As the 2026 Academy Awards come to an end, many performers, whether on-screen as actors or off-screen as directors, made history and returned home with the highest prize in the film industry. Winning an Oscar often marks the peak of a career or the beginning of an exciting new chapter.
However, the ceremony also leaves many with unfulfilled expectations—coming so close to victory, only to fall short. It can be heartbreaking, disappointing, and even frustrating, as it means another year of waiting and anticipation. This year’s Oscars were no different. Here are the five biggest Oscar snubs of the night.
1. ‘Marty Supreme‘ Shut Out Entirely
Well, well, who would have known? All the buzz and hype surrounding ‘Marty Supreme‘ ultimately led to nothing at the Oscars this year. Despite an impressive nine nominations, including Best Actor and Best Picture, Josh Safdie’s sports-comedy drama may have brought financial success to its distributor, A24, but it fell completely flat at this year’s Academy Awards.
While several lesser-known titles managed to win at least one award, ‘Marty Supreme,’ despite being a red-hot favorite and carrying significant momentum, failed to secure a single win.
Interestingly, much like last year’s Bob Dylan biopic ‘A Complete Unknown‘ starring Timothée Chalamet, the film also failed to secure any Oscar wins.
Related: Oscars 2026: Complete List of Winners
2. Timothee Chalamet Losing Best Actor to Michael B. Jordan
Timothée Chalamet’s predictable old formula of releasing his films during the year-end awards season doesn’t seem to be working anymore—at least when it comes to the Oscars. Just like last year, when Chalamet lost to Adrien Brody for ‘The Brutalist,’ this year Michael B. Jordan stood tall in the Best Actor category, leaving Chalamet disappointed once again.
The reason? Perhaps his recent controversial comment about opera and ballet. Who knows—maybe just bad timing. Whatever the case, Chalamet, despite all the talent in the world, may have to play the waiting game—much like Leonardo DiCaprio did before finally winning the Oscar for ‘The Revenant.’
3. Jacob Elordi Losing Best Supporting Actor to Sean Penn
There was little doubt that Sean Penn was the frontrunner in the Best Supporting Actor category for his exceptional performance as the antagonist, Steven J. Lockjaw, in ‘One Battle After Another‘. However, Jacob Elordi’s sharp, jaw-dropping portrayal of the Creature in ‘Frankenstein‘ also caught a lot of attention, and many predicted that his win could bring something different and fresh to this year’s Academy Awards.
Unfortunately, that did not happen, as Penn—who has already won the award a couple of times—has now taken home the trophy for the third time.
In Case You Missed It: Steven Spielberg Delivers Epic Burn To Timothée Chalamet For Insulting Ballet and Opera
4. Elle Fanning and Teyana Taylor Losing Best Supporting Actress to Amy Madigan
Amy Madigan winning the Best Supporting Actress award—especially for her role in a horror film—stands as one of the true highlights of this year’s Academy Awards. But let’s be honest for a moment. While Madigan’s chilling portrayal of Aunt Gladys was a standout female performance in recent memory, Elle Fanning’s performance as Rachel Kemp and Teyana Taylor’s turn as Perfidia Beverly Hills arguably had a stronger impact in terms of sheer screen presence and intensity.
Unfortunately, neither of those actresses managed to win the award, as it ultimately went to Madigan. Perhaps the Academy was aiming to deliver a “wow” or shock moment during the ceremony.
5. Geeta Gandbhir Returns Empty-Handed Despite Double Oscar Nods
Indian-American filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir made history at this year’s Academy Awards with two nominations in the documentary categories. She also became the first woman ever to secure nominations in both Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short.
However, despite the historic achievement, Gandbhir failed to secure a win, even losing her fan-favorite ‘The Perfect Neighbor‘ to ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin‘. For many documentary fans, the result stood out as one of the biggest upsets of the night.
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