Top 10 Acting Oscar SNUBS of 2020

[@erikdaniels0n]

Both leads from Never Rarely Sometimes Always were CRIMINALLY robbed of nominations. Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder delivered two of the most unflinchingly raw, heartbreaking performances I’ve seen in a long time. The interview scene at the clinic and the karaoke scene haven’t left my mind in the nearly 3 years since I watched for the first time

[@kevinmasterson5733]

I totally agree. They were both great. Eliza Hitman, the director is a major talent. Forget Elizabeth Moss in the Best Actress category, put in Sidney Flanigan.

[@alisdairmckenzie]

Year after year, stunning performances go unnoticed in small indie movies...makes me sick when I think of the money spent on marketing and campaigning by big studio movies. More than the budgets for these small movies I'm sure.

[@richkee2024]

So, I'm a theatre actor (just amateur, but I've done a lot of it since I was very young) and I have learned a lot from watching and studying the performances of actors. I'm certainly not as good as the greats but I can usually recognise the process and have a good idea of where they're pulling it from. It very rarely doesn't feel like I'm watchng an actor acting. I can honestly say no performance in the last decade has impressed me more than Delroy Lindo in Da 5 Bloods, on this visceral, unpredictable level where it barely even registers as if he's saying scripted dialogue anymore. I really felt like I was watching this man lose his mind under all the fear and stress and rage he was carrying and saying whatever came to his addled mind. True transcendence, the likes of which we very very rarely see, and everyone seemed to agree. I can't believe that any of the professionals in the industry choosing their nominees managed to forget the impact of that performance.

[@johnnolan5579]

Completely agree with you about Elizabeth Moss but I think she may have been hurt by the theatre shutdown. Invisible Man was playing at the time and doing very well, but suddenly theaters were closed down and I think a bit of momentum for Moss was lost because of it. Also agree with you about Burstyn. Damn she's always so incredible!

[@laurajones1773]

I think Alan Kim from Minari is another child performance that year that was snubbed along with Helena Zengel. He's one of the best performances in that movie along with Yuh Jung Youn.

[@potatothegreat8464]

I would swap Emerald Fennell winning for best original screenplay for Carrey Mulligan winning for best actress in a heartbeat. I thought the writing in PYW was sometimes cheesy and weird. I don't understand why Judas and the Black Messiah didn't win. (Or Minari) (Or Sound of Metal)

[@alpe1987]

I think the Delroy Lindo snub might have something to do with Chadwick Boseman. His unexpected passing pretty much overshadowed everything that awards season which then created a narrative that ultimately didn’t work

[@milospetrovic9920]

First place on every list of acting snubs of 2020 should go to Jasna Đuričić for the film Quo Vadis, Aida? In 2021 she won the European Film Award for Best Actress, beating out Carey Mulligan for Promising Young Woman and Renate Reinsve for The Worst Person in the World, among others. Elisabeth Moss is fine in The Invisible Man, but just the last 10 minutes of Quo Vadis, Aida? are enough to convince almost anyone that she not only deserved to be nominated, but actually to win the Oscar! Jasna Duričić's perfromance is extraordinary and her film is an important watch! Check it out if you have the chance!

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

That is an amazing film with an amazing performance! Both were robbed. I would've personally voted for Quo Vadis Aids over Another Round too!! Amen, to that!!

[@FantasticBeasts2024]

Mads Mikkelsen was SO snubbed 😭

[@philip3789]

Thank you for the love for Sidney. Her performance is probably the best youth performance I have ever seen on film. That director and writer also should have gotten in. Absolutely not an easy watch, but every time I think I about her performance in that movie, I get chills. One for the ages.

[@BryCrowell]

For Me on What Was Not in this Video: Olivia Cooke - Sound of Metal (1 of the Best Small Roles I've Seen) Dominique Fishback - Judas and the Black Messiah Thomas Bo Larsen - Another Round (He was the Gym Teacher/Soccer Coach) Eddie Redmayne & Mark Rylance - The Trial of the Chicago 7 and if Voice Acting Was Eligible: Jamie Foxx & Tina Fey - Soul & Honor Kneafsey & Sean Bean - Wolfwalkers

[@santos8468]

Voice acting needs to be eligible.

[@LULU-wn4ng]

Omfggggg!!! Thank you soo much for your Poor Things recommendation! I’m mind-blown!! What an adventure. You, kind sir, have great taste ❤❤❤❤

[@patrarus6097]

Thanks so much, Brian, for another excellent commentary. I agree with you about David S. in "Nomadland." I think he deserved a best supporting actor nomination. Thanks also for pronouncing his last name for me. I had been placing the accent on the wrong syllable.

[@themartian44]

David was also great in Nightmare Alley…I think he would have been a worthy BSA nominee in 2021 too.

[@heymistercarter.]

Regarding Mads Mikkelsen, some things worth mentioning: His first name is often mispronounced. The D is actually silent, so it's actually pronounced more like "MAZ" or "MAS". With the last scene of the movie, part of why it worked so well is because Mads actually has extensive dance background. Apparently he was a dancer before he was an actor, and it shows in that scene. The movie he REALLY should've been nominated for, along with Another Round, is another Thomas Vinterberg movie, The Hunt. He won Best Actor at Cannes for that performance, and for a reason. He's absolutely earth-shattering and heart-breaking in that movie, and I still consider that to be his best, along with Another Round.

[@jefflebowski3784]

Delroy Lindo is a great actor, period. Watch his filmography - always a great performance.

[@isaacmartinez6904]

Da 5 Bloods really got snubbed by the Oscars. To be fair, this movie got good reviews by critics but was favorable reviews by audiences. Not to mention that this movie came out after Spike Lee’s Blackkklansman.

[@Mastaace]

Yea thank you.. I believe I commented on another one of your vids about Delroy Lindo getting snubbed. It made me completely not care about the Oscars anymore pretty much. He's such a veteran actor and this might have been his one shot to get recognized. His performance was absolutely amazing. I also really enjoyed News of the World. Saw it at the Drive In as a double feature with Nobody which ended up being a great night of movies.

[@rafininjatv92]

Another performance and film i think is very underrated and i wish had gotten more awards attention is benedict Cumberbatch's performance in the courier

[@willis1996]

Not taking out Vanessa Kirby! Do over, take someone else out!

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

It was such a competitive year. I've never really been thrilled with the winning performance from Frances McDormand, soooo 🤔

[@knightterror2826]

Mads Mikkelsen is so overdue for recognition at the oscars

[@ryebread9299]

Love this damn channel

[@DJarvis1987]

Another great Awards Contender video ❤

[@GartYukiteru]

My top 2 snubs that year were Delroy Lindo in Leading and Bill Murray in Supporting. Both are my personal winners that year in their respective categories, so I was really sad they were overlooked. For category fraud, a really weird year. For me, 3 of the 5 supporting actors were lead (Odom Jr., Kaluuya and Stanfield). And an argument could be made for Baron Cohen to be bordeline. So, yeah...

[@laurajones1773]

I haven’t seen Da 5 Bloods, but it’s hard to imagine Delroy Lindo delivered a better performance than Anthony Hopkins in The Father. Anthony Hopkins in The Father is the best performance of the 2020 decade so far imo.

[@GartYukiteru]

@@laurajones1773 honestly, they are incredible close. Like, those two are still my favorite male performances of the last decade.

[@davidstevenson404]

I think this is a GREAT TOPIC -- EACH RECENT year's Oscar snubs !!!

[@laurajones1773]

I'm not super annoyed Bo Burnham didn't get nominated for Promising Young Woman. I'm more annoyed he didn't get nominated for Best Original Screenplay for Eighth Grade which was from a different year. He should have won Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars that year. I haven't seen all the nominees from that year. As for the nominees that I have seen, I'm not a huge fan of those movies. That category was super weak. I also wished Searching, my personal favorite film from that year, got nominated in that category as well.

[@laurajones1773]

Kingsley Ben Adir was definitely snubbed. I think he's the best performance in One Night in Miami. I think the actor that starred as Muhammad Ali was also snubbed. Leslie Odom Jr. is no where near as good as those two. No idea why he got recognized throughout awards season but not the other two I mentioned.

[@stevenstevenson5303]

Rosamund Pike, Ellen Burstyn and Sidney Flanigan frustrated me so much. I mean I kinda knew Pike wasnt getting in but her performance was so fantastic. I totally would have switched her with Viola that year and I love Viola

[@roycerowland6162]

As much as I loved Ellen Burstyn in Requiem of A dream I think that Julia Roberts winning the Oscar feel right because she gives a great performance in Erin Brockwich. Requiem is a good but hard watch.

[@kellie-nd1yp]

Plus I don’t think anyone else playing EB would have worked that well . Julia was amazing.

[@jackvlahos407]

I don’t disagree. I just think the argument would be that Julia Roberts can and has played very similar roles to Brokovich. Meanwhile Burstyn struggled to have work for years and years before that year

[@leightonbate7516]

The only thing I found confusing with Burstyn was she was playing an 88 yr old with a 32 yr old daughter,was Kirby meant to be older or Burstyn younger,was she chosen so she could give the monologue about her childhood in the war and a younger actress such as a Sigourney who I kept thinking should have had the role would have been too young or was Kirbys character adopted.

[@missdebbie8131]

Great videos. I love your channel. I was happy that you gave some love to "A Streetcar Named Desire" and the talented Vivien Leigh, Miss Blanche duBois and her wonderfully quotable lines. "Daylight never exposed so total a ruin". Heres a question i am curious what you think. In the movie "Network" Beatrce Straight won the Academy award due to a speech that comprised maybe 4 minutes, is there any other instance someone has a brief appearance that nets them the award?

[@chelmrtz]

One Night in Miami is phenomenal

[@jhhone]

Burstyn snub was sad! In 2018 when Burnham was snubbed for original screenplay I knew he was done. Also there was no hope for "Eighth Grade" acting nominations which were very deserved. Mads Mikelsen was truly astonishing and deserved a nomination. The biggest 2020 Best Actress snub was Sophia Loren in "The Life Ahead" that performance had Oscar written all over it! The power and command shown by Loren is remarkable especially for her age. Plus being directed by her son Edoardo Ponti made it even more special. Netflix should have really pushed for a nomination and possible win over Mcdormand! I'm sorry but I am turned off by Moss' association with Scientology! DISQUALIFIED!

[@tyrannosaurusburke]

I think Chadwick Bozeman should have also been nominated for "Da 5 Bloods" for Best Supporting Actor. It's surprising to me how more people were angry that he lost Best Actor to Anthony Hopkins than he was snubbed for that former category.

[@mattbernabe]

They probably didn't watch the movie The Father. Hopkins deserved that win.

[@pophector]

Great choices, particularly Delroy Lindo in Da 5 Bloods who was absolutely phenomenal. I do agree that nomination would have aged well. Elisabeth Moss was good in The Invisible Man, though I'm fine with her missing. Rosamund Pike in I Care A Lot and Michelle Pfeiffer in The French Exit were great and would have loved for either to get in that year. If only Carey or Viola Davis won Best Actress that year, I would have been over the moon for either. Another great video, Brian! Would be very curious at a snub video for the 1980s now.

[@laurajones1773]

Lakeith Stanfield deserved the Oscar nomination imo even it is category fraud. Hot take, I thought he was even better than Daniel Kaluyya from that same film who won the Oscar. Stanfield is my personal pick to win the Oscar. My mom also thought Lakeith Stanfield was better than Kaluyya in that film. For me personally, I like Daniel Kaluyya's performance more in Get Out than Judas and the Black Messiah. I prefer Kaluyya won the Oscar for Get Out instead.

[@keshavchunylall3867]

Elisabeth moss is incredibly underrated

[@anyemkkkk]

id include han yeri too!! such a stellar performance

[@alisdairmckenzie]

Straithairn should have gotten an nomination for Passion Fish as well.

[@emilyme23455]

Def didn't expect to see Bo Burnbam here! But a pleasant surprise, I think his acting is underrated

[@leonardotomaz372]

Emma Thompson for Leo Grande

[@MicoDossun]

I was pretty happy with what happened (except how disgustingly performative the Oscars were about Chadwick Boseman’s death) but with how small the nominated movies were it got me hungering for a few smaller movies that normally had no shot. My snubs are John Magaro and Orion Lee from First Cow, Zoey Deutch in Buffaloed, Rob Morgan and Chanté Adams in The Photograph, and my favorite performance of the year was Hong Chau in Driveways

[@therealangelosettler]

I agree with this entire list

[@lostinthereel]

Rosamund Pike in I Care Alot is one of my all time favorite performances... along with her work in Gone Girl. Where is this woman's gold statue!?

[@carljcreighton]

I thought I Care A Lot was kind of a mess, maybe you're right about the Promising Young Woman guy, but he's kind of boring and I love that movie, big yes on Ellyn Burstyn, best thing about the movie maybe, I'd say Shia LaBouf's performance in that was Oscar worthy too, completely agree about Strathairn too. Great video!

[@singstreetcar5881]

Kingsley ben-aid is so cute. He was in the barbie movie as one of the kens. I excited for that bob marley film

[@MuhammadAhmad-oj6mf]

Never Rarely Sometimes Always and Call Me by Your Name are the most powerful movies I've ever seen.

[@theorderofthebees7308]

Delroy Lindo was incredible in 5 bloods.

[@alisdairmckenzie]

Mads Mikkelson was robbed for sure for Another Round but even worse - him missing a best actor nomination for The Hunt. Another movie he was in and was nominated for Foreign Language movie but his performance is absolutely brilliant - the scene in the church for goodness sake, that alone should have gotten him a nomination and didn't. He won best actor at Cannes but no nomination in any of the big awards later on - shameful.

[@juliestannard5538]

I absolutely agree. His performance in The Hunt was my inspiration to go to the cinema to watch Another Round. He should have won Oscars for both.

[@alisdairmckenzie]

@juliestannard5538 It's great when you hear someone agree about that. I love Mads...he elevates anything he's in...his departure during Casino Royale left a gaping hole for the rest of that movie...only my opinion, of course.

[@juliestannard5538]

@@alisdairmckenzie it’s great to hear someone else also appreciates his foreign films including A Royal Affair if you’ve seen that. I thought my son and I were the only real Mads fans in the known universe.

[@alisdairmckenzie]

@juliestannard5538 LOL...no way. My friend and I call him the ' ultimate man' on account of his charming manner (in interviews), his acting chops, former career as a dancer and has a lovely wife & kids...he can do anything, that man. Haven't seen A Royal Affair..it IS on my to-watch list though. He's also very good in Pusher II ...he has a small part in the first but is central to the second part. Not for the faint hearted though...Like Valhala Rising as well.

[@Ronnie34118]

You said pretty much everyone i would Say expect One Frank Langella that give my favorite supporting performance in trial of Chicago 7 ( instead of pretty much everyone that isn't Paul raci the only actual supporting actor in that category in 2020)

[@SoulKnightKing]

Youre kidding.... Vanessa Kirby was brilliant. Oscar worthy. You coulda taken out Andra Day

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

It was such a competitive year. I've never really been thrilled with the winning performance from Frances McDormand, soooo 🤔

[@SleepFan771]

Sidney Flanigan & Yeri Han got SNUBBED

[@ct6852]

Elizabeth Moss is amazing at playing traumatized characters. But it would be nice to see her kill it in a fluffy rom-com some day where she gets the guy and the dream job and the cool, sassy best friend where zero people get maimed or murdered. She deserves it. At a certain point she must get tired of being the beat down one. Invisible Man was really good for what it was, though.

[@santos8468]

I'm going to get a lot of flack for this, but here it goes. I loved Delroy Lindo in Da 5 Bloods, until his character completely (and, let's face it, inevitably) cracked. What started out as a riveting performance of a man barely holding to his sanity turned cartoonish once that sanity was gone, and my Oscar thougts immediately disappeared.

[@MuhammadAhmad-oj6mf]

The Invisible Man was robbed of a Best Visual Effects nomination.

[@aaronjenkins5179]

Nah nah nahhh Vanessa Kirby turned in one of the greatest performances ever put to film. If anyone gets swapped out of that category it’s Day or Mulligan

[@neutral7786]

How about a video about snubs at the Razzies? that is, bad movies that deserved to be nominated and even win the Razzie for Worst Picture.

[@singstreetcar5881]

Sound of metal should have won best picture.

[@Dim4323]

2020 is the most forgeful oscars

[@helliot666]

and the video went to the drain when it highlights a scientologist

[@craigmmcgill]

Respectfully disagree with you about Glenn. Sure the movie was meh, but she was fantastic. It’s one of my favorite Glenn performances!

[@henrikechers9995]

I was not impressed with Francis McDormans Win. She is always just a strong Francis McDormann role.

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

I thought she was replaceable in Nomadland too

[@heribertosalinas9112]

nooooo Vanessa nooo

[@vinc614]

Where is Gaga in HOG

[@rachels.8051]

That was one of the worst movies I watched that year. No way.

[@vinc614]

@@rachels.8051 It was not one of the best of that year but definitely not one of the worst lol

[@jennywhite5531]

So I know he is very problematic and that applies especially to 2020 but Shia LaBeouf for pieces of a woman come on

[@KevinTRod]

Man Brian, I know you love horror, but Moss wasn't worthy of an Oscar nomination for this movie. She probably deserved one for Us, but not here. Otherwise I enjoyed the list.

[@zanifriz489]

Nomadland was super boring. Never understood the hype and all the awards it received

[@atticusfinch3845]

I agree. And it swept a lot of the awards that year. Frances Macdorman’s performance was overrated. It tells you how pathetic competitive awards are.

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

​​@@atticusfinch3845It was such a competitive year. I've never really been thrilled with the winning performance from Frances McDormand either, soooo 🤔 perhaps we can replace her with someone like Moss or Rosamund

[@giomergulferic6476]

​@@atticusfinch3845overrated? Just tell us that you just can't appreciate a more nuanced and subtle performance. Maybe your definition of best actress is all that shouting and crying and all

[@jennywhite5531]

Elisabeth Moss seriously? I mean I guess she was fine but I thought she didn't really have the best material to work with and the performance seemed really overdone to me. I didn't like the Invisible Man at all

[@singstreetcar5881]

I didn't like the end of promising young woman. Very childish. The guys should have gotten away with what they did. That's a more realistic ending

[@eamonndeane587]

That was one of the endings Emerald Fennell considered doing for the film. Another ending she considered doing was having Cassie burning down the venue for the Bachelor party with all the guests dying.

[@Kevin-rg3yc]

@@eamonndeane587I much prefer that ending tbh

[@lonellfletcher]

Dumping on Julia Roberts' win? Can we not?

[@jonhinson5701]

Ellen Burstyn was unforgettable in "Requiem For A Dream" . Julia Roberts did nothing extraordinary.

[@eamonndeane587]

​@@jonhinson5701That and Michelle Yeoh should have been nominated that year for 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'.

[@SoulKnightKing]

​@@eamonndeane587nominated yes, she should be a 2x nominee. But not an Oscar winner

[@lonellfletcher]

@@jonhinson5701 didn’t realize dominating an entire film wasn’t extraordinary

[@singstreetcar5881]

I care alot was not a good film. Pls stop. The first half was good,, the second half was a silly cartoon. A skinny white woman going against the Russian mafia and won. Ur joking

[@96flamengo]

Im sorry, I Care a Lot is a terrible movie

[@LexisReadz]

Perfect way to start my Wednesday! 🫶🏽

[@Ebelg-v7h]

A whole bunch of forgettable films.... I guess you didn't "get" MANK, huh?

[@MuhammadAhmad-oj6mf]

Never Rarely Sometimes Always and Call Me by Your Name are the most powerful movies I've ever seen.