Robbie Williams' song "Forbidden Road" from his biopic Better Man has been disqualified from Oscar consideration, despite initially making the shortlist of 15 finalists for Best Original Song.

The track, written by Williams, Freddy Wexler, and Sacha Skarbek, was recently nominated for a Golden Globe but won't compete for an Oscar due to containing material from a previous song not written specifically for the film. The Academy's rules require songs to be written exclusively for the motion picture.

The disqualification came after similarities were discovered between "Forbidden Road" and "I Got A Name," written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel for the 1973 film The Last American Hero. Fox serves as a member of the AMPAS Board of Governors.

While the song is out of contention, Better Man remains shortlisted in the Visual Effects category, notably for its portrayal of Williams as a chimpanzee. The film is among ten finalists competing for five nomination spots.

The Academy's music branch, consisting of over 400 members, received a letter explaining the decision. This disqualification isn't unprecedented - in 2013, the film Alone Yet Not Alone had its title song removed from consideration after its composer violated Academy rules by lobbying branch members for votes.

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