This year’s Academy Award nominees will now be gearing up for the 2022 ceremony, which is set to take place in Los Angeles on Sunday night.
Back in February, it was revealed that British stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman and Andrew Garfield were all up for awards, alongside overseas talent including Will Smith, Ariana DeBose, Nicole Kidman and Kristen Stewart.
However, several stars that had been considered frontrunners around the time of their films’ releases were noticeably missing from the nominees – with a few wildcards and unexpected nods in the mix.
Here are some of the most prominent snubs and surprises from the 2022 Oscar nominations…
Lady Gaga
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Let’s start with the biggie – despite receiving recognition at the Golden Globes, Baftas, Critics’ Choice Awards and Screen Actors’ Guild Awards, it seems the Academy was somewhat less impressed with Lady Gaga’s leading role in House Of Gucci.
Gaga was previously nominated for her turn in A Star Is Born, a film which also earned her a win in the Best Original Song category for Shallow.
Frankly, she deserved a nod for the increasingly elaborate and chaotic tales she’s spun during the promotion of the film – but it has to be said that, as ever, Best Actress was a stacked category in 2022.
Therefore, Gaga should take some solace in the fact her lack of nomination has been highlighted by many as the year’s biggest snub, particularly for someone who isn’t even best known for acting.
House Of Gucci
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In fact, House Of Gucci managed to rack up just one nomination in the Best Makeup And Hairstyling category. Actors Adam Driver and Jared Leto were both left off the list of nominees, as was director Ridley Scott, while the film itself is not in the running for the top prize of the night, Best Picture. It had been considered a tight favourite for awards season around the time of its release.
At least Gaga can say she’s in good company.
Jennifer Hudson
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Another singer-turned-actor who generated a lot of early Oscars buzz when her latest film came out is Jennifer Hudson. J-Hud took the lead in the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect, and while the film itself received a mixed response, her performance was lauded by critics.
Unfortunately, like Gaga, she’s been left off the list of Best Actress nominees, though she did receive nods at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards.
We reckon the snub could have a lot to do with the timing of Respect’s release (it came out in the US last summer, compared to more recent releases her competitors starred in), as well as the massive hype surrounding the eventual nominees.
Don’t Look Up
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Considering just how divisive Don’t Look Up has ended up becoming (just ask cast member Ron “Fuck You And Your Self-Importance” Perlman), but clearly enough people with sway in the Academy liked it to get it in the race for Best Picture.
The Netflix disaster movie is also in the running for Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score and Best Film Editing.
The entire Don’t Look Up cast
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However, intriguingly not a single member of the cast has landed an Oscar nomination this year. This includes leads Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, and supporting star Meryl Streep, all of whom have needed to do little more than blink to bag nominations in the past.
Also appearing in the film are past Oscar winners and nominees Timothée Chalamet, Cate Blanchett, Jonah Hill, Tyler Perry and Mark Rylance.
Caitríona Balfe
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As many predicted, Sir Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast has cleaned up when it comes to Oscar nominations, with a total of seven, including Best Picture and nods for actors Ciarán Hinds and Dame Judi Dench.
Still, many have voiced their disappointment that Caitríona Balfe is not up for Best Supporting Actress, particularly after her acclaimed performance earned her noms at the Golden Globes and Baftas.
Denis Villeneuve
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It’s quite a surprise that Dune is among the most-nominated films of 2022 (with 10 in total, behind The Power Of The Dog’s hefty showing of 12), but that didn’t include a nod for the man who helmed the whole thing.
Denis Villeneuve is not in the running for Best Director in 2022, having previously received a nod in the same category for his film Arrival. Still, he will still win his first Oscar should Dune pick up Best Picture or Best Adapted Screenplay.
Bradley Cooper
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Bradley Cooper has been dealt the rare double snub in 2022, with his performances in both Licorice Pizza and Nightmare Alley leading to him being held up as a strong contender at the Academy Awards.
Still, given the lack of actual screen time he receives in the former, we can’t say we’re too surprised he missed out on a Best Supporting Actor nod – even if his brief appearance was a stand-out moment.
Alana Haim
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Speaking of Licorice Pizza, we’re somewhat baffled by the fact that it’s in the running for Best Picture despite its lead actor – who appears in pretty much every scene of the film – being completely snubbed from the Best Actress race.
Alana Haim’s contribution to the film can’t be understated, and it’s particularly impressive that she brought so much to the role when it actually marked the musician’s big-screen debut.
Not a good year for singers-turned-actors, we’ve noticed…
Jessica Chastain
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The second we saw the trailer for The Eyes Of Tammy Faye, we immediately assumed Jessica Chastain was going to be in the running at the Oscars. However, as the weeks and months went by, it seemed she was being overlooked by those in the know in favour of some of her A-list peers.
However, we’re happy to report she’s officially in the running for Best Actress, earning the Tammy Faye Bakker biopic one of two nominations this year.
Rachel Zegler
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Listen, we’ve already mentioned that Best Actress is always a stacked category, and this year is no exception.
We get that there’s not enough space for everyone, but in a particularly star-studded year, it would have been great to see a newcomer like West Side Story star Rachel Zegler in the race. However, it is still great to see Ariana DeBose representing the film elsewhere.
Passing
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Despite a strong showing throughout awards season (particularly at the Baftas, nominations for which came out last week), the Netflix drama has been completely snubbed by the Oscars.
Both its lead stars, Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga, have been lauded for their performances in the black-and-white film, which tells the story of two childhood friends who reconnect as adults and discover they’re living completely different lives, as one is now “passing” as white.
The Worst Person In The World
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It’s always hit-and-miss as to whether foreign-language films are going to cut through with Oscars voters. We thought Parasite winning Best Picture in 2020 might begin a new era for non-English movies at the Academy Awards, but we’re disappointed to see that the Norwegian dark comedy The Worst Person in The World is not in the running for Best Picture, though it has received nods for Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay.
Lead actor Renate Reinsve had also been tipped for Best Actress by some industry outlets, though this sadly did not materialise either.
Encanto’s We Don’t Talk About Bruno
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The team behind Disney’s Encanto don’t exactly have much to grumble about this year, with the film up for Best Animated Feature, Best Original Score and Best Original Song for Dos Origuitas at the upcoming Oscars.
But we have to ask… was We Don’t Talk About Bruno not submitted or something? Considering it’s the soundtrack cut fans have most taken to their hearts (it’s not only the first ever Disney song to reach number one in the UK, it’s also riding high at the top of the US charts), we’re a bit shocked that it isn’t the one that the Academy has chosen to recognise.
Still, whatever gets Lin-Manuel Miranda one step closer to EGOT status, we’re happy with…
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