The 95th Academy Award Nominees are here, and this year like most, the frontrunners for the Oscars are very clear, but what about those who didn’t get their chance? Let’s take a look at some of the biggest snubs for the 2023 Oscars.
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” leads the nominees with 11 nominations, “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “Banshees of Inisherin received 9”, “Elvis” 8 and “The Fabelmans” 7, but where were the nominations for films like “The Woman King”, “Till”, “Hustle”, “The Menu”, “Where the Crawdads Sing” and “Devotion”? They all deserved a nod, maybe not in best picture but each were worthy of oscar nominations. This year’s Oscars seemed to focus mainly on blockbusters and mass market movies unlike previous years.
Female Directors Overlooked
One of this year’s biggest snubs seem to br Female Directors. The Best Director category doesn’t include any films helmed by female directors. Although the film “Women Talking” received a Best Picture nomination, director Sarah Polley did not receive a Best Director nod. “Aftersun” director Charlotte Wells, “The Woman King”‘s Prince-Bythewood, “Till”’s Chinonye Chukwu and “She Said”‘s Maria Shrader also did not receive any nominations including Best Director.
Viola Davis Snubbed
Despite receiving and BAFTA nominations for her performance in The Woman King, incredibly talented Oscar Winning Actress Viola Davis did not receive a Best Actress nomination despite a brilliant performance in “The Woman King”.
Olivia Colman Snubbed
Oscar Winner Olivia Colman was not able to pick up an Oscar nomination this year despite receiving a Golden Globe nomination for her role in Empire of Light.
Tom Cruise Doesn’t Land A Nomination
“Top Gun: Maverick” landed Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay nominations, but was snubbed for Best Cinematograph, and Tom Cruise himself who starred and produced the highflying sequel sadly did not receive any nods for Best Actor despite delivering a stellar performance in the film.
Taylor Swift Breaks Up with The Academy
Fans were just giddy with the thought of seeing Lady Gaga, Rhianna and Taylor Swift perform at the 2023 Oscars, if all 3 landed nominations. Although Gaga and Rhianna have been nominated for their songs in “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Wakanda Forever” respectively, Taylor’s song “Carolina” from “Where the Crawdads Sing” was Snubbed despite receiving nominations from the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards. Another snub for Taylor that was previously announced when the Oscars shortlist was released is for her short film “All Too Well: The Short Film”, despite receiving a Hollywood Critics Association nomination and 5 wins at the VMAs she was denied a nomination for Best Short Film.
No Best Picture Nom For Marvel
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is nominated for 5 Oscars, including a well deserved Supporting Actress nomination for Angela Basset, a Best song nomination for Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” and nominations for visual effects, make up and costume design. However the Marvel hit was denied a spot at the Best Picture table and Director Ryan Coogler was snubbed for Best Director.
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
The Academy Denied Pal Dano, Again
The Fabelmans received a slew of nominations, among them a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Judd Hirsch, despite him not being a main cast member, and yet Paul Dano was denied a nomination, Dano delivered an emotional performance in the film. This is not the first time the Academy has overlooked Dano, both in “There Will Be Blood” in 2008 and in 2016’s “Love & Mercy”, he was denied a nomination from the Academy. His role as Spielberg’s father in “The Fabelmans” should have earned him an Oscar nomination this time.
The Academy looks away from Till
It seems like the Academy completely forgot about the 2022 movie Till, The harrowing true story of Mamie Till-Mobley’s relentless pursuit of justice for her 14-year-old son, Emmett Till, who was brutally lynched in 1955 while visiting his cousins in Mississippi. Aside from director Chinonye Chukwu being another female director who was snubbed for best director, and the film being snubbed for best adapted screenplay, the film’s star Danielle Deadwyler delivered a powerful performance, it seems the Academy did not think it earned her a nomination for Best Actress.
The Whale Snubbed for Best Picture
Surely everyone is thrilled that Brendan Fraser is nominated for Best Actor. On top of that Hong Chau received a nomination for best actress in a supporting role. However despite how great the film was, despite it’s 6 minute standing Ovation at Venice Film Festival and how much both critics and audiences raved about it, the Whale was snubbed for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Baz Luhrmann Snubbed for Best Director
The Elvis autobiography directed by Baz Luhrmann has received 8 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Golden Globe winner Austin Butler and somehow, Luhrman has not been included in the race for Best Director? The Director behind “Moulin Rouge”, “The Great Gatsby” and now “Elvis”. How could they snub him?
Margot Robbie Snubbed
The incredibly talented Margot Robbie has been nominated for 2 Oscars in the past, for “I, Tonya” in 2018 and “Bombshell” in 2020. She recently received a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards nomination for her role in Babylon, but was left out of the Best Actress ballot by The Academy voters.
Courtesy of Mark Fellman
No Best Director for James Cameron?!
Last but certainly not least, a snub that surprised us all. James Cameron, the only Director to have 3 movies reach 2 Billion at the Global Box Office, a directing legend and 1998 Best Director winner who has helped redefine cinema. The director of “Avatar: The Way of Water” delivered a groundbreaking sequel that has received a Best Picture nomination along with 3 others. So how is it possible that the driving force behind this film, the same director behind “The Titanic”, “The Terminator” and “Aliens” is being Snubbed for Best Director?
It’s disheartening to see that there’s still a ways to go in terms of diversity at The Oscars, the main acting categories this year have no actors of colour nominated, however the number of Asian actors nominated is at the most it’s ever been since 2004 with four nominations. it’s been 8 years since the hashing #OscarsSoWhite started trending and the diversity of the show and the Academy was really called into question. In the last few years it looked like things may have improved down the line, but this year feels like somewhat of a step back. There’s still a long way to go.
A lot of this year’s acting nominees are more experienced actors and first time nominees, proving once and for all that no matter where you are in your career in Hollywood, there’s always time to work towards that nomination.
The 95th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 12, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ABC. See the full list of 2023 Oscar nominations here.
Fangirl and Writer with a huge passion for entertainment.
