Just Wondering: Is there really an Oscar curse?

Wonderwall, Thursday, March 18, 2010, 4:04pm (PDT)

By Melissa Hunter

Between the sad scandal that's emerging with Sandra Bullock and Jesse James and the recent news of Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes splitting, many press outlets are concluding that an Oscar curse is haunting a slew of talented actresses who have won an Academy Award over the past two decades.

RELATED: Click here to see all the women who fell victim to the supposed Oscar curse

Kate and Sandra follow in a line of many Best Actress winners who split with their husbands soon after their wins: Reese Witherspoon, Hilary Swank, and Halle Berry, to name a few. In fact, eight of the past 12 Best Actress winners have since split from their significant others.

Much of the media is wondering about the cause for this so-called "curse." A lot of the theories have really fun and sexist undertones, too. One article wonders, "Is it because victory goes to their heads and these women become impossible divas to live with?" Hmm, didn't Sean Penn recently win two Oscars, only to fall victim to a messy divorce, as well? But never mind that.

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Others theorize that successful professional women push their personal lives to the wayside. I'd like to call BS on that, if I may. Or at least, high-profile men destroy their personal lives just as much. I could give you numerous examples of this (Mel Gibson comes to mind), but there's a character limit to this article. Just another reinforcement of how women simply cannot have it all. Sigh.

Might it be that these men can't handle the fact that the women in their lives are more successful than they are? Potentially. Dudes have struggled with that ever since the invention of the female power suit. The Daily Beast asks, "Is the ultimate honor for women in Hollywood the ultimate castration for men?" Castration? Really? Get over it, fellas. This whole women's lib thing isn't exactly breaking news.

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Unfortunately, this assessment is a fairly valid argument. The problem seems to be that some Hollywood guys are living in 1962 and pining for a Betty Draper housewife. And none of these baller women would put up with that kind of nonsense.

While the timing of these two Best Actress splits is too odd to be ignored, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors. But can we just state the most obvious, undeniable factor in these two pairings? Kate and Sandra are light-years hotter than Sam and Jesse. Case closed.

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So what's the deal? Is this a verified "Oscar Curse" or is it just plain old Hollywood instability? Take a look at the fallen golden couples and decide for yourself.