There have been several fictional people or people using false names nominated for actual Academy Awards, in several cases because the actual winners were blacklisted at the time. This list is current as of the 94th Academy Awards.
Despite not having written the screenplay and not even speaking English, Boulle (who had written the novel on which the film was based) was credited because the film's actual writers, Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson, had been blacklisted as communist sympathizers. On December 11, 1984, the Board of Governors voted posthumous Oscars to the duo.[1]
Nathan E. Douglas
Nedrick Young and Harold Jacob Smith co-wrote the screenplay, but Young was blacklisted and used a pseudonym for his screen credit.[2] As an inside joke, director Stanley Kramer cast Young and Smith in bit parts as truck drivers and had their screen credit appear while they were on screen together. In 1993, AMPAS restored Young's credit for this work.
The name was used as a cover for blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo.[3] On December 15, 1992, the Board of Governors voted to change the records and recognize Trumbo. Hunter's name was removed. However, Hunter's son, director Tim Hunter, refused to cede the award to Trumbo, so the Academy presented a second Academy Award.
Robert Rich
This was another cover for Trumbo.[3] Shortly before his death, Trumbo revealed the much-suspected truth.
Roderick Jaynes
Writer-director brothers Joel and Ethan Coen have edited several of their films under this name.[4]
Adrien Joyce
Carole Eastman wrote the film under this pseudonym with director Bob Rafelson.
Donald Kaufman
Donald Kaufman was nominated along with his "brother" Charlie. In fact, Donald does not exist; the screenplay was written by Charlie alone, but credited to both. Donald was the first fictitious nominee not to be a cover for a real person. (Both appear as characters in the film.)[5]
John Mac McMurphy
Director Jean-Marc Vallée edited his film using this pseudonym, inspired by the name of the character played by Jack Nicholson in the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.[6]
P.H. Vazak
Due to his disapproval of the final filmed script, Robert Towne used his dog's name as a pseudonym instead.[5]