'Hurt Locker' producer pulls an Oscar no-no

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering action against a producer of "The Hurt Locker" who sent multiple e-mails urging academy members to vote for his movie in the Oscar best-picture race and "not a $500 million film" - an obvious reference to close-competitor "Avatar."

The e-mails by Nicolas Chartier, one of four nominated producers for "The Hurt Locker" and who put up the financing to make the front-running film, violated the academy's rule against sending mailings that "attempt to promote any film or achievement by casting a negative light on a competing film or achievement," according to academy spokeswoman Leslie Unger.

"My naiveté, ignorance of the rules and plain stupidity as a first-time nominee is not an excuse for this behavior and I strongly regret it," Chartier wrote in an e-mail obtained by The Associated Press.

"Avatar" director James Cameron did not comment.

The motion picture academy itself will hold off on announcing how exactly it plans to discipline Chartier until Oscar voting closes on Tuesday.

The academy's Unger refused to speculate on what action might be taken.

Possible measures include public censure, taking away Chartier's Oscar tickets, and the unlikely option of removing "The Hurt Locker" - about a bomb-disposal unit in Iraq - from best-picture consideration, according to several academy members familiar with the situation.

The members spoke on the condition of anonymity because they aren't authorized to comment about the matter.

It's also possible that if "The Hurt Locker" wins, the academy won't extend membership to Chartier, like it does to most newly minted Oscar winners, the members said.

- AP