Hollywood’s biggest night has a history of shocking upsets. But some Oscars snubs are so egregious that they’ve left audiences outraged for decades. Whether it’s legendary actors denied their due or groundbreaking films ignored by the Academy, these oversights prove that even the most celebrated awards show can get it wrong.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s long wait for gold
After years of Oscar snubs, Leonardo DiCaprio celebrated a Best Actor win for The Revenant (2016). His performances in Titanic (1997), The Aviator (2004), and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) all earned nominations but no wins. Fans watched in disbelief as he lost time and time again, making DiCaprio‘s eventual victory feel like overdue justice.
Alfred Hitchcock never won Best Director
Alfred Hitchcock remains one of the greatest filmmakers in history. He was nominated five times for Best Director but endured many Oscar snubs. Classics like Psycho (1960) and Rear Window (1954) redefined suspense, yet the Academy consistently overlooked him. In 1968, he received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, but the snub remains a stain on Oscar history.
‘The Color Purple’: Nominated 11 times with no wins
Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple (1985) was nominated for 11 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Whoopi Goldberg. It shockingly won none, marking one of the biggest Oscar shutouts in the evening’s history.
Glenn Close: The perpetual bridesmaid
With eight Academy Award nods, Glenn Close holds the record for the most acting nominations without a victory. Her performances in Fatal Attraction (1987) and Dangerous Liaisons (1988) were widely expected to win, yet she was repeatedly passed over. Even in 2021, Hillbilly Elegy couldn’t break her losing streak.
‘Goodfellas’ loses to ‘Dances With Wolves’
Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990) is considered one of the greatest films of all time. Yet it shockingly lost in the Best Picture category to Dances with Wolves. While Kevin Costner’s Western was well-received, many believe Goodfellas had the cultural and cinematic impact worthy of the win. Scorsese would have to wait until The Departed (2006) to finally claim Best Director.
Stanley Kubrick never won Best Director
Despite directing classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining, Stanley Kubrick never won Best Director. His only Oscar win was for Best Visual Effects in 2001, proving that even visionary directors don’t always get their due.
‘Saving Private Ryan’ lost to ‘Shakespeare in Love’
Many consider Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan (1998) one of the greatest war films ever made. The movie won Best Director but shockingly lost Best Picture to Shakespeare in Love. Many believe this upset was the result of an aggressive marketing campaign by now-disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein rather than an honest reflection of cinematic excellence.
Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, and Lady Gaga were all snubbed for Best Actress in ‘A Star Is Born’
In 1954, Judy Garland’s heartbreaking performance in A Star Is Born (1954) was widely considered a sure bet for Best Actress. Many believed she would win—some outlets even had a camera crew at her hospital bed, ready to capture the moment. Instead, Grace Kelly won for The Country Girl in one of the most controversial upsets in Oscar history.
Twenty-two years later, Barbra Streisand’s performance in A Star Is Born (1976) was a tour de force, yet she wasn’t even nominated for Best Actress. Her song “Evergreen” won Best Original Song, but her absence from the acting category remains a shocking oversight.
In 2019, the film was nominated again with Lady Gaga in the lead role. The film was nominated eight times, including a Best Actress nod for Gaga. But only scored one win: Best Original Song for “Shallow.”
Will the Academy ever get it right?
While the Oscars remain the pinnacle of film awards, these snubs prove the Academy isn’t always in tune with public opinion. The Academy has certainly made some questionable choices over the years, often favoring politics, industry campaigns, and safe picks over true artistic merit.
However, the Academy has made efforts to diversify its voting body and expand Best Picture nominations, which could lead to more deserving winners. Still, as long as awards politics, studio influence, and personal biases play a role, Oscar winners will likely continue to spark debate.
