The Academy unveiled its full line-up of Oscar nods Thursday morning, with “Emilia Pérez” leading the field with 13 nominations, followed by “The Brutalist” and “Wicked” with 10 each. While guild nominations and other preliminary awards bodies can help provide a comprehensive forecast for Oscar nominations, there are always a few curveballs mixed into the proceedings. Big names like Angelina Jolie and Denzel Washington missed out on acting nominations this year — and there were many, many more surprises.
SNUB: Angelina Jolie Misses for ‘Maria’
The star earned some of the best reviews of her career out of the Venice Film Festival for her portrayal of the opera icon Maria Callas. Director Pablo Larrain previously delivered Oscar nominations to two of his stars playing historical figures — Natalie Portman for “Jackie” in 2017 and Kristen Stewart for “Spencer” in 2022. But Jolie didn’t land a nod, falling behind in a highly competitive best actress field.
SNUB: Nicole Kidman Blanks for ‘Babygirl’ in Best Actress
The “Babygirl” star won the best actress prize at the Venice Film Festival and later won the same award from the National Board of Review. But after blanking at the Screen Actors Guild and BAFTAs, Kidman’s performance as a glum tech CEO who begins an office affair with young intern had lost too much momentum for Oscar recognition.
SNUB: Selena Gomez Misses in Supporting Actress
“Emilia Pérez” had no trouble securing its status as an awards frontrunner with an impressive number of nominations. But Gomez, the biggest name in Jacques Audiard’s audacious cartel musical, wound up missing in the supporting actress category. Certainly the Academy can be welcoming to pop stars entering prestige fare, as evidenced by Ariana Grande’s nod for “Wicked.” Gomez’s miss is a conspicuous one for a film that was otherwise top-to-bottom loved by the Academy.
SURPRISE: Jeremy Strong Gets His First Oscar Nomination
The “Succession” star earned rave reviews for “The Apprentice,” the Donald Trump origin story sparked by Strong’s turn as the ferocious Roy Cohn. After a splashy debut at Cannes, no major U.S. distributor seemed willing to touch the controversial feature until upstart Briarcliff picked it up. Even with Trump back in office and awards season speeches so far staying light on politics, Strong’s performance managed to draw enough support to put him in the supporting actor race.
SNUB: ‘Gladiator II’ Comes Up Empty for Best Picture and Denzel Washington
Ridley Scott’s decades-later follow-up to his best picture Oscar winner only landed a costume design nod. Heading into the fall, the Paramount blockbuster was seen as a potential awards juggernaut, with some expecting Scott to be a competitor for the best director prize. Despite a successful run in theaters and strong buzz for Denzel Washington, the swords-and-sandals sequel didn’t find support with the Academy beyond craft.
SURPRISE: ‘The Substance’ Lands in Best Picture
Even as Demi Moore delivered a standout speech accepting the best actress prize at the Golden Globes, it seemed unlikely that her ooey-gooey horror film would be able to find widespread support among the Academy. Oscar voters love to recognize the career of a legacy star — but butt shots? Goblin transformations? Firehoses of blood? Well, they like those too apparently, since “The Substance” surged in for a best picture nomination that seemed unlikely even mere weeks ago.
SURPRISE: Sebastian Stan Surges With ‘The Apprentice’
Despite its controversial take on Donald Trump, Stan’s award season narrative made plenty of noise for the Ali Abbasi film. Stan’s well-documented research for and commitment to the role was enough to get Academy attention.
SNUB: Denis Villeneuve Misses in Best Director
Even though the “Dune” filmmaker missed a directing nomination for his first entry in the sci-fi action series, Villeneuve was widely seen as a shoo-in for a nod after “Dune: Part II” debuted nearly a year ago, remaining one of 2024’s best-reviewed (and most commercial) films through year’s end. Alas, Villeneuve was overlooked again. Some prognosticators compare “Dune’s” awards chances with Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, which largely swept the Oscars with its third and final entry “Return of the King.” Notably, Jackson also blanked in the best director category for his series’ second entry, “The Two Towers.” Perhaps Villeneuve will finally get his flowers with his eventual trilogy capper “Dune Messiah.”
SURPRISE: Fernanda Torres Is Still Here in the Best Actress Race
Despite going up against Academy-friendly names like Nicole Kidman and Kate Winslet, the “I’m Still Here” star was able to break through in the awards race to land an acting nomination. After surprising with a best actress win at the Golden Globes, Torres’ momentum has only surged since. As Academy voters caught up with the Brazilian drama, a wave of support unfurled from vocal fans on social media. Now, “I’m Still Here” is one of the few foreign-language features to land an above-the-line nomination at the Oscars.
SNUB: Edward Berger shut out for directing “Conclave”
The “All Quiet on the Western Front” director’s popular papal follow-up scored eight nods, including best picture. Berger was a frontrunner in directing, but couldn’t make it into the crowded field. Yet the snub isn’t any sort of bellwether of the film’s best picture chances, as “Green Book,” “CODA” and “Argo” have all taken home that top statue in recent years without a best director nomination.
SURPRISE: “I’m Still Here” enters the best picture race
Despite strong support for Fernanda Torres and a shoo-in for a nomination in best international feature film, “I’m Still Here” wasn’t widely predicted to elevate into a best picture slot.
SNUB: Pamela Anderson and Jamie Lee Curtis couldn’t land acting nods for “The Last Showgirl”
Anderson made a splash in the awards race with her portrayal of showgirl Shelly Gardner, which showed another side of the actor. Hollywood loves a comeback story, so when she received nods at the Gotham Awards, the Golden Globes and the SAGs, it seemed there was a chance for her to disrupt a competitive category. Additionally, Curtis — who won the best supporting actress statue in 2023 for her role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” — earned buzz for another supporting role in “Showgirl.” Curtis also received a SAG and a BAFTA nod for playing former showgirl Annette in the film.
SNUB: Daniel Craig misses acting nomination for “Queer”
Craig had a strong campaign for his vulnerable turn in Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation of the William S. Burroughs work. The actor’s portrayal of William Lee was celebrated by a National Board of Review best actor win and a Golden Globe nomination, but couldn’t keep up momentum for an Oscar nom.
SURPRISE: The little-seen “Better Man” gets a best visual effects nod
Due to his lack of American star power, this Robbie Williams biopic was a colossal box office flop. Yet apparently enough voters saw the film to celebrate the high-concept, chimpanzee-forward musical.
SNUB: Clarence Maclin shut out of an acting nod for “Sing Sing”
“Sing Sing” had a long campaign cycle, given its July 2024 release date and modest box office returns. Yet the acclaimed film was able to make big waves during the Oscar nominations, as it landed three nods. That said, Clarence Maclin, a favorite for supporting actor by playing himself, was snubbed despite a strong campaign. Yet he did receive an adapted screenplay nomination for the movie, which he co-wrote. Colman Domingo was also nominated for lead actor, and the film’s “Like a Bird” received a best original song nod.