With the Oscars ceremony just two days away, it is nearly impossible to escape the media buzz around the potential winners. Many commentators believe that the Oscar for the best actor in a leading role should go to Leonardo DiCaprio. Analysis of data from the Academy’s database shows that, even for the superstars, nothing is written in stone. A little bit of background reading, aided by New York Times Article API, revealed a history of intricate balancing between the Academy, the studios, and the public.