The president of the Oscars Academy has hinted that more big names could face expulsion as a result of the sexual misconduct scandal that has rocked Hollywood.

The 90th Academy Awards on Sunday are set to be dominated by the cultural reckoning now sweeping the entertainment industry after the revelations about producer Harvey Weinstein.

Image:Weinstein has already been expelled from the Academy

Weinstein, once one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood, was expelled by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences within days of accusations being made by a string of women.

But the Academy has faced criticism for not expelling others who have been accused, including the director Roman Polanski who was convicted of the rape of a 13-year-old girl in the 1970s.

Roman Polanski fled the US after his conviction
Image:Roman Polanski fled the US after his conviction

John Bailey, who took over as Academy president two months before the Weinstein scandal broke, told Sky News: "Harvey Weinstein was like a seismic eruption. We're still dealing with the fallout from Harvey Weinstein and we will be for a long time.

"So that particular situation had gravity and a depth of misbehaviour and conduct that was so evident it had to be addressed. It was ongoing and immediate.

"In terms of Polanski and other names that have come up, in reality, yes, some of these people have won Oscars. We will just have to see what happens as we move forward but we are putting in place the structure to deal with it."

This year's awards season has been defined by the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements to change attitudes and confront the historic mistreatment of women and minorities in entertainment industry and beyond.

Meryl Street arrives at the Golden Globes with women's activist Ai-jen Poo
Image:Meryl Street arrives at the Golden Globes with women's activist Ai-jen Poo

Ai Jen Poo, the director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, was the guest of Meryl Streep at the Golden Globes earlier this year. It was a high-profile debut for Time's Up's ambition to have an impact across industries and cultures.

Poo says she believes Hollywood is serious about seeking change beyond its own, sometimes insular, world.

"The choice to include all of the different constituencies that were represented by activists at the Golden Globes was to me was a very intentional choice.

"It says the kind of movement we want to be a part of and build is one that is inclusive and that really does advance the interests and improve life for all women and all people."

The revelations about Hollywood's hidden past have taken some of the attention away from the movies and stars looking to pick up Oscars on Sunday.

Campaigning has been as fierce as ever, utilising the blueprint to win over the votes of Academy members that was created by Weinstein.

Professor Gabriel Rossman, who has developed a mathematical formula to measure a movie's "Oscar-ness" and chances of victory, says some of the campaigning dark arts are also on display.

"One way that you can win a bunch of Oscars is not only by saying 'I have a great movie' but also saying that other people have a bad movie or a movie that's associated with bad values."

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This year Dunkirk, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Call Me by Your Name have all been subject of rumours and scandal.

"I don't think that's going to go away," said Rossman. "I think the academy will try and tamp down on that sort of thing but it's almost impossible."

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