Nominations for the 97th Academy Awards were announced Jan. 23 and while it represents the pinnacle of achievement in film, it also marks a crushing blow for some.
Yes, a wide range of movies were recognized with nominations, but some performances and efforts were overlooked — the dreaded, so-called “snub.” And where there’s a snub, there may also be a surprise — a film or performance that earned a nomination pundits may not have seen coming.
Here’s a look at some of this year’s Oscars snubs and surprises.
Snubs:
Denzel Washington
The two-time Oscar winner is an Academy Awards favorite with a total of nine acting nominations, but he got shut out this year for “Gladiator II.” As a matter of fact, the whole movie got shut out, failing to pick a single nomination.
Nicole Kidman
Like Washington, Kidman is another perpetual Oscar darling with five nominations in her career, but no dice this time for her role in “Babygirl.” She had earned plenty of critical acclaim, nabbing best actress from the National Board of Review, but she couldn’t get a nomination here.
Nicole Kidman (left) and Harris Dickinson (right) in “Babygirl.”Niko Tavernise / A24
Pamela Anderson
The former “Baywatch” star had generated some serious buzz for her performance as a dancer in a Las Vegas revue in “The Last Showgirl.” She even earned a Golden Globe nomination for the part, but it didn’t translate to Oscar recognition. Her co-star Jamie Lee Curtis also failed to pick up a nomination.
Pamela Anderson had won raves for her performance in “The Last Showgirl,” but it wasn’t enough to get an Academy Award nomination.Roadside Attractions
Angelina Jolie
It may be hard to believe, but Jolie hasn’t been nominated since 2009 and her only other nomination came when she won in 2000 for “Girl, Interrupted.” It felt like her streak would be snapped thanks to her role as opera singer Maria Callas in “Maria,” but it was not to be.
Daniel Craig
His role as an American in 1950s Mexico who becomes obsessed with a younger man in “Queer” had netted him multiple nominations from various outlets, but he couldn’t score an Oscar nomination. The veteran actor, best known for playing James Bond, has yet to be nominated for an Academy Award in his career.
Drew Starkey (top) and Daniel Craig (bottom) in “Queer.” Craig couldn’t net his first Oscar nomination for his performance in the movie.A24
Selena Gomez
“Emilia Pérez” is this year’s most nominated film, with 14 nods, but Gomez, who is arguably the biggest star in the movie, was not among them.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste
Jean-Baptiste, who notched an Oscar nod in 1997 for “Secrets & Lies,” took home awards for her work in “Hard Truths” from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the National Society of Film Critics and New York Film Critics Circle. That couldn’t sway voters, though, who didn’t reward her with an Academy Award nomination.
Surprises
“The Substance”
Demi Moore has been the talk of Hollywood in recent months. Now, she’s picked up a nomination for best actress for “The Substance,” which followed her Golden Globe win for best performance by a female actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy. The movie itself got plenty of other Oscar love, too, tallying five total nods, including ones for best picture and best director for Coralie Fargeat.
“The Apprentice”
Star Sebastian Stan is up for best actor for his portrayal of a younger Donald Trump in the controversial movie, which snagged a pair of nominations. Jeremy Strong earned the film’s other nod, for best supporting actor.
Jeremy Strong (left) and Sebastian Stan in a scene from “The Apprentice.”Briarcliff Entertainment
Karla Sofía Gascón
Gascon broke down a barrier by becoming the first openly transgender actor to garner an Academy Award nomination, picking up the honor for best actress for “Emilia Pérez.”
Fernanda Torres
Torres is not a household name, but she may be soon. While Kidman and Jolie were left out in the Oscar cold, Torres is nominated for best actress for “I’m Still Here,” building on her Golden Globe victory for best performance by a female actor in a motion picture, drama — in which she beat a field filled with such stars as Kidman, Jolie and Kate Winslet.
