Oscar 2026 will be here soon, and fans cannot keep their cool, as they cheer for their favourite films and stars to win. Amidst that, let's take a look at the nominations that left us all stunned.
Sinners has made history at the 98th Academy Awards, leading with relatively more nominations than any film has previously received. With a day left for the Oscar 2026 ceremony, some of Hollywood's biggest stars are gearing up to find out whether they will be taking the 'little golden man' home. However, some names were left disheartened after not being included in the nominations. Nonetheless, fans have given these films and stars their wholehearted love.
The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15, 2026 (ET). The award show will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, with the main event kicking off at 7 p.m. (ET) and the red carpet starting at 6:30 p.m. (ET). So, as we wait for the Oscars, let's take a look at which nominations left us surprised and which actors and films were left behind.
In 2025, the OG Wicked racked up a hefty 10 Academy Award nominations, including acting awards being bagged by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The film took home awards for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design. However, neither actor has been nominated for an award at this year's event. What's even more surprising is that Wicked: For Good failed to receive a single nomination, leaving fans shocked by the big blow for the musical sequel.
One Battle After Another marked the debut of Chase Infiniti on the big screen with her performance in Paul Thomas Anderson's major hit, earning her nominations at both the Golden Globes, Critics' Choice Awards, Baftas and recently-renamed Actor Awards. However, it came as a major disappointment to the fans when she was not nominated for a single Oscar. The young star who will next be seen in Niki Byrne's coming-of-age drama, The Julia Set.
Another snub in the list was the beloved actor, Paul Mescal, who received plenty of love for his role in Hamnet. However, his work didn't translate into an Oscar nomination either. While the lead actress, Jessie Buckley, scooped the Best Actress nomination and Chloe Zhao received nods for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay, the absence of Paul from the nominations left fans disheartened. Many had expected Paul to rack up his second nomination for his performance as 'William Shakespeare'. However, it turned out there was not enough room for him in the stacked category after all.
Much like Wicked: For Good, many were shocked that Park Chan-wook's satirical drama, No Other Choice, didn't receive a single nomination. However, it came as a further shock that, despite its acclaim from both critics and audiences, it held a rare 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes until recently.
As the date of the Oscar nominations announcement drew nearer, fans kept a close eye on how trends were shifting. Kate Hudson's fans were left elated when she was announced as a nominee in the Best Actress category. While the rumblings about it began a while ago, her nomination has everyone cheering for her. Kate has been nominated for her role as 'Claire (Thunder) Sardina' in Song Sung Blue. Kate plays a tribute singer in the musical drama, earning her first Oscar nomination in 25 years for her film work.
After Delroy Lindo was overlooked at the Golden Globe Awards, Critics' Choice Awards and Actor Awards for his performance as 'Delta Slim' in Sinners, we came to the sad conclusion that the comic relief character wouldn't be getting any love from the major awards bodies this year. However, to the fans' delight, the actor managed to bag a nomination for the Best Supporting Actor category at the Oscars, one of three acting nods for the film at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards.
After winning a Critics' Choice Award and earning recognition at the Golden Globes. We are not sure we can really call Amy Madigan's nomination for her performance in Weapons a surprise anymore. However, when the fans think back to the first time they were introduced to 'Aunt Gladys' in 2025, they didn't expect to see her land a nomination at the 98th Academy Awards.
The 98th Academy Award ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The main event kicks off at 7:00 p.m. (ET) and 4:00 p.m. (PT). The official red carpet celebration begins earlier at 6:30 p.m. (ET). This marks the 25th consecutive year the Oscars call the Dolby Theatre home. The ceremony airs live on ABC and streams simultaneously on Hulu, ensuring millions can tune in nationwide.
What are your thoughts on Oscar 2026 nominations? Let us know.
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