The Biggest Snubs & Surprises From the 2026 Oscar Nominations

This awards season, voters have had to watch vampires, witches, aliens, a Shark Tank judge, and Frankenstein’s monster himself. But finally, we’ve arrived at the event that really gets the film industry’s pulse quickening: the Oscar nominations. This morning, the Academy enlisted Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman to announce the 2026 nominees in a live-stream from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

First things first: with 16 nominations, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners made history as the most Oscar-nominated film of all time, beating the 14-nomination record previously set by La La Land (2016), Titanic (1997), and All About Eve (1950). For Sinners, the nominations include Best Picture, Lead Actor (Michael B. Jordan), Supporting Actor (Delroy Lindo, in a pleasant surprise, more on that below), Supporting Actress (Wunmi Mosaku), and Director and Original Screenplay for Coogler. Costume designer Ruth E. Carter also became the most Oscar-nominated Black woman in history with her nod for the film.

After its sweep of the Golden Globes, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another has been the presumed frontrunner, and the film still follows close behind Sinners with 13 nominations, including for most of its main cast: Leonardo DiCaprio (Best Actor), Sean Penn (Supporting Actor), Teyana Taylor (Supporting Actress), and Benicio Del Toro (Supporting Actor). Newcomer Chase Infiniti was unfortunately snubbed—more on that below.

Wagner Moura also made history this morning, becoming the first Brazilian actor to receive a Best Actor nod for his work in The Secret Agent; the category is rounded out by Timotheé Chalamet in Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme (no surprise there) and Ethan Hawke in Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon. The Best Actress race was a bit more up in the air, with the final list including Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value), and Emma Stone (Bugonia).

The 98th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will air on Sunday, March 15 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC and stream on Disney+ (the ceremony will eventually move to YouTube, but not until 2029). Below, the biggest snubs and surprises of the 2026 Oscar nominations:

Surprise: F1

Brad Pitt’s Formula 1 drama was a box office hit this summer, but it didn’t have the air of serious prestige typically favored by Oscars voters for Best Picture. Still, it beat out contenders like Spain’s submission, Sirāt, for the coveted category.

Snub: Chase Infiniti

Despite plenty of buzz, Chase Infiniti didn’t get a bid from the Oscars this year. The 25-year-old has been the season’s breakout ingenue for her turn in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, holding her own against Hollywood legends like Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio Del Toro, and Sean Penn.

Surprise: Delroy Lindo

Delroy Lindo’s performance as blues player Delta Slim in Sinners was immediately hailed by critics and fans alike, but awards season has otherwise been less celebratory for the 73-year-old actor. It was a nice surprise to see him honored with a Best Supporting Actor nomination (his first) by the Academy.

Snub: Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow won’t be returning to the Oscars stage to pick up another golden statue this year. The veteran actor’s turn as (veteran actor) Kay Stone in Marty Supreme was a buzzy casting decision from its announcement, but her performance was overlooked by the Academy despite being received warmly.

Surprise: Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson’s role in Song Sung Blue had all the trappings of an Oscar contender, but there’s been less buzz about her performance (and the film itself) compared to others on this list. Her hard work paid off, though, with a Best Actress nomination.

Snub: Odessa A’zion

Odessa A’zion was never a lock for playing Timotheé Chalamet’s girlfriend in Marty Supreme, but her gutsy, funny performance charmed audiences and critics—just not the Academy.

Snub: Ariana Grande

While both Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were recognized for their roles in the heavily nominated Wicked: Part One, the second installment of the film made less of a splash. In fact, Wicked For Good was completely shut out of the Oscars this year, after receiving a whopping 10 nominations last time. Still, Grande’s dramatic arc in the film had garnered enough buzz to make her Best Supporting Actress a possibility—that ultimately didn’t materialize.

Snub: Paul Mescal

Hamnet has been a darling of this awards season, with both director Chloé Zhao and lead actress Jessie Buckley snagging big nominations. Despite wooing audiences with his role opposite fellow Irish actor Buckley, Mescal was left out in the cold.

Surprise: Emma Stone

We can safely say Emma Stone is beloved by the Academy, following her wins in 2017 for La La Land and 2024 for Poor Things. While her latest collaboration with Yorgos Lanthimos, Bugonia, hasn’t been as well-received as projects like Poor Things, she still snagged a Best Actress nod (and Bugonia is in the running for Best Picture).