With Oscar nominations just days away, the BAFTAs weighed in with their nominations for the 75th edition of the awards, which is set to take place on Sunday, March 13, with Rebel Wilson hosting the evening’s honors.
There were many surprises and snubs among the field of nominees, where Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” led the charge, despite the filmmaker missing a nod. But, whether it was the complete shutouts of “Spencer” and “Tick, Tick … Boom!” or the inclusions of Ryûsuke Hamaguchi in director and adapted screenplay or Ann Dowd and Woody Norman in the supporting categories, the impact won’t be felt in the Oscar world since voting is now closed.
Down below are the most notable snubs and surprises from the BAFTA nominations.
SNUB: All of the presumed leading contenders for best actress, including Olivia Colman, Nicole Kidman and Kristen Stewart
If you had on your awards season bingo card that the only actress to land all the necessary televised precursors (Globes, Critics Choice, SAG and BAFTA) would be Lady Gaga in “House of Gucci” then please tell us your secret for cracking the code. Especially with a voting procedure that automatically puts through the top two highest-ranking from Round One, it’s a safe assumption that the pop star was in one of those coveted spots for her turn as the murderous Patrizia Reggiani. Unfortunately, the rest of the lineup left Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”), Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”) and Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”) on the outside of the lot. Kristen Stewart’s work as Princess Diana was also overlooked, although the famed royal figure has always seemed like a flip coin, especially since Emma Corrin of TV’s “The Crown” was a snub on the BAFTA TV side last year. With a shocking SAG snub under her belt, she’s hoping the Academy will come through for her.
In the final days of nominations voting, Penélope Cruz (“Parallel Mothers”), who was not longlisted for BAFTA and now BAFTA nominee Renate Reinsve (“The Worst Person in the World”) were surging. Could one or both of them make the cut for the Oscars? Is Gaga even a sure thing? Last year saw only two nominees transfer to Oscar: Vanessa Kirby (“Pieces of a Woman”) and eventual winner Frances McDormand (“Nomadland”). Does that mean Gaga is our winner? Does this mean Alana Haim (“Licorice Pizza”) will slip in? So many questions.
SURPRISE: “Don’t Look Up”
Adam McKay’s satirical look at the end of the world was divided among critics, and it’s a safe bet for Oscar’s attention. Still, since the best film category isn’t juried, it’s surprising that it landed in the top five over “No Time to Die,” which had a home-field advantage, and “West Side Story” from Steven Spielberg. This shows that McKay is a threat for one of those director slots at the Academy.
SNUB: Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick … Boom!”
Musicals always have a rough time with awards groups on nature alone. Still, even with a jury, it was a safe assumption that British actor Andrew Garfield’s leading turn as Jonathan Larson would be included, possibly even a top two vote-getter. The film’s complete shutout already magnifies my thoughts that despite the high quality of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut, the film may be a “Garfield or bust” at the Oscars.
SURPRISE: “Passing”
Rebecca Hall’s intimate and quiet debut is a beauty but has failed to gain much traction over the season, except for Ruth Negga, who has now landed Globe, SAG and BAFTA nominations. It was beautifully refreshing to see Tessa Thompson included among the lead actress lineup and the film pulling in a respectable four-nod tally, including outstanding British film. However, it did miss adapted screenplay, which is still one of its possibilities for Oscar.
SNUB: Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
In what can now be attributed to pure stubbornness and oversight, even with a jury selecting four additional actors to join the top two leading actors (which we can assume was Benedict Cumberbatch and either Leonardo DiCaprio or Will Smith), Denzel Washington missed yet again, this time for his performance in “The Tragedy of Macbeth.” Two Oscars and zero BAFTA nominations are a tough pill to swallow.
SURPRISE: “Summer of Soul”
Documentaries have always had difficulty getting love outside of their respective category. Still, it was refreshing to see Questlove’s debut land in an artisan category. An Oscar has felt like a long shot for “Summer of Soul,” but given its BAFTA category isn’t juried, maybe it’s time to reverse that thinking? We pray that it can follow in the footsteps of “Hoop Dreams,” which was nominated for editing over 25 years ago.
SNUB: Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast”
Another one with a home-field advantage, Kenneth Branagh missed out on the best director lineup for his monochrome self-portrait. While a film in the modern era hasn’t won the top award at BAFTA without a best director nomination, his chances for Oscar still seem intact. It’s worth noting this category is entirely juried, so you may have to take his miss with a grain of salt. However, the BAFTAs did predict “Another Round” director Thomas Vinterberg’s win last year.
SURPRISE: Mike Faist, “West Side Story”
“West Side Story” had a pretty limp day, missing out on best film, director and adapted screenplay. Still, one of the unsung heroes of the musical remake found his way into the mix alongside his co-star Ariana DeBose’s nod in supporting actress. His name was brought up quite a bit in conversations with voters in the final days of voting, so perhaps that’s a signal for an upcoming shocker?
SURPRISE: Jesse Plemons, “The Power of the Dog”
The Oscar race didn’t shift much with today’s nominations, either validating some shaky contenders or solidifying presumed frontrunners. One of the hunches the last few weeks has been Jesse Plemons making a last-minute jump into supporting actor alongside his co-star Kodi Smit-McPhee for “The Power of the Dog.” Although the film had two significant misses (supporting actress for Kirsten Dunst and film editing), two bright spots to its day were Ari Wegner becoming the first woman to be nominated for cinematography (Rachel Morrison wasn’t nominated for “Mudbound”) and Plemons’ inclusion, which could point to some upcoming love at the Oscars.