As Autumn descends upon Hollywood, a palpable excitement fills the air, signaling the arrival of prestigious award season. With the changing leaves, the industry buzzes with anticipation as discussions about potential Oscar nominees circulate. Hollywood insiders eagerly dissect the year’s most captivating films, speculating on their chances of snagging a coveted spot in the esteemed lineup.
Yet, year after year, despite months of fervent speculation, the momentous day arrives when the nominations are announced, and disappointment lingers. Among the elation of those recognized, there exists a pang of frustration for the individuals and movies that find themselves snubbed, forever yearning for recognition and that elusive chance at the golden statuette. So, now that the 2024 Oscar nominations have been announced, here’s our pick of the 6 biggest snubs.
6. Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget (Animated Feature Film)
Chicken Run, the 2000 animated classic from Peter Lord and Nick Park, follows a group of determined chickens who hatch an audacious plan to escape their oppressive farm and avoid becoming pies. Led by the fearless Ginger and with the help of the charming Rocky, a rooster who crash-lands into their lives, the poultry protagonists encounter numerous obstacles as they strive for freedom.
Despite being critically acclaimed and a box-office success, Chicken Run shockingly failed to receive an Oscar nomination that year, leaving many to label it as one of the biggest snubs in Academy history. This egregious oversight led to a significant uproar among the industry’s creative talents, who felt that animated films were not being given the proper recognition they deserved. Consequently, the movie’s impact was profound, as it played a pivotal role in advocating for the creation of the Best Animated Feature category at the Oscars. So, undeniably, this led many to speculate that Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget would avenge its predecessor and land an Oscar nomination in 2024. However, this did not happen, making the Netflix original one of the biggest and most shocking Oscar snubs of 2024.
Watch Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget on Netflix
5. Zac Efron for The Iron Claw (Best Actor in a Leading Role)
Zac Efron rose to fame starring in the pop culture sensation, High School Musical. While it was a massive hit with a younger demographic, it didn’t exactly showcase his prowess as a formidable dramatic talent. However, in the years following, Efron set out to prove himself as a dynamic thespian. In the hit comedy, Bad Neighbors, Efron held onto to his charming, handsome young man image, but spliced a layer of wit and jock like masculinity over it. This could have damaged his image, as jocks aren’t typically likeable in movies. However, Efron pulled it off in a way that actually made him the most commanding comedic presence in the movie, perhaps even outshining comedy heavyweight Seth Rogen.
Since then, Efron has continued to transcend into more dramatic roles. In 2019, he starred as the despicable serial killer Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. In 2022, he held his own against Oscar winner Russell Crowe in the war drama, The Greatest Beer Run Ever. However, his role in The Iron Claw is where it became clear that he is now on a path to become a leading dramatic talent. Once again taking on the role of a real-life figure, Efron takes the lead as Kevin Von Erich, a legend in the world of professional wrestling.
Efron is no stranger to transforming his body, but this role saw him take the process to a whole new level to portray the physical specimen of Von Erich. Not only this, he delivers the most commanding rendition of his career. Of course, realistically, not many people were expecting Efron to land a nomination. While The Academy branch out from their favourites every now and then and recognise career shifts such as this, they also often remain stubborn in their pigeonholing. Nevertheless, that doesn’t take away from Efron’s dazzling performance, making it one of the biggest Oscar snubs of 2024.
4. Leonardo DiCaprio for Killers of the Flower Moon (Best Actor in a Leading Role)
There’s no denying that Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the finest acting talents of this generation. Since early on in his career, he has been a favourite amongst the Oscar voters. So, when he forefronts a picture, it is usually a given that he will land a nomination. However, in 2024, he made the list of Oscar snubs for his leading role in Killers of the Flower Moon.
The 2023-2024 cinematic saw an array of dazzling performances, making it difficult to determine who would land a nomination. Outside of the expectation for DiCaprio to land a nomination based on his history, his snub is shocking as his rendition is perhaps the most nuanced of his career. In the movie, he takes center stage as the questionable Ernest Burkhart, a man we know has bad intentions at heart. This kind of role is extremely difficult to execute, as the audience typically look for someone to root for. However, DiCaprio pulls it off in a way that make his despicable character so captivating to watch, even as his actions become more and more atrocious. Despite such an impressive forefronting, manipulating viewers to find his wicked character so enthralling, DiCaprio found himself on the list of Oscar snubs in 2024.
3. Holt McCallany for The Iron Claw (Best Actor in a Supporting Role)
After years as a character actor in supporting roles, Holt McCallany showcased his ability to lead a production in the Netflix series, Mindhunter. In The Iron Claw, he manages to build upon this powerful might as Fritz Von Erich, the father of the trio of wrestlers at the movie’s focal point. As Fritz, McCallany delivers a raw intensity, shifting between a stern trainer, devoted father and suave businessman.
Like any rise to fame and fall to ashes story, The Iron Claw causes the viewer to question the limits of the mind and body, as these athletes are pushed to lengths beyond imaginable. In The Iron Claw, Fritz is the driving force of such a push, trying to lead his family to success even as their mental health begins to deteriorate. While Zac Efron leads the picture with such ferocity, it is McCallany who carries the weight in the background with an understated yet brilliant supporting performance. For that reason, he makes the list of the biggest Oscar snubs in 2024.
2. Greta Gerwig for Barbie (Best Achievement in Directing)
Greta Gerwig has cemented herself as one of the top filmmakers of her generation. After the massive box office and critical success of Barbie, it became evident that the movie would rake in numerous nominations at The Oscars. The movie landed eight nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Gerwig and Noah Baumbach. While these nominations are a testament of success, Gerwig’s failure to land a Best Director nomination stands as one of the biggest Oscar snubs of the season.
In terms of the history around the coveted Best Director Oscar, The Academy seem to follow the pattern of nominating one female director a year. This leads many to speculate that Justine Triet‘s nomination for Anatomy of a Fall pushed Gerwig out of the running. However, with the Golden Globes handing Barbie the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award, perhaps The Academy voters are not taking the movie as seriously. Therefore, displaying a level of snobbery, opting to nominate Triet over Gerwig for Anatomy of a Fall‘s more poignant themes.
1. Margot Robbie for Barbie (Best Actress in a Leading Role)
Margot Robbie‘s remarkable ascent to stardom is a testament to her exceptional talent and undeniable charisma. From her humble beginnings in Australian soap operas, she swiftly captivated audiences worldwide, captivating their hearts with her magnetic screen presence. Her breakout role in the critically acclaimed The Wolf of Wall Street truly propelled her into the glimmering lights of Hollywood.
With her star on the rise, she continued to impress, earning two well-deserved Oscar nominations for her immersive portrayal of Tonya Harding in I, Tonya and her thought-provoking performance in Bombshell. However, despite her nomination as a producer for Barbie, Robbie shockingly found herself among the list of Oscar snubs in 2024. Out of all of the snubs, this stands out as the most confusing. Robbie delivers a truly nuanced performance in the movie, blending drama and comedy as her character transcends from naivety to empowerment. Amongst a stacked array of contendors, it’s possible that Robbie simply got outvoted this year, and her supporting actress, America Ferrera stole the show with her mesmerizing and timely monologue.
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