Both Angelina Jolie AND Jennifer Aniston missed out on a nomination this year, as well as a number of Aussie stars and the LEGO movie.
It was long thought that foes Jen and Ange would face off against each other at this year’s awards, with Jen’s dark edgy pill-popping role in Cake earning her a Golden Globes nomination (a usual indication of Oscar nominees) and Angelina considered a hot favourite for her directorial outing with the WWII Epic Unbroken. It seems that the face-off between the two leading ladies of Brad Pitt’s life was never to eventuate though!
Many of Australia’s top hopes missed out too including Naomi Watts – who was considered a long shot for her roles in St. Vincent and Birdman.
Mysterious Aussie songstress Sia Furler was thought to be in with a chance in the musical category for her song Opportunity for the movie Annie, but she missed out too.
Box-Office smash hit thriller Gone Girl was a surprising snub too, meaning no nomination for the Aussie film editor Kirk Baxter who was thought to be in the running for his third Oscar but missed out.
Perhaps the biggest shock snub though was The Lego Movie – another Aussie produced film made by Sydney animation and visual effects company Animal Logic which was thought to be shoo-in in the animation category. Director Phil Lord took it in his stride though, with perhaps the best-humoured reaction to such a disappointment that you could have. Missing out on the gold statue – he decided to build his own – out of Lego of course!
The Grand Budapest Hotel and Birdman came out on top receiving nine nominations apiece.
Reese Witherspoon received a nomination for best actress and Laura Dern for Best Supporting Actress for the movie Wild, despite being widely critically panned.
Other surprises in the Best Actress category were Marion Cotillard who received a nomination for her role in Two Days, One Night despite missing out on a Golden Globe nomination. Amy Adams meanwhile WON the actress Globe for her role in Big Eyes and yet wasn’t nominated for an Oscar.
In the Best Actor category Bradley Cooper received his third nomination in a row for his role in American Sniper, while the critically acclaimed (and friend of Brad Pitt) David Oyelowo missed out for his role in Selma.
There was a funny moment amidst the announcements too as Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs accidentally pronouncing cinematographer Richard Pope’s name as “Dick Poop”. She quickly corrected herself but then struggled to remain composed through the rest of the nominations!
Here are the full list of nominees in all the major categories:
Best Picture
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
Best Director
Alexandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game
Best Actor
Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Best Actress
Marion Cotillard, Two Days One Night
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Best Supporting Actor
Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods
