by Michael Lyons
How the heck did THAT happen?!?
That's all that was heard the morning of the Oscar nominations when last year's biggest film and a movie that became an event more than a movie and saved the moviegoing experience - Barbie - received multiple nominations.
However, there were major snubs - no nomination for the film's star, Margot Robbie, and director Greta Gerwig, who had both championed the movie into existence.
How the heck did THAT happen?!?
Well, it happens all the time, almost every year. And Margot and Greta are in good company. They shouldn't have that fear of missing out (FOMO) feeling, but instead, they should know they are in good company.
Here are some other famous Oscar snubs through the years:
Steven Spielberg - Jaws (1975) and The Color Purple (1985)
Yup, it's true. Steven Spielberg gave us one of the greatest films of all time, which also created the summer movie blockbuster, and the summer movie season - Jaws.
And, while this all-time masterpiece may have been nominated for Best Picture and a host of other awards, Spielberg, crafted the film so carefully (he didn't even have a fully functioning automated shark for most of the film) that it's become a benchmark for so many other films, but he was shut out for director when the Oscars for 1975 were announced.
The same thing would happen a decade later: The Color Purple received 11 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, but Mr. Spielberg was shut out for a director nom.
Since then, thankfully, the Academy has remedied these wrongs, and Spielberg has won twice - for Schindler's List (1993) and Saving Private Ryan (1998). Additionally, he now holds a record of being nominated at least once over the past six decades.
Bruce Beresford - Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Here is a beloved film that won Best Picture, but the film's director, Bruce Beresford, wasn't even nominated. In his opening monologue, that year's host Billy Crystal called it "...the movie that apparently directed itself."
Leonardo DiCaprio - Titanic (1997)
James Cameron's massively epic Titanic brought him Best Director and Best Picture Oscars, and the fact that it was, then, the biggest movie of all time brought major viewership to that year's Oscar show.
But, Leonardo DiCaprio, who helped make the film such a success, was shut out of the Best Actor race that year. He would eventually make up for it with multiple nominations years after, including a Best Actor win with The Revenant (2015)
Rob Reiner - A Few Good Men (1992)
Another film nominated for Best Picture, and another film, where the director, Rob Reiner, was left out in the Oscar cold.
Reiner had helmed beloved films such as The Princess Bride (1987), but for his now classic, A Few Good Men, he didn't receive a nomination, which he deserved. And, if you don't believe that? Well..."You can't handle the truth!"
Barbara Streisand - The Prince of Tides (1991)
The legend herself, Barbara Streisand, had already won Oscars for Best Actress (Funny Girl, 1968) and Best Original Song ("Evergreen," the love theme from A Star is Born, 1976). Still, when she went behind the camera to direct the acclaimed adaptation of the novel The Prince of Tides (1991), she found herself without an Oscar nomination as director. The film was nominated for seven other Oscars, including Best Picture.
Bob Hoskins - Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
How do you act to nothing and make it look like something? This is what Bob Hoskins did, and did so brilliantly in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. No "Toons" were on set, and the animation was added later. In addition to the fantastic effects, Hoskins is a big part of what made this film so amazing, but he didn't receive an Oscar nomination for it.
Audrey Hepburn - My Fair Lady (1964)
This one hurts. There was a lot of controversy that Julie Andrews, who originated the lead in Broadway's version of My Fair Lady, was replaced by Audrey Hepburn in the film adaptation. Andrews went on to star in Disney's classic Mary Poppins, released that same year, and she won Best Actress for it. And...as a real burn...Audrey Hepburn wasn't even nominated for My Fair Lady. Yikes!
Cary Grant - The Philadelphia Story (1940)
He had top billing, this is a fantastic classic...and he's Cary Grant, but while Katherine Hepburn was nominated and James Stewart won, Grant was completely shut out. The only Oscar that Grant ever received was an Honorary Oscar in 1970.
These are just a few of the many Academy Awards snubs through the years. Watching the Oscars this Sunday night on ABC may make you think not just of who wins and not just of who is nominated but also of the many talents that weren't recognized. Ah well, here's to next year!
Visit my website: Words From Lyonsfor more articles and podcasts, as well as information about my book, Drawn to Greatness: Disney's Animation Renaissance !
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