Los Angeles, Jan 23 — The announcement of the 2026 Academy Award nominations delivered a wave of surprises, unexpected omissions, and historic milestones, leaving awards pundits and film fans buzzing.
From shock acting snubs to a record-breaking vampire horror film, this year’s Oscar race has taken an unpredictable turn. Here are eight of the biggest takeaways from the nominations.
1. Major Acting Favourites Missed Out
Several highly tipped performers were left off the nominations list.
Paul Mescal failed to secure a supporting actor nod for Hamnet, while breakout star Chase Infiniti was surprisingly omitted from the best actress category for One Battle After Another.
Other notable snubs included Jesse Plemons (Bugonia) and Joel Edgerton (Train Dreams), despite both films receiving best picture nominations.
2. F1 Races into Best Picture
Brad Pitt’s Formula One drama F1 emerged as a surprise contender in the best picture category.
Although expected to perform well in technical categories, its inclusion among the top films signalled the Academy’s fondness for traditional, crowd-pleasing cinema.
3. Sinners Shatters Nomination Records
Ryan Coogler’s vampire horror film Sinners dominated the nominations with a historic 16 nods, surpassing the long-standing record held by Titanic, La La Land, and All About Eve.
Coogler earned a best director nomination, while Michael B. Jordan was recognised for best actor.
4. Wicked: For Good Left Empty-Handed
The sequel Wicked: For Good suffered a dramatic fall from grace, receiving zero nominations after the first film won two Oscars.
Even Ariana Grande’s newly added song The Girl in the Bubble failed to make the best original song shortlist.
5. British Actors Make Their Mark
In a year short on British nominees, Sinners delivered two:
Wunmi Mosaku (best supporting actress) and Delroy Lindo (best supporting actor).
At 73, Lindo earned his first-ever Oscar nomination, a moment widely seen as long overdue.
6. Three Actresses Carried Their Films Alone
Three films received only a single nomination, all for lead actresses:
Rose Byrne — If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Kate Hudson — Song Sung Blue
Amy Madigan — Weapons
Madigan’s nod stood out, as horror films rarely receive acting recognition.
7. New Casting Category Raises Eyebrows
The Academy’s new casting category sparked confusion after Sentimental Value missed out — despite all four of its lead actors receiving individual nominations.
Observers questioned how a film with four nominated performances failed to earn recognition for casting.
8. Timothée Chalamet Nears Oscar Glory
Timothée Chalamet strengthened his status as Hollywood’s next great actor with a best actor nomination for Marty Supreme.
At 30, he became the youngest actor since Marlon Brando to earn three lead actor nominations and is widely seen as the frontrunner to win his first Oscar.
Outlook
With surprise snubs, genre films breaking records, and young stars approaching Oscar history, the 2026 awards season is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in years.
The Oscars ceremony will take place in March.
