The internet has spoken.
The category is: critically acclaimed snubs. On Jan. 23, nominees for the 96th Academy Awards were announced. And as with every year, the list earned a lot of cheers, but even more profound frustration from social media. While it included some well-deserved nods to Oppenheimer — long live the Cillian Murphy renaissance — and Barbie, it fell short in other areas.
Viewers watching their favorite films being robbed of appreciation is an unsavory reality of awards season. And below, these six most notable snubs for the 2024 Oscars prove that.
Not to be dramatic, but these two snubs are “bffr” personified. Despite Barbie’s stunning presence in the film industry last summer, Margot Robbie wasn’t nominated for her role as the Mattel icon. Also, Dua Lipa’s infectious and still inescapable “Dance The Night” wasn’t recognized and Greta Gerwig didn’t land a nod for Best Director. Ironically though, Gerwig and her husband Noah Baumbach did receive a nom for Best Adapted Screenplay.
However, not all ambition was lost for the critical acclaimed movie. Ryan Gosling’s performance as Ken earned a supporting nomination, which fired off a few think pieces on social media. Oh, and America Ferrera — who was also taken aback by Barbie’s robbed accolades — scored a Best Supporting Actress nod.
Oh, Past Lives — the overlooked and gracious beaut you are. After suffering zero wins from their multiple Golden Globe nominations, the Celine Song-helmed film still wasn’t recognized widely at the Oscars. Most notably, Greta Lee’s radiant lead performance missed the chance to be honored in the Best Actress category.
There’s a new murder on the dancefloor: Saltburn’s snub. It seems the Oscars weren’t fond of the dark thriller, as it received zero nominations. Then again, Oliver Quick’s (played by Barry Keoghan) insidious plan to eat-the-rich might’ve unsettled them — and made them reconsider bathtubs. Well, at least Sophie Ellis-Bextor appreciated the vision.
This loss doesn’t speak for the film’s popular reputation, however. Not only did the Emerald Fennell-directed satire earn several Golden Globes and BAFTA nominations earlier this month, but it gave viewers a new bromance between Keoghan and Jacob Elordi.
Though The Color Purple received relatively quiet praise, it still rendered enough emotion for it to be considered for awards season. And it came out swinging, but still fell short: It only received one Best Supporting Actress nomination for Danielle Brooks’ role as Sofia. While Brooks’ nod is well-deserved, it was Fantasia Barrino and Taraji P. Henson’s eclectic performances going unnoticed that startled fans.
This snub truly stings. A24’s latest wrestling drama, The Iron Claw, featured some standout performances from Jeremy Allen White and Zac Efron. Despite major pre-season Oscar buzz, the film (and notably, Efron’s transformative commitment as Kevin Von Erich) was snubbed from the acting categories.
This was a mixed-reaction snub on social media. May December was already shrouded in mixed reception before its May 2023 release. The film was loosely inspired by Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau’s controversial relationship, though lead actor Natalie Portman shared opposing thoughts on what drove the storyline. Despite featuring awing performances from Julianne Moore and the underrated Charles Melton, May December didn’t snag a nomination.
