Metro Weekly

5 of the Biggest Oscar Nomination Snubs

From Danielle Deadwyler to Taylor Swift, here are some of the biggest snubs of this year's Oscar nominations.

oscars, academy awards, film
Oscar statue — Photo: Kev Bailey / Flickr

Just as soon as the list of Academy Award nominees is announced every year, people begin crying out for those names and pictures that didn’t receive “enough” love, with “enough,” of course, being subjective.

There are only so many spaces in each category, so there are always bound to be actors, writers, producers, directors, and many others who turned in incredible work, but who don’t snag a nod, for whatever reason.

Snubs are always a bit painful, and they’re certainly a bummer for those talents who don’t get the praise that they deserve, but it’s important to remember and applaud all the amazing artists who did hear their names called. 

Here are five of the most noteworthy snubs on the list of nominees for the 95th Academy Awards.

Danielle Deadwyler

There is only room for so many nominees in each category, but this omission really stings. Relative newcomer Danielle Deadwyler delivered an unforgettable performance in Till as the mother of slain African American child Emmett Till. She is the anchor of the movie, and gives a star-making turn everyone should see. The fact that the Academy chose others over her is a shame, especially since she was largely touted as a highly likely and deserving nominee.

Till

Not only was Deadwyler snubbed, but the film she starred in was also overlooked entirely. Till tells one of the most important stories in the history of the civil rights movement, and the final product was entertaining, informative, and incredibly powerful. While it didn’t seem like Till was going to end up as one of the most-nominated projects of the year, the fact that it didn’t earn a single nod makes it look as if the Academy doesn’t realize what’s happening in America right now.

Taylor Swift

For more than a decade now, Taylor Swift has been attempting to earn an Academy Award nomination, and despite the fact that she was competing in two different categories this year, she didn’t end up with a single nod.

After her project All Too Well: The Short Film was left off the shortlist for Best Live Action Short Film, it seemed certain her tune “Carolina” from Where The Crawdads Sing would finally make her an Oscar-nominated songwriter. Sadly, and somewhat confusingly, it was ignored in favor of other cuts.

Babylon

Much was said about Babylon before it was released, and it had all the makings of an awards-season sweeper — but that did not come to pass. The latest offering from director Damien Chazelle has proved to be both a box-office disappointment and a less-than-impressive performer at the award shows. The film did pick up a handful of nods this morning – Best Production Design, Best Original Score, and Best Costume Design – but it failed to sneak into any of the major fields.

James Cameron

James Cameron didn’t earn a Best Director Oscar nomination this morning, but try not to feel too badly for him. The man behind the record-smashing Avatar franchise did pick up a Best Picture nomination for the long-awaited sequel, but that was it. He also could have earned a Best Adapted Screenplay nod, but that didn’t happen either. While Hollywood was abuzz when the fantasy film arrived, the town isn’t rewarding the production with many trophies.

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