Willie Nelson on the Road to Oscar?

Willie Nelson has always been one of country's original outlaws, so it makes sense that when Harvey Weinstein decided he needed a retro-type rebel for the soundtrack to his new Prohibition period movie "Lawless," he went straight to the master. The movie mogul hopes that the resulting song in the film, "Midnight Run," will ultimately land Willie his first-ever Oscar statue at the age of 80.

"The song's really worthy of it, and there's a lot of affection for Willie Nelson," Weinstein explains to the Huffington Post. "I think in light of the Academy opening up its doors, the idea of Willie Nelson playing at the Oscars at the age of 80 is just too good to be true. When you hear Willie Nelson sing a song like this, it's so iconic, he's a gangster. He's pro-legalization of marijuana, and this is the legalization of booze, at the time. This is a movie about outlaw brothers, and there's no better outlaw than Willie Nelson."

Weinstein is not only campaigning for Willie to receive an Academy Award for Best Original Song for the track, but also for a Golden Globe in the same category. He and the crew actually recruited Willie to be part of the Shia LeBeouf-led film, since they and the film's director and screenwriter, Nick Cave, are all huge fans of the country legend. The movie execs had the song written especially with Willie in mind, and the Redheaded Stranger says he's happy to be associated with the 1930's era movie.

"I can't remember the last time I saw a film that was equal parts fun, action-packed and smart," the music icon tells the Huffington Post. "This film goes well beyond the norm in telling one of the greatest Prohibition-era stories of our time."

If the tune does receive a nod from the Academy, it will be the second time Willie has ever been nominated for an Oscar. His first was in 1980 for "Honeysuckle Rose."

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