actors nominate their own work in the final round of voting.

The proposal aligns the acting branch with every other branch in the organization. Under current rules, only the acting branch is barred from voting its own work forward when the field narrows from the longlist to the final nominee slate.

What would the rule change?

The 2027 revision would erase a carve-out that has applied to actors since the modern voting system took shape. If adopted, the rule would take effect for the 99th Academy Awards, scheduled for early 2027 and honoring films released in 2026.

The change applies specifically to the second stage of nominating. It does not affect the broader longlist stage, at which every branch already includes its own projects.

Under the proposed language, members of the acting branch would join writers, directors, producers, editors, cinematographers, and composers in being free to rank their own work among their final-round choices.

How does final-round voting currently work?

The Academy's nominating process runs in two stages. The first stage produces the longlist, with every eligible Academy member voting in their branch on the year's eligible releases. Results are tallied under a preferential ballot.

The second stage produces the official shortlist of nominees. Branch members vote again, ranking the longlisted contenders.

Today, every branch except acting permits members to include themselves in that ranking. Acting-branch members must omit their own work — if any — from the final ballot, leaving it without their direct support at the decisive moment.

The practical effect: an actor who is also an Academy voter cannot push their own performance across the line in the final round. The proposal under discussion would lift that bar.

Why does the change matter for the race?

The shift affects voting behavior at the margin rather than redrawing the field. Most acting contenders are not Academy voters in the acting branch, so the number of self-votes at stake is small.

Where it counts, though, the rule removes friction. A high-profile actor-voter with a strong performance could now rank that performance alongside the other contenders without leaving a blank slot.

Campaign strategists will need to recalibrate how they approach in-branch voters who are also contenders. Awards desks will watch the longlist-to-final-list attrition rates for acting categories in 2027, where the new dynamic first applies.

What happens next?

The proposal is not yet final. Branch rules for the 2027 ceremony remain under discussion inside the Academy's board and branch committees.

A formal announcement, including any additional revisions to campaigning rules and ranked-choice mechanics, is expected before the 2026 film calendar closes.