2023 Oscar Nominations: The Biggest Snubs & Surprises, From Tom Cruise To ‘The Woman King’

By Corey Atad. 24 Jan 2023 12:06 PM

The Oscar nominations are here, and as always there are big movies that didn’t make the cut, and some that got in to the delight of fans. Here are some of the year’s biggest snubs and surprises.

Photo: Universal Pictures/Moviestore/Shutterstock

Photo: Tristar Pictures/Moviestore/Shutterstock

Surprise: 'All Quiet On The Western Front'

Photo: Reiner Bajo/Netflix

Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage

Surprise: Stephanie Hsu For 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'

Photo: Moviestore/Shutterstock

Photo: United Artists Releasing/Moviestore/Shutterstock

Surprise: Judd Hirsch For 'The Fabelmans'

Photo: Universal Pictures/Moviestore/Shutterstock

Photo: Paramount Pictures

Surprise: Andrea Riseborough For 'To Leslie'

Photo: Rob Latour/Shutterstock

Photo: Netflix via AP/CP Images

Surprise: Brian Tyree Henry For 'Causeway'

Photo: Apple TV+

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Photo: David M. Benett/Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/WireImage

Photo: Moviestore/Shutterstock

Photo: Universal Pictures/Moviestore/Shutterstock

Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

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Snub: 'Nope'
Photo: Universal Pictures/Moviestore/Shutterstock
Jordan Peele may have tasted Oscar gold with "Get Out", but his acclaimed third feature, "Nope", was completely shut out of this year's nominations, to the dismay of fans and critics alike.
Surprise: Ana de Armas For 'Blonde'
Photo: Netflix © 2022
Despite decidedly negative reviews for the film itself, and a Razzie nomination to boot, Ana de Armas surprised with a Best Actress nomination for her performance as Marilyn Monroe in "Blonde".
Snub: 'The Woman King'
Photo: Tristar Pictures/Moviestore/Shutterstock
Not only was Viola Davis snubbed for her commanding performance in the historical epic "The Woman King", the film was left completely in the dust when the nominations were announced, to the shock of many awards watchers and movie fans.
Surprise: 'Women Talking'
Photo: 2022 Orion Releasing LLC. All Rights Reserved
Everyone is talking about "Women Talking", Sarah Polley's adaptation of the Miriam Toews book about a group of Mennonite women deciding what to do after experiencing constant sexual assaults by the men in their community.

The film managed to pick up big nominations for both Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture.
Surprise: 'All Quiet On The Western Front'
Photo: Reiner Bajo/Netflix
After premiering at The Toronto International Film Festival last year, the German war epic "All Quiet on the Western Front" has been picking up awards buzz, but nobody could have expected the amount of Oscars love it received, with 9 nominations, including Best Picture.
Snub: Women Directors
Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage
"Women Talking" may have scored two nominations, but Sarah Polley came up short in the Best Director category, as did all other films directed by women, only a year after Jane Campion won the prize for "The Power of the Dog".
Surprise: Stephanie Hsu For 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'
Photo: Moviestore/Shutterstock
"Everything Everywhere All at Once" may be the odds-on favourite to win Best Picture, but some still questioned whether the Academy would show love for Stephanie Hsu's remarkable performance as the film's complicated villain. In the end, Hsu managed to score a Best Supporting Actress nomination, alongside co-star Jamie Lee Curtis in the same category.
Snub: Danielle Deadwyler For 'Till'
Photo: United Artists Releasing/Moviestore/Shutterstock
Not only did the historical drama "Till" fail to land any nominations, star Danielle Deadwyler, who has received plaudits from all corners, was left out of the running for Best Actress for her role as Mamie Till-Bradley, the mother of Emmett Till, who defied the racist status quo to demand justice her son's lynching.
Surprise: Judd Hirsch For 'The Fabelmans'
Photo: Universal Pictures/Moviestore/Shutterstock
Few saw veteran actor Judd Hirsch getting nominated for essentially one standout scene in Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” — especially over Paul Dano’s stirring performance as a semi-fictionalized version of Spielberg’s father. At 87 years and 315 days, Hirsch becomes the second oldest acting nominee behind Christopher Plummer who was 88 years and 41 days when he got his nod.
Snub: Tom Cruise For 'Top Gun'
Photo: Paramount Pictures
"Top Gun: Maverick" may be a darling this awards season, getting Oscar nominations for best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and more, but star Tom Cruise failed to get a nomination for Best Actor.
Surprise: Andrea Riseborough For 'To Leslie'
Photo: Rob Latour/Shutterstock
With a late-breaking groundswell of support from her fellow actors, Andrea Riseborough managed to nab a nomination for Best Actress for her performance as a troubled alcoholic in the film "To Leslie".
Snub: 'RRR'
Photo: Netflix via AP/CP Images
The joyous and action-packed Indian historical epic scored a Best Original Song nomination for the infectious "Naatu Naatu", but outside of that, blockbuster hit wasn't included among the nominees in any of the other categories, to the disappointment of fans worldwide.
Surprise: Brian Tyree Henry For 'Causeway'
Photo: Apple TV+
"Causeway", starring Jennifer Lawrence as a veteran returning home to pick up the pieces of her life, failed to get serious awards traction this season, but "Atlanta" star Brian Tyree Henry surprised with a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his tender performance as a car mechanic haunted by his past.
Snub: James Cameron For 'Avatar: The Way Of Water'
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
While "Avatar: The Way of Water" may have received a number of nominations. including for Best Picture, its director, James Cameron, was left out of the running for Best Director, an award he won for "Titanic" and was nominated for again for the first "Avatar" film.
Snub: The Cast Of 'Babylon'
Photo: David M. Benett/Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/WireImage
Despite polarizing reactions and dismal box office returns, Damien Chazelle's old Hollywood epic "Babylon" did score three nominations, for Production Design, Costume Design and Original Score.

Snubbed, though, were its three stars, Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt and Diego Calva.
Surprise: Paul Mescal For 'Aftersun'
Photo: Moviestore/Shutterstock
Many had hoped the gut-wrenching father-daughter drama "Aftersun" would receive more Oscars love, but as a long shot contender, it came as a welcome surprise when actor Paul Mescal was among the Best Actor nominees.
Snub: Paul Dano For 'The Fabelmans'
Photo: Universal Pictures/Moviestore/Shutterstock
Actors Michelle Williams and Judd Hirsch both received nods for their work in Steven Spielberg's beloved "The Fabelmans", but Paul Dano was left out of the running for Best Supporting Actor
Snub: Taylor Swift
Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
With two shots at an Oscar nomination, for her song "Carolina", from the film "Where the Crawdads Sing", and her "All to Well: The Short Film", Taylor Swift came up empty-handed. Perhaps her feature directorial debut, set to shoot this year, will change her Oscar fortunes.

2023 Oscar Nominations: The Biggest Snubs & Surprises, From Tom Cruise To ‘The Woman King’

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