Robbie Williams accepted the Academy’s decision to remove “Forbidden Road,” his song for Better Man, from Oscar Best Original Song contention. “The rules is the rules, and you have to go by them,” he said on the Golden Globes red carpet, adding that he was “on the other side” of the issue and “it’s all good.”
Why was “Forbidden Road” disqualified from Oscar contention?
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Music Branch said “Forbidden Road” incorporated material from an existing song that was not written for Better Man. The branch’s eligibility standard, as described in the report, requires a song’s words and music to be specifically written for a motion picture.
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An Academy representative later identified similarities to “I Got a Name,” the 1973 song written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel for the film The Last American Hero. The original Music Branch letter did not name “I Got a Name” as the comparison. The report does not provide a detailed musical comparison, so it does not establish more than the Academy’s stated eligibility concern.
This was a decision about the song’s eligibility for Oscar consideration—not a ban on Williams or a ruling that he could not attend the ceremony. The report does not allege plagiarism or establish intent.
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What did Robbie Williams say?
Speaking with a Deadline reporter on the Golden Globes red carpet, Williams said: “Listen, the rules is the rules, and you have to go by them.” He also joked that although it would have been nice to continue in Oscar contention, he was an introvert and would have one fewer party to attend.
Williams summed up his reaction: “I went through it, I’m on the other side, it’s all good.” The remarks were reported by Rolling Stone Australia on January 8, 2025, after the Golden Globes ceremony that weekend.
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What happened to the song at the Golden Globes?
The Oscar disqualification did not remove “Forbidden Road” from the Golden Globes race. It remained nominated for Best Original Song and lost to “El Mal,” from Emilia Pérez. The Oscar and Golden Globes outcomes were separate.
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