Welcome to Complaining About the Oscars morning—er, I mean, Oscar Nominations morning.
The nominations for the 96th Academy Awards were announced early Tuesday morning (send coffee…please…help us…). As frustrating as nomination morning can be, especially when your faves don’t make the list, this was a joyous year for movies. That is to say: This was an excellent year for movies. That’s made deciding what to elevate for awards excruciating and, as such, the final picks often frustrating.
(Read the full list of nominations here.)
Still, to celebrate: Oppenheimer led the list with 13 nominations. Poor Things and Killers of the Flower Moon followed with 11 and 10, respectively. And while it may have been the year of Barbenheimer at the box office, Barbie surprisingly trailed with eight—with director Greta Gerwig and actress Margot Robbie being passed over. Cue the discourse!
The Daily Beast’s Obsessed team has plenty of thoughts about which movies and performers got in and which didn’t. Below are our screams of despair, cries of joy, and insight into the morning biggest snubs and surprises.
SNUB: Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie’s Barbie Diss
Fans of America Ferrera’s controversial Barbie monologue might be thrilled to see her nominated for best supporting actress, but Margot Robbie’s best actress shutout feels bound to stir up trouble. The acting categories were impossibly stacked this year, but it’s still pretty strange to see both Ferrera and Robbie’s co-star, Ryan Gosling, receive supporting nominations while the actual star of the film is left standing out in the cold—and on her tippy-toes, no less!
Meanwhile Greta Gerwig lost out on the chance to compete for best director—a decision that, paired with the Golden Globes handing the film its ridiculous “Cinematic and Box Office Achievement” award, feels like confirmation that awards voters are not taking this film very seriously. Gerwig still has a shot for best adapted screenplay alongside her husband and Barbie writing partner, Noah Baumbach, and as a producer, Robbie will at least be in contention for best picture. Still, this snub (and particularly Gerwig’s director shutout) feels reflective of a broader pattern within the Academy of dismissing female directors.—Laura Bradley
SURPRISE: America Ferrera in Best Supporting Actress
Don’t underestimate the power of a monologue—or discourse. America Ferrera’s passionate speech about the conflicting pressures of being a woman was the crux of Barbie, and also its biggest talking point. While there was a vocal contingent that didn’t care for it, it did become a major cultural moment. Ferrera’s performance of the monologue got major spotlights at recent Critics Choice and Golden Globes ceremonies, so support for an acting nod was picking up steam. Still, Barbie had some major snubs—no Greta Gerwig in directing, no Margot Robbie for Best Actress—and Ferrera got into her category over major contenders like Penelope Cruz (Ferrari), Sandra Huller (The Zone of Interest), Julianne Moore (May December), and Rosamund Pike (Saltburn).—Kevin Fallon
SNUB: Early Supporting Actor-favorite Charles Melton falls short
May December lovers argue that the film’s emotional core hinges on Charles Melton’s performance as Joe, a traumatized man reckoning with his marriage to his groomer, Gracie (Julianne Moore). But unlike several other voting bodies, like the Golden Globes, Independent Spirit Awards, and New York Film Critics Circle, the Academy was apparently less moved by the Riverdale alum’s surprisingly nuanced work. We’re confident Melton will have many more chances one day, but it’s hard to agree with the Academy that his work in May December was less deserving of recognition than that of everyone else who did make it into Best Supporting Actor.—Allegra Frank
SURPRISE: The Academy loves Nyad
Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the swimming thriller was probably not on a lot of people’s lists to score any big nominations. Not to be rude, but... How many people actually watched it? Then again, we should never doubt Annette Bening or Jodie Foster, who together brought in the film’s two nominations. Bening scored a nod for lead actress, and Foster will compete for best actress in a supporting role. This marks Bening’s fifth Oscar nomination, and her fourth for best actress. Foster, meanwhile, has now received four nominations in her career and won best actress twice—for The Accused and Silence of the Lambs. Something tells me that they’ll both have to swim upstream against a very strong current to actually win, but you know what, you never know!—LB
SNUB: Breakout newcomer Dominic Sessa in Best Supporting Actor
Twenty-one-year-old Dominic Sessa’s breakout performance in Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, in which he plays a surly private school smart-aleck determined to make the worst of being stuck at school for Christmas, is the stuff Hollywood dreams are made of. Sessa essentially wandered onto set one day–he was discovered at an open casting call at his own alma mater, Deerfield Academy–and emerged fully formed on screen in his first movie role as though destined to melt brains and make intimidating eye contact with unseen audience members. In Holdovers, he’s by turns silly, wounded and jocular, easily keeping pace with costars Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and his intense good looks evoke the kind of street edge Timotheé Chalamet would kill for. You’d think the appeal of the narrative of a Sessa nomination straight out of the gate would supersede the performance, but nope, he really is that good and that exciting; a male Jennifer Lawrence with James Dean charisma. Next year, kid. —Helen Holmes
SNUB: The flawless Rachel McAdams for Best Supporting Actress
Though Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret wasn’t a favorite to pick up many nominations for this year’s Oscars, some (read: people with open, loving hearts) still hoped that one of its stars, Rachel McAdams, might pull through with a nomination. McAdams scored a handful of nominations and wins through small voting bodies, and the film and its young star Abby Ryder Fortson were nominated at this year’s Critics Choice Awards. But in the end, the adaptation of Judy Blume’s classic coming-of-age novel received zero nominations. Thankfully, the film is already a modern classic, and we won’t soon forget McAdams’ stirring speech to her daughter that slowly, sadly reveals that parents are just people too—even they can’t be protected from the world’s harshness.—Coleman Spilde
SNUB: May December only gets one nomination
May December may have had a huge boom in popularity after it hit Netflix in Dec. 2023, but its popularity waned slightly among awards voters time went on. The film was shut out entirely of the Screen Actors Guild Awards (maybe they were too sensitive about this portrayal of an actress wickedly worming her way into a perverse dynamic for her own gain?), and didn’t repeat any of its Golden Globe or Critics Choice nominations. But the movie still bowled critics and audiences away with Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman’s tête-à-tête, Charles Melton’s stirring breakout performance, and Todd Haynes’ lush, thorny direction. The film’s Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination is a huge score, but one that should be accompanied by a wealth of others.—CS
SNUB (Or SURPRISE?): Saltburn gets shut out
Apparently, something about Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn put the Academy off. Was it just too kinky for the Academy, or did they just find this frothy thriller a little too silly? Whatever the case may be, apparently not even Barry Keoghan’s intensity or Carey Mulligan’s absolute zaniness could score a nod. Why do I feel like this one is about to set the internet on fire?—LB
SURPRISE: Those Original Song choices
They couldn’t all be Barbie songs, but viewers were surprised to see nominations for both Killers of the Flower Moon and Flamin’ Hot in this category, beating out songs by artists including Dua Lipa (Barbie), Lenny Kravitz (Rustin), Halle Bailey (The Color Purple), and Olivia Rodrigo (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes). Songwriter Diane Warren’s nomination for the Flamin’ Hot tune “The Fire Inside” marks her 15th nod in the category—the Academy loves few things more than consistency—while Killers of the Flower Moon’s nominee, “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)” comes from the Osage Nation music consultant and composer Scott George.—LB
SURPRISE: Best Documentary disses the popular kids
The Documentary Branch of the Academy is notoriously, let’s say…idiosyncratic in its choices, in recent years opting not to nominate what some would consider a shoo-in for a win. (Anyone else remember that A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood snub?) That tradition continued with the widely popular American Symphony, featuring musician Jon Batiste, and Still: A Michael J. Fox movie missing out this year. That said, the list has some surprising, worthy mentions, including The Eternal Memory and Bobi Wine: The People’s President. While so many categories seem easy to predict weeks before nomination morning, at least this one always shakes things up—for better or worse.—KF
SNUB: France’s The Taste of Things in International Feature
France stunned awards pundits when it chose to submit The Taste of Things as its entry for Best International Feature over Anatomy of a Fall, which became an instant award season favorite following its Cannes Film Festival debut. The roll of the dice didn’t pay off, as The Taste of Things was passed over. Still, while some thought Anatomy should have been submitted instead, the excellent Taste of Things definitely deserved to be in the race.—KF
SURPRISE: Napoleon’s great showing
Napoleon, Alien auteur Ridley Scott’s latest, lumbering puzzle of a movie, wasn’t exactly a Barbie-scale success when it dropped last year, but for around two weeks straight I got texts from friends pondering whether to attend a screening at their local multiplex. “I want a malevolent Napoleon, glowering over a row of steam-powered guillotines,” one pal huffed. Critics, too, were intrigued: “in the early scenes, Napoleon seems to be another of [Joaquin] Phoenix’s taciturn, unnervingly volatile, enigmatically damaged, violent men,” Manohla Dagis wrote at the Times. “The difference is that this Napoleon…often resembles nothing as much as an angrily petulant baby.”
It’s no surprise that Phoenix missed out on a Best Actor nod; he was never even a part of this year’s conversation. However, in one of those tacit, sideways acknowledgements of weirdo quality that the Oscars does so well, the film picked up three nominations nevertheless, for Visual Effects, Costume Design and Production Design. I love when these kinds of movies slip into the Oscars discourse via the velvet-lined back alley of art and design recognition. The acknowledgement does what it’s supposed to do: make me want to watch Napoleon. Speaking of which, The Last Duel ROCKED! Everyone go watch The Last Duel! I’ve seen it three times. —Helen Holmes
SNUB: Andrew Scott for Best Actor
Every year there’s a performance in a smaller film that a swath of people just really rally around, rooting, begging, and praying for it to get the attention they think it deserves. This year, that was Andrew Scott in All of Us Strangers. Scott had gained traction throughout the season and was always on the bubble of Oscar predictions. That he missed out is so devastating, the only way to grieve is to watch All of Us Strangers again and cry.—KF
SNUB: Killers of the Flower Moon’s script and co-star miss the mark
After scoring myriad nominations and several awards thus far, Killers of the Flower Moon’s Lily Gladstone has become a Best Actress frontrunner. Robert De Niro has also stayed in the Best Supporting Actor conversation, earning a nod this morning. But co-star Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance hasn’t received much attention at all, even from himself—he’s been stumping more for his co-star all season. DiCaprio’s turn as Ernest Burkhart, whose lust for money and power knows no bounds in a small Oklahoma town, was a central, captivating part of the film’s story, and excluding him here is disappointing.
Flower Moon was similarly passed over for Best Adapted Screenplay, a category in which it was more widely expected to appear. Co-written by Eric Roth and director Martin Scorsese—his first feature screenplay since 2016’s Silence and only seventh ever—the film successfully compressed a 350-page nonfiction book into a riveting, worldly, character-driven drama. But at least Scorsese has a shot at picking up some brass for Best Director. (He’s also now the most-nominated living director of all time. Now give him another win already!)—AF
SURPRISE: The Color Purple only lands one nomination
The Color Purple has all the hallmarks of an Oscar favorite: its colorful, sweeping cinematography; a classic story that has affected multiple generations of audiences; and (mostly) rousing songs performed with aplomb by a fantastic cast of beloved actors and singers. It even picked up a slew of nominations at the BAFTAs, Critics Choice Awards, and the Golden Globes. But the second film adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel only landed one nomination for the 2024 Oscars: Danielle Brooks in the Best Supporting Actress category for her moving performance as Sofia. Though fellow stars Fantasia Barrino and Taraji P. Henson being shut out is a shock, the biggest surprise is that The Color Purple—a musical adaptation—didn’t take home an original song nomination for one of its few new numbers. At least we know what Danielle Brooks would say: “Hell no!”—CS
SURPRISE: Anatomy of a Fall breaks into male-heavy Best Director pack
Anatomy of a Fall racked up several nods this morning, and deservedly so; the courtroom drama elegantly danced around answering its central question: Did Sandra (Sandra Hüller, nominated for Best Actress) kill her husband? Director/co-writer Justine Triet received a nom in Best Original Screenplay, a category she won earlier this month at the Golden Globes. But that Triet also made it into the stacked Best Director category is a welcome surprise. At the same time, it’s a reminder that the Academy seems to have a tacit “one woman a year” rule, as widely esteemed Barbie helmer Greta Gerwig failed to break into the pack alongside her.—AF
SURPRISE: Robot Dreams shakes up the Best Animated Feature lineup
The Best Animated Feature category is often one of the most predictable at awards shows, with Pixar and Disney historically dominating over all competitors. But this year saw strong contenders from other studios, from last year’s winner Netflix (Nimona) to the masterful Studio Ghibli. Hayao Miyazaki’s stunning The Boy and the Heron won at the Globes, setting an exciting competition into motion. But no one expected Robot Dreams, a silent film hailing from Spain, to break into the Oscar pack. It’s a deserving and unconventional entrant, a beautiful work that plays with animation’s limitless potential in ways rarely seen in standard Hollywood fare. An Oscar nom will hopefully broaden its audience—and, if we’re lucky, its influence.—AF
SNUB: Past Lives star Greta Lee is passed over
Past Lives hinges on the emotional, 24-year journey of American emigrant Nora/Na-Young. The film would absolutely not work as well as it does—or, more likely, at all—without a convincing, entrancing actor at its center. For the Academy to pass over Greta Lee’s year-best performance is a travesty; to love Past Lives is to love Greta Lee in Past Lives. Nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay may lessen the pain of this unforgivable snub, but they won't stop it.—AF
SURPRISE: A Forgotten Mission: Impossible Movie lands two nominations
A Mission: Impossible movie landing two Oscar nominations? I guess that’s one mission that isn’t so impossible after all! (If you want better jokes than that, announce the Oscars in the afternoon.) No, Tom Cruise isn’t going to take home the gold for his millionth turn as Ethan Hunt, but Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning could very well take home its nominations for Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. A blockbuster movie from July bringing in two major Oscar nominations—especially after it underperformed at the box office—is a great reminder that there are still plenty of merits in well-made mainstream cinema. It’s also a note not to count out any movies that don’t release during the fall and winter award season.—CS
