The Oscars Once Nominated a Person Who Doesn't Even Exist

Collider

By Matthew Mosley

Published Oct 8, 2023

And no, we're not talking about pseudonyms – two brothers were both nominated for Academy Awards, but only one of them actually exists.

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The film Adaptation was unique in many ways, including the nomination of a fictional character, Donald Kaufman, for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The inclusion of Donald Kaufman as a co-writer enhanced the film's "illusion of life colliding with art" and represented the grueling process of writing for the real Charlie Kaufman.
While other fictional names have been recognized by the Academy, the nomination of Donald Kaufman stands out as a truly distinctive situation due to the film's unconventional nature and Charlie Kaufman's creative vision.