Every year, when the Oscar nominations are revealed, there are certain actors who are shut out by the Academy despite providing incredible performances that will go on to stand the test of time. And although it's impossible to reward every deserving actor with an Oscar, film fans have already taken to Reddit to discuss who they believe should have been nominated this year.
From quiet, independent dramas to big-budget studio musicals, there were plenty of films last year with outstanding lead performances that went unrecognized when the Oscar nominations were revealed. And although this year's slate of nominees is undoubtedly extremely impressive, there are still a few who maybe should have sneaked their way in.
Peter Dinklage - Cyrano
In Reddit Cyrano. The actor was ittedly expected to receive a nomination by many pundits, but it sadly never came to .
What's most impressive about Dinklage's work in Cyrano is just how easily he manages to get the audience to sympathize with his character, and how easily his authentic performance grounds the film despite its flourished musical numbers. It's this extra layer of realism and immersion that makes Cyrano one of the best movie musicals of the 2020s so far.
Robin de Jesus - Tick... Tick... BOOM!
In the comments of that very same post, Redditor Tick...Tick...BOOM!. The film follows the story of talented playwright Jonathan Larson, with De Jesus playing his close friend, Michael.
De Jesus' work was praised by plenty of critics when the film was released towards the end of last year, but unfortunately, he "didn't get nearly enough campaigning" to push him to that nomination. Thankfully Andrew Garfield still managed to secure recognition, but it would have been nice to see his co-star there with him.
Amir Jadidi - A Hero
Sadly, Amir Jadidi wasn't the only snub for Asghar Farhadi's A Hero, which also missed out on its expected position in the Best International Feature category. Although it was extremely unlikely that Jadidi would ever break into the Best Actor category, there were still plenty that were expecting it.
Reddit idk_very_much placed Jadidi in their personal Best Actor lineup, which shows just how much ion the actor's performance sparked amongst fans. He's extremely compelling in the film, constantly battling with forces that push against him at every turn and displaying such high levels of stress and anxiety with expert precision.
Mike Faist - West Side Story
When Steven Spielberg's adaptation of West Side Story hit theatres last year, followers of the Oscar race immediately began to campaign for Mike Faist's nomination. In a film where almost every character is given equal opportunity to shine, it's still Faist that ends up gripping and compelling the most.
His portrayal of Riff is one of the most charismatic and exciting performances in any movie musical, so it's shocking that his campaign seemingly led nowhere. Rapgamepterodactyl argues that "Faist was so good" in the film, which mirrors many, many people's same opinions.
Lakeith Stanfield - The Harder They Fall
Despite not really being a major player in this year's awards race, there's no denying that Lakeith Stanfield's performance in Jaymes Samuel's The Harder They Fall was one of the most entertaining and exciting of 2021. He perfectly matched the upbeat, modern tone of the movie whilst still adhering to the typical tropes of the Western.
Redditor one of 2022's Oscar-nominated actors.
Jamie Dornan - Belfast
Although the film may not have been the critics' favorite of the year, the Academy has shown that they clearly enjoyed Kenneth Branagh's Belfast by nominating it in seven different categories. And if both Ciaran Hinds and Dame Judi Dench can be nominated, why not Jamie Dornan?
Dornan provides an extremely emotional and tender performance in Belfast as the father of a struggling Irish family, and Reddit princenebula018 argues that "if they're gonna champion a [ing actor] in Belfast, it should be Dornan."
Vincent Lindon - Titane
One of the most disappointing realizes on Oscar morning was that Julia Ducournau's daring thriller Titane received a grand total of zero nominations. Although it certainly wasn't the favorite in any category and wasn't submitted as 's entry for Best International Feature, there was still a sliver of hope that either Rousselle, Lindon, or Ducournau herself could receive some recognition.
Redditor Being The Ricardos isn't bad at all, he seems to be the actor that Reddit is most willing to substitute in the lineup.
Jason Isaacs - Mass
Praised by many critics as the performance of the year, Jason Isaacs' exclusion from the Oscar lineup is extremely surprising and unjustifiable. His role as the father of a school shooting victim in Mass is completely raw and grounded, allowing the actor to navigate the detailed difficulties in the fallout of such tragedy.
Redditor f__theking also praises Isaacs' performance, claiming that "[he] would probably make my personal ballot." With so many film fans iring his turn in Fran Kranz's devastating drama, it's inconceivable that the Academy didn't want to reward him for his work.
David Strathairn - Nightmare Alley
ittedly, Nightmare Alley did a lot better than expected when Oscar nominations were announced. Not only was it rewarded for its cinematography, costumes, and production design, but the film also managed to unexpectedly sneak its way into the Best Picture lineup. However, acting nominations for the film were notably absent.
It's hard to conceive that a Best Picture-nominated film so reliant on its ensemble cast would receive no recognition for its actors, particularly with such huge names attached to the project. Reddit serkurtwagner was particularly surprised that there was "no love for David Strathairn in Nightmare Alley."
Colman Domingo - Zola
Domingo's portrayal of the mysterious character by the name of X in Janicza Bravo's social media-inspired Zola was one of the more unfortunate omissions from the Best ing Actor category, particularly considering how strongly critics' groups rewarded the performance.
Reddit His snub might not have been the biggest surprise at the 2022 Oscars, but it's certainly disappointing.
