This article was written by freelance writer KC Duru
Late last month, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for this year’s Oscars, but Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig were notably absent from the Best Actress and Best Director categories.
The internet was up in arms about these major snubs, as both women played integral parts in the 2023 film “Barbie.” “Barbie” premiered on July 21 and made over $1 billion at the global box office, which made it the biggest film of the year.
The film opened up conversations about feminism, its intersectionality and the patriarchy. Junior criminology and criminal justice major Aleanna Skogsholm said that the film partly captured the realities of womanhood, but that “being a woman is a lot scarier … it’s a lot more like, I’d say real fear,” than what Barbie faced in the film.
University of Vermont environmental science major Melanie Patrizi praised actress America Ferrera, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Barbie.”
“It’s rare that a Latina is casted where her heritage isn’t a focal part of the story. She just happened to be Latina and her character’s struggles were distinct from that,” Patrizi said.
The Academy is no stranger to this kind of backlash. Almost every year there is controversy surrounding the coveted awards, whether it is related to the nominations or the winners. In honor of the annual Oscars snub, here are ten additional notable Oscar snubs since the year 2000.
10. Gillian Flynn, Best Adapted Screenplay- “Gone Girl” (2014)
“Gone Girl,” based on Flynn’s best-selling novel, was highly praised by critics and nominated for multiple Critics’ Choice awards, Golden Globes and one Grammy. The film’s only Oscar nod went to the titular character herself, played by Rosamund Pike, for Best Actress. She did not win.
9. Christopher Nolan, Best Director- “Inception” (2010)
Nolan has been nominated for his directorial work on “Oppenheimer” and “Dunkirk,” with the latter film being his first nomination in the category. However, it baffled many that the seasoned filmmaker’s first director nomination did not come earlier with his film “Inception.” The sci-fi blockbuster was lauded as one of the best of 2010 and a masterpiece of complex storytelling. However, Nolan did clinch Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture.
8. Timothee Chalamet, Best Supporting Actor- “Beautiful Boy” (2018)
Chalamet was practically a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination following Critics’ Choice, BAFTA and Golden Globes nominations for Best Supporting Actor. Unfortunately, the actor’s gut-wrenching portrayal of substance-addicted Nic Sheff did not move the Academy enough to land him the Oscar nomination.
7. Best Picture- “The Dark Knight” (2008)
Superhero movies are notoriously snubbed by the Academy, but this film earned eight Oscar nominations and two wins including Best Sound Editing and Best Supporting Actor for Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker. Despite its critical acclaim and smashing box-office success, the Best Picture nomination was just out of reach.
6. Christian Bale, Best Actor- “American Psycho” (2000)
Another genre the Oscars continuously snub? Horror. This particular cult classic stars Christian Bale as the murderous New York City investment banker Patrick Bateman. It was arguably Bale’s breakout role and a Best Actor nomination would have been well-deserved.
5. David Oyelowo, Best Actor- “Selma” (2014)
Oyelowo played Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in this historical drama, and while “Selma” earned two Oscar nominations for Best Picture and won Best Original Song, Oyelowo was nowhere to be found among the nominees for Best Actor. The British actor’s gripping performance as the civil rights leader did earn him Critics’ Choice and Golden Globes nominations for Best Actor.
4. Best Picture- “Brokeback Mountain” (2005)
This gay Western love story, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, lost Best Picture to the film “Crash” at the 78th Oscars. There is a lot of controversy around this snub, specifically, speculation that the film lost Best Picture because it was a queer movie released in 2005.
3. Amy Adams, Best Actress- “Arrival” (2016)
Adams’ name being left out of the nominees for Best Actress in 2017 threw many for a loop. Considering that the then five-time Oscar-nominated actress had already been nominated by the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice and SAG for her role as Dr. Louise Banks in “Arrival,” the Oscar nomination felt set in stone. However, the Academy passed her up.
2. Lupita Nyong’o, Best Actress- “Us” (2019)
As another film in the horror genre, it is not surprising that “Us” was shut out of any Oscar nominations. However, Nyong’o’s performance as both Adelaide and Red in this film is undeniably spectacular, playing a character within a character so flawlessly it fools the viewer.
1. Uma Thurman, Best Actress- “Kill Bill Vol. 1” and “Kill Bill Vol. 2” (2003, 2004)
As a huge fan of these Tarantino films, it is devastating that Uma Thurman was not even nominated for Best Actress for her role as the Bride. The Academy had two opportunities since “Kill Bill” is split into two volumes and Thurman was brilliant in both, but passed both times.
The 96th Oscars airs Sunday, March 10 at 7 p.m. EST on ABC.