Ethan Hawke – Actor In A Leading Role
Ethan Hawke was never a lock for the fifth and final slot of the Best Actor race, but many thought his amazing performance as a spiritually anguished priest in Paul Schrader’s excellent crisis of faith drama “First Reformed” would be his first Lead Actor nomination ever. Alas, it was not to be, but let’s hope this is a message to Hollywood to never underestimate or sleep on Hawke, a terrific actor who did his career-best work in this, unfortunately, mostly-overlooked film.
Nicole Kidman – Actress In A Leading Role
She’s a former winner and a four-time nominee, but voters clearly did not love Nicole Kidman’s celebrated work in both “Destroyer” and “Boy Erased.” Critics groups could have helped with the former. Box office might have helped with the latter. In either case, Kidman just adds to her lengthy and increasingly impressive resume.
“Eighth Grade” – Best Original Screenplay
2018/2019 was not the year for Sundance movies at the Oscars like years previous (see “Boyhood”), but it was assumed and well understood that at least one Sundance picture, writer/director Bo Burnham’s funny, heartbreaking coming of age dramedy “Eighth Grade” would earn itself a nomination for the filmmakers wonderful debut film. It was not to be and presumably Burnham will have to be satisfied with love at the Indie Spirit Awards. A24 must be upset with this one, but at least they got Original Screenplay love elsewhere and in an unexpected place.
“First Man” – Best Original Score
There appears to have been some kind of strange disconnect at the Oscars this year with Damien Chazelle, who won Best Director for “La La Land” and nearly Best Picture, but overlooked entirely this year (see above) despite delivering a movie that felt very much in line with a Christopher Nolan movie—i.e. a handsome, well-crafted movie the Academy tends to love. But at least, it’ll get a nomination for Justin Hurwitz’s Best Original Score we all thought, given that score is easily one of the best of the year (it won the Golden Globe and we just assumed the race would be between it and Nicolas Britell’s score for “If Beale Street Could Talk”). But in a glaring omission that feels like it’s straight out of another Price Waterhouse f*ckup, somehow, the “First Man” name wasn’t read when Nanjani and Ellis announced the nominees. This is easily one of the top 3 shocks of the day as not only was it considered a lock, but the frontman. How “First Man” didn’t connect with the Academy this year will be talked about for years to come.
Emily Blunt – Actress In A Leading Role
Blunt pretty much did the impossible. She took an iconic role and made you forget the original actress, in this case, Julie Andrews, who played it. Blunt’s SAG colleagues rewarded her for it as well as for her work in “A Quiet Place.” Something didn’t click with The Academy with “Mary Poppins Returns,” however, and Blunt found herself on the outside looking in for Oscar.
Dolly Parton – Best Original Song
“Girl at the Movies” from “Dumplin’” was a beautiful ballad, but Netflix’s magic with AMPAS members only went so far. Parton was denied what would have been her third Best Original Song nomination and audiences were denied seeing her perform on the Oscar telecast. The fact the movie was so pedestrian and barely got a theatrical release compared to Netflix’s “Roma” and “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” probably didn’t help in the long run.
Timothée Chalamet – Actor in a Supporting Role
Despite disappointing critical reaction and mediocre box office, Chalamet sailed through awards season landing nomination from key voting organizations such as SAG and BAFTA for “Beautiful Boy.” AMPAS members are either more finicky or Chalamet’s performance didn’t resonate months after its October release. Perhaps there was too much competition, but Chalamet’s wonderfully nuanced, impressive performance was simply lost.