No it rewards a positive action. It rewards doing something.
Doing something? What does that mean? All movies do something. I thought the Oscars were about rewarding the perceived "best."
You in this comment framed the argument exactly. The Oscars are not objective, just like the economy is not objective. It is not a natural science, it is a man made event.
Those that have or have the best access have the best chance to build wealth. The rules change all the time.
As you said, there has never been totally free markets. It can't exist without rules or regulations, whether those rules and regulations are perceived to be skewed toward one side or another.
Building wealth has never existed without government intervention. The rules have favored the haves for centuries, now labor has understood how to manipulate the rules in their favor.