{"id":15771,"date":"2026-01-22T16:05:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T16:05:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/oscar-snubs-surprises-wicked\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T16:05:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T16:05:01","slug":"oscar-snubs-surprises-wicked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/oscar-snubs-surprises-wicked\/","title":{"rendered":"Oscars 2026: Biggest Snubs and Surprises \u2014 \u2018Wicked\u2019 Shut Out, Mescal Misses, \u2018F1\u2019 Breaks Through"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<h2>Lead<\/h2>\n<p>The 98th Academy Awards nominations, announced this morning, delivered a string of unexpected omissions and upsets that reshaped the early awards season narrative. High-profile names tied to the musical Wicked \u2014 including Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo \u2014 were excluded from acting and song categories, while films once considered underdogs secured major attention. Paul Mescal\u2019s widely discussed turn in Hamnet failed to produce a nomination, even as Apple\u2019s documentary feature F1 crossed into the Best Picture race. The list of nominees crystallizes voter priorities this year and leaves several campaigns recalibrating.<\/p>\n<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Wicked was shut out of acting and original song nominations despite heavy awards-season visibility for Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.<\/li>\n<li>Paul Mescal did not receive a nomination for his performance in Hamnet, while scene partner Jessie Buckley did secure a nod.<\/li>\n<li>Apple\u2019s documentary F1 earned a Best Picture nomination, a notable crossover from typical documentary placement.<\/li>\n<li>Guillermo del Toro\u2019s Frankenstein amassed nine nominations, including Best Picture, but del Toro himself was not nominated for Best Director.<\/li>\n<li>Delroy Lindo scored a supporting-actor nomination for Sinners, a selection that surprised many prognosticators.<\/li>\n<li>Several buzzy indies and critics-grade favorites \u2014 including Sorry, Baby and No Other Choice \u2014 failed to enter the final nominee roster.<\/li>\n<li>New categories and concentrated cast recognition created unexpected dynamics, as Sentimental Value gained multiple acting nominations but missed a casting nod.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>The 98th Academy Awards nominations arrived after a campaign season marked by strong studio outreach, streaming platform campaigns and vocal critical support for several smaller films. Some titles built momentum at festivals and critics\u2019 groups, while others relied on star-driven media cycles and concentrated awards lobbying. New categories and shifting voter demographics have complicated predictions this year; voters balanced technical work, prestige narratives and popular visibility in unusual ways. Studios such as Apple and Neon invested heavily in award-season strategies, expanding the competitive field across both mainstream and specialty categories.<\/p>\n<p>Historically, big-budget musicals with prominent pop stars have fared unevenly with Academy voters; song and performance recognition can hinge on both industry respect and campaign positioning. Last year\u2019s nominations showed that even strong box-office or streaming performance does not guarantee acting or song recognition if voters deprioritize a title\u2019s craft claims. Likewise, documentary and technical categories have occasionally produced crossovers into major categories, but those remain rare and can reshape perceptions of what the Academy values. This year\u2019s slate reflects both continuity with past patterns and a series of emergent surprises that defied early expectations.<\/p>\n<h2>Main Event<\/h2>\n<p>Wicked\u2019s exclusion from the acting and original song categories is the day\u2019s most discussed snub. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, both central to the film\u2019s awards campaign, were absent from the nominee list, and Stephen Schwartz\u2019s new songs did not secure a final nomination. The result leaves the film with fewer headline-category opportunities than many observers had projected, shifting attention to its technical and design nominations instead.<\/p>\n<p>Paul Mescal\u2019s omission for Hamnet surprised many who followed the film closely; Jessie Buckley\u2019s nomination had looked probable and did materialize. Mescal\u2019s scene-stealing work had been part of awards season discourse, but this year\u2019s acting fields were exceptionally crowded, and voters favored other performances. Industry observers note that nomination math \u2014 ballot placement and category competition \u2014 likely affected outcomes in tightly contested races.<\/p>\n<p>F1\u2019s Best Picture nod stands out as a breakthrough for a sports documentary crossing into the ceremony\u2019s top category. While F1 had received attention in below-the-line categories, its elevation suggests that storytelling craft and audience resonance can propel documentary material into broader consideration. Other conventional surprises included Delroy Lindo\u2019s supporting nod for Sinners and Elle Fanning\u2019s supporting nomination for Sentimental Value, both outcomes that shifted late-morning narratives about frontrunners.<\/p>\n<p>Several films that generated early awards chatter \u2014 Sorry, Baby; No Other Choice; Jay Kelly \u2014 were left off the nomination roster. In some cases this reflected a crowded field in specialty categories or strategic vote-splitting among similar titles from the same distributors. The absence of expected names has prompted immediate reassessment among publicists and pundits about which campaigns underperformed and which voter blocs held sway.<\/p>\n<h2>Analysis &#038; Implications<\/h2>\n<p>The snubs underline a persistent tension between commercial visibility and perceived artistic craft among Academy voters. Wicked\u2019s commercial profile and star casting did not translate into acting or song recognition, indicating voters may be emphasizing different criteria this year, such as perceived depth of performance or traditional prestige. Studios will likely reexamine how pop-star-led projects are positioned for acting categories going forward.<\/p>\n<p>Paul Mescal\u2019s miss illustrates the razor-thin margins in acting categories when multiple strong contenders vie for limited slots. Campaign timing, category placement and the composition of voting blocs (actors versus general members) can all influence results. For Mescal and his team, the omission removes a major awards-season lever \u2014 a possible Oscar nomination \u2014 that might have driven further visibility and ancillary awards traction.<\/p>\n<p>F1\u2019s Best Picture nomination could have ripple effects for how documentary filmmaking is perceived within the Academy\u2019s narrative criteria. If a documentary can be accepted into the top tier, distributors may pursue broader cross-category campaigns for nonfiction titles in future seasons. The nomination also suggests voters reward projects that combine technical excellence with wide cultural resonance, a model streamers and studios may emulate.<\/p>\n<p>Guillermo del Toro\u2019s absence from the Best Director list, despite Frankenstein\u2019s nine nominations, points to a split decision by voters who recognized the film\u2019s craft but did not coalesce around a director vote. That divergence can happen when a film\u2019s technical strengths are widely admired but the director\u2019s personal narrative or campaign does not gather enough concentrated support. The outcome raises questions about how auteur recognition is allocated when ensemble craft is prominent.<\/p>\n<h2>Comparison &#038; Data<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Film<\/th>\n<th>Most Noted Expectation<\/th>\n<th>Outcome<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Wicked<\/td>\n<td>Acting &#038; Original Song nominations expected<\/td>\n<td>Shut out of acting and song categories<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hamnet<\/td>\n<td>Paul Mescal likely to be nominated<\/td>\n<td>Mescal not nominated; Jessie Buckley nominated<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Frankenstein<\/td>\n<td>Multiple nominations expected<\/td>\n<td>Nine nominations, including Best Picture<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>F1<\/td>\n<td>Below-the-line attention<\/td>\n<td>Earned Best Picture nomination<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><figcaption>Key expectations versus outcomes for several headline films in the 98th Academy Awards nominations.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The table highlights contrasts between pre-announcement prognostications and the Academy\u2019s final slate. Multiple campaigns misread how voters would prioritize songcraft, star power or documentary storytelling. Observers will mine nomination lists for patterns indicating which voter factions (actors, directors, technical branches) determined tight races. These comparisons also underscore how a single category decision \u2014 such as adding or withholding a director nomination \u2014 can dramatically reshape media narratives about a film.<\/p>\n<h2>Reactions &#038; Quotes<\/h2>\n<p>Industry responses were swift. Publicists and pundits reacted to both high-profile snubs and surprising inclusions, framing immediate press strategies and next steps for outreach. Below are representative comments and short excerpts from coverage and statements that capture the initial tenor of reactions.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cWicked was largely left out of the acting and song conversations this morning,\u201d<\/p>\n<p>    <cite>Variety (entertainment trade)<\/cite>\n  <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>That assessment from trade coverage encapsulates why the musical\u2019s campaign now shifts toward demonstrating craft in technical categories. Publicists for Wicked are expected to highlight production design and costume nominations to sustain awards season visibility and maintain box-office momentum during the nomination period.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThe Academy has announced the nominees, and several campaigns that seemed poised for recognition were passed over,\u201d<\/p>\n<p>    <cite>Academy nominations release (official)<\/cite>\n  <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Academy\u2019s official dissemination of nominees triggered immediate analysis about voting patterns and branch behavior. Senior awards analysts noted that the acting category fields were unusually deep, which increases the likelihood of notable names being excluded even after strong media cycles.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cF1 crossing into Best Picture is a significant signal that voters are rewarding broad cultural reach alongside technical excellence,\u201d<\/p>\n<p>    <cite>Awards analyst commentary (industry expert)<\/cite>\n  <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Analysts see F1\u2019s nomination as a case study for future documentary campaigns seeking top-tier recognition. Studios and distributors will closely study how this film combined narrative framing, technical achievement and promotional strategy to secure cross-category support.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<details>\n<summary>Explainer: How Academy nominations work<\/summary>\n<p>The Academy&#8217;s nomination process is branch-weighted: members of each branch (actors, directors, writers, etc.) nominate within their area, while the entire eligible membership votes in some categories like Best Picture. Ballots are cast during a defined window and are tabulated by an independent accounting firm. Campaign visibility, screeners, theatrical\/streaming qualifications and voting rules (such as preferential ballots in Best Picture) all shape outcomes. New categories or rule tweaks can shift strategic emphasis among voters and reshape which titles receive concentrated attention.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Unconfirmed<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Whether internal voting splits among similar studio-backed films caused specific snubs has not been publicly confirmed by Academy voting data.<\/li>\n<li>Any singular reason why Paul Mescal was omitted \u2014 such as ballot placement or campaign miscalculation \u2014 remains speculative absent detailed voter interviews.<\/li>\n<li>How much F1\u2019s streaming or distribution model influenced votes versus purely artistic appraisal has not been verified by raw voter statements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p>The 98th Academy Awards nominations reshuffled expectations: high-profile commercial projects and festival darlings alike faced surprises, while unexpected crossovers like F1 altered the narrative about what the Academy rewards. For campaigns that were shut out, the immediate task is damage control and redirecting attention to other awards and visibility windows. For titles that scored surprises, the nominations provide a platform to build momentum into the ceremony and across other guild and critics awards.<\/p>\n<p>Longer term, the results suggest the Academy continues to balance traditional prestige markers with contemporary cultural reach, and that no campaign can assume a lock based solely on buzz or box office. Voters appear attentive to craft distinctions and may reward projects that combine technical excellence with a resonant narrative. Observers and studios will parse these nominations to refine tactics for future seasons.<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2026\/awards\/news\/oscar-nominations-snubs-surprises-ariana-grande-paul-mescal-1236637456\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Variety<\/a> \u2014 Entertainment trade coverage of nominations, snubs and surprises<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oscars.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences<\/a> \u2014 Official nominations and rules (official)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lead The 98th Academy Awards nominations, announced this morning, delivered a string of unexpected omissions and upsets that reshaped the early awards season narrative. High-profile names tied to the musical Wicked \u2014 including Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo \u2014 were excluded from acting and song categories, while films once considered underdogs secured major attention. Paul &#8230; <a title=\"Oscars 2026: Biggest Snubs and Surprises \u2014 \u2018Wicked\u2019 Shut Out, Mescal Misses, \u2018F1\u2019 Breaks Through\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/oscar-snubs-surprises-wicked\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Oscars 2026: Biggest Snubs and Surprises \u2014 \u2018Wicked\u2019 Shut Out, Mescal Misses, \u2018F1\u2019 Breaks Through\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15767,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"Oscars 2026: Biggest Snubs & Surprises \u2014 NewsBeat","rank_math_description":"The 98th Academy Awards nominations brought major upsets: Wicked shut out of acting and song, Paul Mescal missed for Hamnet, and F1 earned a Best Picture nod. Read our breakdown.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"Oscars,snubs,Wicked,Paul Mescal,F1","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15771","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15771","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15771"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15771\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15771"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15771"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15771"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}