How Jennifer Tilly ‘Molded the Universe’ to Land Her ‘Bullets Over Broadway’ Oscar Nom – to Harvey Weinstein’s Chagrin

It was the night before Valentine’s Day in 1995, and Jennifer Tilly was sitting in a hotel room, feeling a strange electrical charge in the air.

The Oscar nominations would be announced the following morning, and Tilly had no reason to be optimistic. The actress had earned glowing reviews from critics for her robust comedic performance in “Bullets Over Broadway,” which opened in theaters 30 years ago this week. But it was her co-star Dianne Wiest who had swept the critics awards and won the Golden Globe and was a lock to receive a nomination.

And though Tilly had eagerly promoted her own work in the film – read on to find all about the unique strategy of her campaign – she had not garnered a single precursor citation anywhere and was considered a long shot, generously speaking.