SNUB: Jennifer Lopez, “Hustlers”
The biggest disappointment from Monday’s announcement was that Jennifer Lopez is not an Oscar nominee. Her role as a New York stripper in Scafaria’s drama, which drew comparisons to “Erin Brockovich,” was supposed to catapult her to the top of the best supporting actress category (she received both a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nomination).
“Hustlers” grossed more than $100 million at the box office, thanks in large part to Lopez’s work.
SNUB: Awkwafina, “The Farewell”
After winning a Golden Globe for “The Farewell,” Awkwafina should have been nominated for best actress. Her performance in “The Farewell,” a Sundance darling that opened in theaters in August, might have been too understated for voters. The movie also failed to receive a nomination for screenplay or best supporting actress (Zhao Shuzhen).
SNUB: Lupita Nyong’o, “Us”
The Oscars have long had a bias against films in the horror genre. Although Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” picked up four Oscar nominations in 2018, his sophomore feature “Us” didn’t receive the same warm reception from the Academy. Nyong’o, who won an Oscar for “12 Years a Slave,” was nominated for a SAG Award for “Us.” However, the Academy didn’t recognize her in the best actress race for her terrifying dual roles, playing the mother of a family under attack — and her clone.
SNUB: Greta Gerwig for directing “Little Women”
Although Gerwig’s adaptation of “Little Women” received stellar reviews and six nominations, including best picture, best actress (Saoirse Ronan) and best adapted screenplay (for Gerwig), it didn’t land a nod for best directing. If Gerwig had been recognized there, she would have been the first woman in Oscars history to be nominated for best director twice (after “Lady Bird”). Instead, the directors branch went with another all-male lineup: Martin Scorsese (“The Irishman”), Sam Mendes (“1917”), Quentin Tarantino (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), Bong Joon Ho (“Parasite”) and Todd Phillips (“Joker”).
