Top 10 Acting Oscar UPSETS of All Time

[@carissagreen9595]

Hated the change in ceremony when they did actors after Best Picture. Hopkins winning and not being able to be present made it even a worse scheduling move.

[@MuhammadAhmad-oj6mf]

Who doesn't

[@MegaWicked89]

I think because everyone was expecting Chadwick Boseman to win, that whoever was planning the show order expected it to. I was goobsmacked when it didn't happen.

[@Qpjh15]

The producer REALLY anticipated Chadwick Boseman winning and it being a big emotional ending. It was just a really bad move.

[@ProuvaireJean]

Even if Boseman had won it still would have been - and was - a disgrace for the producers to move Actor after Picture. But at least it demonstrated that the results weren't rigged.

[@RandomRandomMan]

I would even argue this was a more embarrassing Oscars ending than the 'La La Land'/'Moonlight' mix-up for being so anti-climactic. Hopkins did give a great response video via social media after the ceremony though.

[@hjscollages]

Put some respect on Marissa Tomei’s name. Dying is easy. Comedy is hard. Tomei’s win is one of my favorite Oscar wins.

[@NagasakiBladers]

& we probably wouldn't have the iconic Seinfeld episode without it!

[@poett8875]

I don’t think he meant it in a bad way. He just said it’s not the performance than the academy typically goes for, which is correct. Which is why it’s seen as an upset. He even called it an all timer win, which it is.

[@hjscollages]

@ thanks for the clarification. It’s good to see things from a different perspective because it gives me insight.

[@adagiobreeze8493]

Mira Sorvino in Mighty Aphrodite too

[@missy2543]

Just realized she was the only American nominee that year. The rest were Brits + 1 Australian

[@gios7409]

It still hurts me that Cate Blanchett lost to Gwyneth Paltrow in 1998 Oscars... she was marvelous as the young Queen Elizabeth

[@theimpossiblemary]

Either Cate Blanchett or Fernanda Montenegro were more deserving of the Oscar.

[@billcook4768]

@@gios7409 And Gwyneth was also marvelous :) Though sometimes it seems I’m the only person who appreciated her win and the movie’s.

[@albalbuena6478]

@@billcook4768I thought that Gwyneth Paltrow was very good. She should have been nominated and won Best Actress for PROOF (2005). The year she won should have gone to Cate Blanchett.

[@Danay985]

​@@billcook4768 she was decent if anything. Cate makes you say "that's acting". Not even close

[@kennethycmat5142]

same!!

[@MG-gb6cp]

The Tomei win still holds up. That's an all timer comedy performance in my opinion.

[@tucucciolo1]

Completely agree 👍 👏 🙌

[@skylark1250]

Tomei doesn’t get enough praise for her fine performance in this movie. Joe Pesci was great too. She was played down as an accidental win. Not fair to her. The trophy comes with its own baggage.

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

Yes

[@oragamiowl5031]

Agree. Massively underrated actress.

[@HeelSection3825]

I love this win, too. The only comedic performance win I like more is Kevin Kline for A Fish Called Wanda. But this one was more of a surprise. Very cool!

[@ohb1kenobi859]

Probably the happiest I’ve ever been watching the Oscars was when Olivia Colman won, I love Glen Close don’t get me wrong, but as a Brit, I’ve been watching Colman for years and I love her

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

​@@cosmefulanitoo2625I've heard that too 😔

[@albalbuena6478]

I wanted Melissa McCarthy to win that year, but I like Olivia Colman very much.

[@azconle1]

Ever since I saw Colman in “Peep Show” I’d been a fan. She was also great in the middle seasons of “The Crown”

[@dhenderson1810]

​@@cosmefulanitoo2625Why do they hate her?

[@julz3tt3]

​@@azconle1same here. I agree Glenn close does ver snubbed but fair is fair here and Olivia Coleman deserved her flowers for The Favorite, Broadchurch and her many supporting roles in films AND her roles in the crown as the Queen part 3-4

[@je8607]

I’ve never been more convinced that the winners results really are sealed up and kept confidential until the envelopes are opened, than the year Hopkins won over Boseman. No production team in their right mind would’ve put Best Actor at the end of the ceremony knowing it wouldn’t be Boseman.

[@jay_rjabonillo9908]

It was Steven Soderbergh's idea. I think there was a petition to ban him from producing the show again.

[@ammie341]

I couldn’t agree more

[@Chavalala03]

I mean, the company that does the counting and seals the envelopes should at least told them “maybe that’s not a good idea”.

[@jay_rjabonillo9908]

@@Chavalala03 PwC only tabulates the votes and sealed the envelopes in 2 sets but they didn't know the order of the award presentation.

[@Blunderman-rl1hc]

This is more like "most unexpected Oscar wins of all time".

[@lexkanyima2195]

It is.

[@dakritic]

@@Blunderman-rl1hc what was so unexpected with Adrian Brody winning?

[@ArizonanSummer]

That’s what “upset” means

[@Blunderman-rl1hc]

@@ArizonanSummer Upset may be used in a definitive negative context. Like saying, "I was upset that so-and-so won the Oscar that year". However, this seems more like the win of that night was unexpected rather than saying that they shouldn't have won. If the video was on acting wins that should never have happened, I'd think they'd include moments like Art Carney winning best actor for "Harry and Tonto".

[@MelanieWolfe]

@@Blunderman-rl1hcthis is using the other definition of upset: “an unexpected result or situation, especially in a sports competition. "they caused one of last season's biggest upsets by winning 27-15"

[@WalterFrith]

Idris Elba wasn't eligible to win an Oscar in 2015 because his film came from Netflix and back then the rules did not recognize that a streaming performance could win an Oscar. Anthony Hopkins was not at the Oscars for 'The Father' because he was 83 years old and we were still recovering from COVID and his doctors advised him against traveling.

[@lexkanyima2195]

Hopkins 2nd win was a bit convincing

[@stephendavis6267]

I really don't think Olivia Colman was an upset. She did extremely well with critics' precursors, she won the Comedy Globe the same night Close won Drama, she won Comedy Critics' Choice the same night Gaga and Close tied (because BFCA is a cowardly organization who tries to hedge their bets across the board), and even though she lost SAG she won BAFTA immediately after, and she had the much stronger film overall in terms of accolades. It's just that people had deluded themselves into thinking Close's narrative would carry her to a win that they ignored the very real strength Colman had the whole way through.

[@sherrybowen4432]

To me it was a supporting role.

[@sonicdeathmonkey689]

I will always go to bat for Paquin winning for the piano. She was excellent and it was a super complex role for a child actor to pull off.

[@DrR0BERT]

Totally agree. She's what I remember from the movie.

[@cherylhulting1301]

I,will always support her in this category too. Anna was gifted and it was a performance deeoly connected to Holly Hunter's lead. It was quite a complex part for so young a girl.

[@Milk427]

She was probably the best performance in that movie. Totally deserved.

[@mikebasil4832]

Even though I remember Anna Paquin best as X-Men’s Rogue, her adorable reaction to her surprise win is one of my favourite Oscar memories.

[@zacharycaughran2263]

She was absolutely amazing in that role!!!!!

[@americker]

The reaction from the other nominees to Adrian Brody's win feels even sweeter in light of the fact (I think) that all of them had won before - they're all genuinely pleasantly surprised and happy for him

[@charliedameliodunkinfanpag6462]

No Adrian wasnt upset..his acting was masterpeace❤❤❤

[@amparonarbona5142]

Some of them were trully deserving though: Brody and Binoche, for example. They might not have been the favorites, but their victories were refreshing, IMO.

[@FrakkinToasterLuvva]

Most of these are deserving, even in the video the arguments used are often "everyone thought this person should win for SENTIMENTAL reasons, and then they didn't, the Academy went for the performances they liked better instead".

[@carissagreen9595]

@@FrakkinToasterLuvva The Academy is so mercurial -- sometimes someone *does* win clearly for sentimental reasons, and sometimes they don't. I guess it's a reason to keep watching. I agree with you -- I rarely think any nominee is *not* deserving of a nomination, but I almost always have a favorite to be a winner!

[@charliedameliodunkinfanpag6462]

Never more deserved Like Brody..his acting for Pijanist is over the edge.i hope he Will wins and this year

[@shihlin1]

Rented English Patient to see why Binoche won. Still don't understand why she did for that performance. Lauren Bacall truly deserved it and she was right abt Harvey's machinations at work in "getting" the votes and Binoche lucked out whereas Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas didn't. Anybody who saw Patient will agree Fiennes was the one who truly deserved to win based on performance. But not Binoche

[@charliedameliodunkinfanpag6462]

@shihlin1 not Binoche!¡!you must ne joking!!!????be*

[@patriciafenwick5846]

Adrian Brody, Olivia Colman, and Anthony Hopkins were not a surprise to me; their performances were outstanding. Oh and btw, Olivia Colman is a hoot in talk shows and interviews. And I think Anthony Hopkins was in Wales and got a phone call in the middle of the night and was told he had won. He was so surprised, and made a video later thanking everyone.

[@katashworth41]

Given Olivia Colman came up through the Cambridge Footlights it’s no surprise she’s a hoot. It’s pretty much a job interview for a job somewhere in British comedy.

[@DouglasMcCulley]

Marissa backed it up with nominations for 'In the Bed Room' and 'The Wrestler'. had she won for either, no one would have blinked.

[@nestor1460]

Hmmm, I don't know about 'The Wrestler'... Remember how brilliantly Penélope Cruz portrayed that INSANE character in (the otherwise mediocre) 'Vicky, Christina, Barcelona'??? That performance was just FLAWLESS

[@ms13909]

@@nestor1460you mean that movie where Penelope Cruz played the same character she always plays. Tomei was better in The Wrestler IMO.

[@nestor1460]

@@ms13909 Yes, that's exactly the one I mean. You have of course every right to think that Marisa Tomei was better and we can just agree to disagree and leave it there. But in VCB, Penélope didn't play "the character she always plays". And that is not an opinion, it is just a fact. Have a good one

[@michelehamilton961]

So happy with the Tomei win and her 2 later Oscar nominations.

[@baldguy3960]

That says a lot.

[@TheJFish94]

I’m at Marissa Tomei at Rhode Island Comic Con back in 2023, and she was the first Oscar winner that I met in, person, and when I told her that, she said that she won’t be the last, mean that she won’t be the last Oscar winner I’ll meet.

[@billcook4768]

Now just gotta convince voters that being funny in a comedy is as award worthy as doing an accent in a period drama.

[@mikebasil4832]

I certainly agreed with Marisa’s Oscar nominations for In The Bedroom and The Wrestler. I’ve liked her ever since first seeing her in Untamed Heart.

[@hrhargyll]

What was Miranda Richardson nominated for?

[@philippeh3904]

Definitely Olivia Colman is the biggest surprise in my life time watching the Oscar’s. I’ll never forget when her name was announced. I went crazy, I was so happy she won it over what would’ve been a career make up award for Glenn Close.

[@sherrybowen4432]

All 3 actresses in The Favourite were supporting roles

[@johnpaulvalenzuela5391]

same feels when Anthony Hopkins won over Chadwick B! The Father is a hall of fame performance for Hopkins

[@ereagan4]

@@sherrybowen4432I think this is an example of category fraud. Emma Stone was the actual lead actress since she is the one we follow from beginning to end.

[@RonnieStewartJr]

You can really see that Lady Gaga was fully expecting the win to go to her or Glenn Close.

[@axr7149]

I think she was expecting Glenn Close, especially since Glenn is a friend of Lady Gaga's mom in fact, which Glenn mentioned in a talk show.

[@timothyday5187]

Gaga definitely was not the expecting herself to win. Shes great friend with Glenn Close and I still remember throughout that whole award season Gaga was rooting for Glenn to win. Gaga was more eyeing to win for best original song than Best Actress

[@RonnieStewartJr]

They tied at Critics Choice…so I think if she was expecting anyone else to win over Glenn, it would have been herself. Thats why she was SO shocked.

[@criss8836]

Glenn for sure, not her

[@carolinemccarthy7360]

I'm glad that Marisa Tomei won, my only gripe is that Joe Pesci wasn't also nominated. He is the face of that movie and did just as well as Marisa.

[@melanie62954]

Seriously, if Denzel weren't in that category, I would say that Joe Pesci gave the best performance of the year!

[@stevereed8786]

We all remember Marisa Tomei , opps, sorry Mona Lisa Vito after all these year. I have no clue who the others were.

[@lexkanyima2195]

​@mela😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅nie62954

[@merlebuck]

Agreed. My Cousin Vinny was likely stereotyped as a generic lowest-common denominator comedy at the time. I know that's how I felt as a moviegoer and I skipped it, much to my regret. Catching up with it years later, the film itself is transcendent and Joe Pesci deserved attention for his role as well.

[@taronjordan5894]

He should’ve been nominated for Casino as well

[@singstreetcar5881]

Anthony Hopkins gave a stronger performance than chadwick Everybody wanted chadwick to win cause he died. His role in ma rainey’s black bottom was good but not strong enough Anthony Hopkins in the father was so sad and heartbreaking. He didnt attend the ceremony because of covid

[@lexkanyima2195]

I see why

[@athenaathenaisc1473]

Adrien Brody may have been a surprise, but his performance was so amazing. He gave his soul to that part. ❤

[@robertcanada5106]

Tomei deserved that award. Comedy is so tough, and her upset was no shock to me.

[@mervyngreene6687]

I disagree. She did not have a supporting part in "My Cousin Vinny." It was a LEADING role!

[@tonyaw2353]

Her comedic timing was impeccable!! She deserved that win!! ❤❤❤

[@DraganMarkovic-c3j]

Some suggestions from the earlier days: 1939 - Robert Donat, the "man who stole an Oscar from Clark Gable" (and James Stewart) 1940 - Ginger Rogers 1943 - Paul Lukas over Humphrey Bogart 1947 - it was expected for Rosalind Russel to win so much, that after being declared a winner, Loretta Young said "What about Roz?" 1950 - Judy Halliday over both Bette Davis and Gloria Swanson

[@vastariner]

Bing Crosby over Cary Grant (or, indeed, anyone else in the world) in 1944 for a dreadful turn as well.

[@SandViolet]

Ginger Rogers in 1940 is by far the worst. Competing against Ginger's OK performance was Bette Davis - who should have won - in her greatest performance ("The Letter"), and Katharine Hepburn ("The Philadelphia Story") and Joan Fontaine ("Rebecca") superb performances in their most iconic, made-to-measure roles. Also, better than Ginger, the fourth nominee: Martha Scott in "Our Town". Not nominated but deserved it much more than Ginger or Martha: Vivien Leigh in "Waterloo Bridge".

[@krob2445]

I still haven’t moved past Grace winning over Judy. That’s BEYOND a crime.

[@MrMcsia]

Piper Laurie would have deserved the Oscar for "Carrie". Unforgettably powerful. So was Sissy Spacek in the leading role.

[@RA-hx9uc]

Marisa Tomei is the best female comedic performance to take the category in history, and it's not even close.

[@dhenderson1810]

George Costanza agrees with you.

[@stevereed8786]

You mean Mona Lisa Vito?

[@timgriffin3368]

I'm a fool but The English Patient is one of my fave films so when i saw Binoche that night, i cheered like crazy. I was loving life that night.

[@tucucciolo1]

Brody winning was extremely well deserved 👏 As was Binoche 🎉

[@filmbuff2777]

Brody was great, but he should not have won over Day-Lewis.

[@tucucciolo1]

@filmbuff2777 I had a difficult with that film. I could not get into it at all. Now Day-Lewis has 3 well deserved Oscars.

[@charliedameliodunkinfanpag6462]

I agree❤❤❤❤

[@charliedameliodunkinfanpag6462]

Brody winning was deserved..❤❤❤❤❤

[@BrittneySapotalo]

​@@filmbuff2777Boooohooo you cry like a baby. Brody ultimately deserves it and already won. Move on and be it. Simple as that! 🙄😒

[@04nbod]

Lesson for the modern Oscars: DON'T UNDERESTIMATE BAFTA

[@jorgeandrew]

Sorry, but BAFTA has an incredible bias against non-British or non-US productions, directors and actors. To me, BAFTA is not only not an indicator of quality, but it's also an indicator of prejudice against Latin Americans, Asians and Europeans from the continent. The most recent case. Sandra Hüller, from Germany. She won the European Award and the Cesar in France, but BAFTA favored to Emma Stone, solely because she was from the Hollywood establishment.🤦‍♂ Much more serious and precise are the Golden Globes, Critic Choice and the SAG.

[@04nbod]

@@jorgeandrew And who got the Oscar out of Emma Stone and Sandra Huller? Who predicted Anthony Hopkins? Who precursored the late surge for 'All Quiet on the Western Front'? Its all about the make up of the academy. Actors make up a big chunk, that is why the SAGS tend to be accurate. The British contingent is significant too and as you say, they tend to vote for themselves. Which is why I'm not counting out Felicity Jones for The Brutalist being nominated. And I think they could make the difference for Cynthia Erivo and Ralph Fiennes.

[@04nbod]

Felicity Jones in for The Brutalist. Lookee at that.

[@Alexandra_Indina]

Adrien deserved his Oscar, no questions!!!

[@sheilav9100]

The Pianist was such a good movie.

[@bilaalbadurdeen2733]

Marisa T was Amazing, She totally deserved 💯🔥

[@VinMar-m6w]

16:24 What do you mean *_"My Cousin Vinny"_* was not successful? It was a hit in theaters that spring and then popular on home video. Just because it wasn't among the *Top 10* grossers of *1992* does not mean it was a failure.

[@lexkanyima2195]

Easily in top 15

[@merlebuck]

Marisa Tomei's performance in My Cousin Vinny is one for the ages. She deserved her award a hundred times over.

[@kahra.x]

sandra bullock winning an oscar for the blind side over gabourey sibide in precious still shocks me..

[@signatureroles]

That was fun! Good Job!

[@NagasakiBladers]

When Colman's name was announced I actually jumped up and whooped, she's a legend in the UK, everyone in the UK was over the moon

[@emilyserafamanschot800]

What about Best Supporting Actor, Eddie Murphy, for Dreamgirls?

[@hdlc4635]

Good call

[@lexkanyima2195]

His role was a bit limited

[@LoudounDemocrat]

Tommy Lee Jones winning for The Fugitive over Ralph Fiennes for Schindler's List is absolutely ridiculous.

[@lexkanyima2195]

It was not a upset. I have a explanation why Lee Jonea won. Tommy Lee Jones had more resume then Fiennes and Dicaprio in terms of performance and Fiennes role is too controversial to win it. Dicaprio was not ready, had he won, he would be remembered for 2 years and never heard of him again. Jones had so smooth and be believable in his character. 3 Dicaprio's win would be a equivalent like Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man 5 years prior, The Academy would would not give it to a guy from a disability in a movie.

[@christiand4104]

Another memorable thing about the Brody win was that not only was he was the youngest Best Actor winner (a record Richard Dreyfuss had held for 25 years), he was up against four veterans, all who had won before, two of them twice (Caine and Nicholson), and it was his first nomination.

[@mikebasil4832]

I’ve always had a strong admiration for Glenn since first seeing her in Fatal Attraction which I felt she should have won the Oscar for.

[@PhilipsWood725]

Time to put the Tomei win controversy to bed. She chews up every scene, is such a delight throughout, is unforgettable in this role, is unquestionably the audience favorite [we all *STILL* tune in for her testimony scene when it’s on TV], and…it’s the only performance of all of these we still talk about to this day. Deserved, unforgettable, and we need more wins like this one! Genre bias is *ABSURD.* For example, did *anyone* deserve to win an Oscar over the not-even-nominated Robin Williams in ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’?! NOPE! Every bit as incredible as Meryl in ‘Sophie’s Choice.’ Truly.

[@jakjac645]

far too many people in the comments don’t understand that an upset, in this usage, is not a negative or derogatory term. it simply means something widely unexpected. has nothing to do with and is not commenting on whether or not someone deserved it or was indeed the best, just that it wasn’t the popular sentiment going in to the night that said nominee would be the winner.

[@oscarman42]

Richard Dreyfuss winning over Richard Burton; Loretta Young winning Best Actress of 1947 for The Farmer's Daughter, Humphrey Bogart winning Best Actor for The African Queen over Marlon Brando for Streetcar; Patty Duke's win for The Miracle Worker was considered an upset as well.

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

Those are good picks

[@robertcanada5106]

I don't care what anyone says; Duke acted with every fiber of her body. She deserved that Oscar.

[@martind4562]

@@robertcanada5106 I 100% agree with you

[@marychocolatefairy]

Good list. Another one is Robin Williams for Good Will Hunting. Burt Reynolds was considered an absolute lock for Boogie Nights.

[@ryanbyrne5192]

Anthony Hopkins performance in 'The Father' is one of the greatest performances I've ever seen.

[@angelcastaneda529]

Oh man, this was a great list. Can you do another one, I was expecting Jamie Lee Curtis on it, that is still a complete shock. 😊.

[@davidl9781]

Judy was robbed. That should have been her Oscar.

[@mervyngreene6687]

I think that this was a popularity contest win. It was beauty vs the beast.

[@leologan4503]

I would also add Geena Davis for The Accidental Tourist to that list considering she won without having any precursors going in that year. Most everyone thought that Sigourney Weaver would take supporting actress for Working Girl.

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

That's a good pick

[@codyhiginbotham6616]

Even if Chadwick Boseman had won, not presenting Best Picture last was a terrible decision

[@lexkanyima2195]

But it felt incredibly rushed

[@TanteNanne]

I followed your advice and watched Coelman's speech and boy, did that make my day. I cried, I cheered and went off to work with a happy heart! Thanks so mch for pointing that out!

[@Rgp1958]

Marisa Tomei’s Oscar win might have been a surprise, but it was well deserved. She is brilliant in that movie!

[@OfficialSpencer]

If we're including technical wins - Bohemian Rhapsody winning most technical awards (Editing, Sound, Mixing), Zimmer snubbed for Gladiator, Prince of Egypt, Inception and Interstellar), Suicide Squad winning best VFX, La La Land snubbed for Best Film after numerous wins and thats all I can think of haha

[@josepha.r5839]

For me, Mark Ryance's role was mesmerizing. Still remember it. He's a brilliant actor.

[@DavidLopez-lo2oz]

Love Mark!! Wolf Hall, anyone?

[@martinpintus]

Brokeback Mountain should have won best picture. It didn't because of homophobia.

[@danielrubinstein896]

Exactly

[@Interrobang2626]

I'm glad you mentioned Olivia Colman's acceptance speech. I thought that speech was the most memorable event of that evening. I feel that most Brits give a good speech (Colin Firth being another memorable one).

[@FrakkinToasterLuvva]

Several of these are like "everyone thought this person should win for sentimental reasons and were ready for things to get really schmaltzy, and then it turned the Academy voted for the performance they actually liked better". Stalone should not win an Oscar, because he's not a particularly good actor. Not every beloved movie star needs to get awards. If anyone should've gotten an Oscar for their whole career, Mark Rylance has a huge edge over him.

[@nestor1460]

I agree. But Glenn Close and ESPECIALLY Judy Garland really should have taken their awards. Not because they were (are!) legends of the industry, blah, blah, blah, but because they simply did better. Honestly, does anyone remember The Country Girl and Grace Kelly's performance in it??? And yet Judy's performance in A Star Is Born is still not only remembered, but treasured nd admired! I think we will forget about Olivia Colman in The Favourite eventually too. But I do agree that that speech was EVERYTHING! 😂

[@theprime6439]

@@nestor1460nah Olivia Colman deserved it over Glenn Close

[@dhenderson1810]

Stallone never won an Oscar for acting. He got it for "Best Original Screenplay" as he wrote the screenplay for "Rocky".

[@FrakkinToasterLuvva]

@@dhenderson1810 I know he never won an Oscar for acting. So what? I don't think he needs to win one. Plenty of actually great actors have never won it.

[@dhenderson1810]

@FrakkinToasterLuvva Sly isn't a great actor, though.

[@BFA100]

My Top 10 Acting Oscar Upsets of All Time 1. Judy Holliday (Best Actress for Born Yesterday) 2. Marisa Tomei (Best Supporting Actress for My Cousin Vinny) 3. Adrien Brody (Best Actor for The Pianist) 4. Juliette Binoche (Best Supporting Actress for The English Patient) 5. Anthony Hopkins (Best Actor for The Father) 6. Grace Kelly (Best Actress for The Country Girl) 7. Anna Paquin (Best Supporting Actress for The Piano) 8. Marcia Gay Harden (Best Supporting Actress for Pollock) 9. Art Carney (Best Actor for Harry and Tonto) 10. Olivia Colman (Best Actress for The Favourite) My Top 5 Honorable Mentions 1. Mark Rylance (Best Supporting Actor for Bridge of Spies) 2. Jim Broadbent (Best Supporting Actor for Iris) 3. Humphrey Bogart (Best Actor for The African Queen) 4. Lee Marvin (Best Actor for Cat Ballou) 5. Glenda Jackson (Best Actress for A Touch of Class) The English Patient did not win the Oscar for (Adapted) Screenplay that went to Sling Blade.

[@JulieAndrews-ke8vl]

@@BFA100 I get that a lot of people preferred Judy Garland's performance over Grace Kelly's but it was NOT a surprise whatsoever. If I'm not mistaken, the only award she didn't win was the BAFTA that went to an actress who wasn't even nominated for lead actress at the Oscars.

[@scheridon]

Emma Stone won her first Oscar for "La La Land", but the Oscar should have gone to Isabelle Huppert (for "Elle"), in my opinion. Glenn Close instead of Olivia Colman and Cate Blanchett or Fernanda Montenegro instead of Gwyneth Paltrow (for "Shakespeare in Love").

[@jorgeandrew]

Absolutely 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Emma Stone won two times the Oscar "beating" actresses very higher to her: Isabelle Huppert 🇨🇵 in 2016 and Sandra Hüller 🇩🇪 in 2024. The reason... she is from 🇺🇲 🤐

[@scheridon]

I think Anthony Hopkins (for "The Father") and Riz Ahmed (for "Sound of Metal") had better performances than Chadwick Boseman, but he was overrated because of a strong "woke" agenda.

[@csabapalotai7418]

Absolutely! ❤Fernanda Montenegro

[@nestor1460]

Yeaaah, I don't know what the big deal is with Emma Stone. She never seems believable to me...

[@BFA100]

@@jorgeandrew That was for the year 2023 when Sandra Huller was nominated.

[@Milk427]

I remember in 2003 watching that Oscar ceremony, where Adrien Brody won. I had seen that movie. I loved that performance. My heart was beating so fast and hard that moment. I wanted him to win. They called his name and I jumped up and screamed. I was so happy. Plus Adrien Brody’s birthday April 14, 1973 and mine is about two weeks later same year. It was a great moment.

[@whatnosejob7981]

You’re the first person (non-committee member) I’ve come across that believes in payback Oscar’s!

[@katashworth41]

I bet Olivia Colman is the only Oscar winner who’s portrayed someone drunkenly pissing themselves in a ball pit. I now need to watch Peep Show again.

[@bpure2560]

I feel Art Carney should be on this list for Harry & Tonto. Especially when you see he was up against 3 powerhouse performances from Jack Nicholson in Chinatown, Dustin Hoffman in Lenny and Al Pacino in The Godfather Part II.😱 Plus Harry & Tonto was considered a comedy.

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

That's a good one

[@axr7149]

On the contrary, Carney was not seen as a surprise at the time. It was between him and Nicholson (Carney won the Golden Globe in the Comedy category and Nicholson won Drama). If anything, GODFATHER 2 winning Picture was something of a surprise then as almost all major awards in the leadup to the Oscars went with CHINATOWN for Actor, Director, and Picture at the time (DGA being the only exception).

[@OconByrd519]

No question that was a huge upset. To beat out both Nicholson and Pacino in the Godfather 2. Very surprised that didn't make the list.

[@hdlc4635]

In retrospect it looks like an upset or surprise win, but at the time Carney, pundits considered Carney to be a leading contender.

[@lexkanyima2195]

​@@hdlc4635but this 7 or 8 years during the New Hollywood era and the jury who were are Old Hollywood and were resent new guys who do better.

[@DanCrowleyNYC]

This is one of your best videos. I was just with all of my Italian-American cousins today talking about My Cousin Vinny and how brilliant she was in that (and yes, I am a huge Woody Allen fan and adore Judy Davis in Husbands and Wives and anything she does). I also appreciate you mentioning Network, because it's one of the most amazing films ever made, but I never understood that Supporting Actress win for one scene when you had Piper Laurie and Jodie Foster in the same category. Great job as always!

[@jeannehall6546]

Actually, the cameras were at the hospital where Judy Garland had just delivered her son, Joey Luft, when she got her Oscar nomination and was expected to win.

[@betsyab121]

I love Marissa's performance and I still enjoy watching it to this day!

[@stevereed8786]

It's impossible to not fall in love with Mona Lisa Vito. The Hunting Scene was priceless.

[@felicecinque]

Judy was ROBBED!

[@NorthEndLeader]

the 2021 hopkins win is my favourite oscar upset. it was so satisfying to see this forced moment turn into such an awkward mess, especially after the pathos of the entire awards season until that point. yes it is sad that boseman died and he was a great actor but his performance in ma rainey's was decent at best especially when compared to hopkins in the father who delivered an all timer performance. a rare academy win for sure.

[@LH-gp6xb]

I didn't think of Olivia Colman or Anthony Hopkins's win as a shocker. I was expecting it actually. Their biggest opponents might have better narratives, but the film was just weak or the performace itself wasn't strong enough in comparison. I didn't like The Father, but Hopkins still killed it, not to mention his performance was very typical of oldschool, polished, stageplay-like acting, which has been the cup of tea for the majority of voters(white, male, elder, more conservative). The Wife was just a bad film imo, and Colman's win made senese. I was glad that she took the statue home. And I'm rooting for Adrien Brody. If the Ralph Fiennes is the one to beat atm, Brody could pull off his 2nd upset!

[@Argeaux2]

Anna Paquin is so good in that role. It was the right decision to award her the Oscar. She has gone on to show what a terrific actor she is.

[@perryjones7771]

The way Lauren looked at Juliette. She was fighting those intrusive thoughts.

[@benjaminjackson9449]

Honorary mention to Geraldine Page’s Best Actress win for A Trip to Bountiful. A truly deserving performance, but a serious left field win.

[@lizd.8655]

I've been waiting on your video about Marissa Tomei's Oscar win but I guess this great video will have to suffice!

[@patrarus6097]

Thanks for another excellent commentary, Brian. I believed the "urban legend" that Jack Palance called the wrong name.

[@abhikmoj5853]

Olivia Colman's win increased my lifespan!! It was so well deserved!

[@morganhayes7130]

I think for your first two shocks, it’s also important to note that Straight and especially Rylance were very well-regarded as stage actors before their dance with Oscar. Probably a lot of goodwill from their fellow actors for being legends of a very well-respected medium.

[@josepha.r5839]

Garland should have got it. A Star is Born is one of the best. The Country Girl is certainly not memeorable.

[@axr7149]

Anthony Hopkins's 2nd Oscar win for THE FATHER is probably one of the most significantly notable upsets in the last decade. That being said, I was one of those who predicted him largely due to eerie similarities between him and Jack Nicholson in terms of 1st Lead win vs 2nd Lead win. Both of them won their first Lead Oscar for a movie that swept the Big 5 awards (SILENCE OF THE LAMBS for Hopkins and ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST for Nicholson), and the movies that won them their 2nd LEAD Oscar (THE FATHER and AS GOOD AS IT GETS respectively) had very similar nomination overlaps (both had Picture, Screenplay, at least 2 Acting nods, Editing, and one other tech category (Production Design for THE FATHER and Score for AS GOOD AS IT GETS)). The eerie similarities in nominations paired with MA RAINEY's Picture snub (and Hopkins's BAFTA victory) were more than enough for me to predict Hopkins for the win.

[@johndebono1870]

They literally build that ceremony around Chadwick Boseman's win. Even if there were signs, I have a hard time believing anyone watching that show through Hopkins would upset. That being said, I think Hopkins winning is the best case scenario to be honest. As good as Boseman was, it felt gross how hard the Oscars were leaning on people's grief to bring in the ratings during the COVID year. Having it end on the most awkward note possible hopefully discourages that nonsense from happening again.

[@dhenderson1810]

​@@johndebono1870 It wasn't just that Norseman died, it was that he was a dead BLACK man. This was during Black Lives Matter, and at least two other black actors had made a speech with BLF overtones, and the switching of the categories was a virtual signalling exercise so the event can end with the black man winning, making a political statement. If it had been a white guy, they wouldn't have moved it. Heath Ledger wasn't on last for "Best Supporting Actor" for "The Dark Knight" when he won post humorously.

[@hdlc4635]

@@dhenderson1810It hadn’t been done for decades, but there were past Oscars that ended with the Best Actor/Actress awards.

[@lexkanyima2195]

​@@johndebono1870 it felt rushed

[@leightonbate7516]

I was very happy when Hopkins won over sentiment,I didn't think Chadwick was really worthy of the award,I found him OTT and showboaty,Hopkins was so real and heartbreaking,if you see his last 10 minutes on screen it's what real acting is all about,I knew it would be Hopkins when Chadwick didn't get his expected supporting nod for Da 5 Bloods. Harden's win is so satisfying as it's one of those times when it was definitely and not about politics or who your mother is,Hudson's performance is ok but not really worthy of an Oscar and McDormand pulled some votes away,Dench had already won beloved as she is,Walters was probably closet to winning despite no precursor wins..

[@daxabe9974]

The Mark Rylance win was well deserved.

[@ClassicalMusic2002]

It's razor tight races like these that make me wish the Academy published the vote totals after like ten years. I'd be super curious to see how many votes separated first and second in a photo finish!

[@TTT-g6j]

The vast majority of these upsets are because people overrate overdue factor and narrative over strength of the film itself, which I think this season means Madison and Brody are rightful frontrunners while Culkin might be more vulnerable than he has looked so far.

[@lexkanyima2195]

It was a significant to underestimate a underdog l

[@motomami2213]

Hey, Adrien’s performance was freaking good on the pianist

[@PicklesRTasty]

Close has never been snubbed, sucks to be her, but shes always against someone better

[@Lennon-k3o]

Moonlight taking best picture over la la land was a shocker in my opinion since the only other place it won was best drama at the golden globes. La La land had 14 nominations at the Oscar’s tying for the most nominations in oscar history, and the BAFTAs and critics choice chose la la land as their best picture

[@Lennon-k3o]

Didn’t realise it was for acting, oops. But do best picture that would be cool

[@billcook4768]

@Lennon-k3o La La Land did win. For about 20 seconds.

[@AmIDeadYet]

Adrian Brody deserved it, I think.

[@michelehamilton961]

Everything about the Best Actor presentation at the 2021 Awards was tacky and disrespectful to both Boseman and Hopkins. The producers were trying to create a “moment “ and using Chadwick’s passing to do so. Also the producers would not allow nominees to who could not attend (at the height of Covid) to attend via zoom (Hopkins has asked) so he was denied an opportunity to accept his award. One of the worse ceremonies.

[@theimpossiblemary]

Yeah, and though I love Frances McDormand and think she is one of the best actresses currently working, I think there were better performances in her category and she had already won three years before... so it didn't seem fair tbh. She only won because Nomadland won best director and best picture.

[@dhenderson1810]

They shouldn't have had a ceremony that year and should have just awarded the Oscars online. I think the Emmys did that.

[@lexkanyima2195]

But it felt out of nowhere, the scrapped alot of people and it felt it was rushed.

[@lexkanyima2195]

​@@dhenderson1810doesn't make sense

[@owenbloomfield1177]

Regarding the Tomei win, I recall that at the time pundits were thinking her win was a pushback against the dominance of British film at the time. The previous years had seen US films losing out to British films. The nominations that year were dominated by them. Whether this is true or not is unknown. This is not to say Tomei is undeserving.

[@Voyager759]

Ellen Burstyn's transformative and electrifying performance in Requiem for a Dream stands as a once-in-a-lifetime achievement. That it was overshadowed by Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich remains one of the most shocking upsets in awards history!

[@bobthebear1246]

So, let's finally get off this "Marisa Tomei didn't deserve her Oscar®" bullshit for once and for all already. The fact is that she went toe-to-toe with the great Joe Pesci - who had literally just won the year before for his incredible and iconic Best Supporting Actor performance in _GoodFellas_ - and stole the show from him every single time. Right there, that proves that she fully deserved her Oscar® that year. It may have been unexpected for most people, but it certainly wasn't for me. I knew that she deserved to win. I think a far bigger upset was Adrien Brody for _The Pianist._ I mean, c'mon: 29-year-old-dude beat-out BOTH Jack Nicholson AND Daniel Day-Lewis for Best Actor?! I understand his acting performance and that film was pretty fucking incredible, and it certainly looks that way from the couple clips I've seen of it, but I had fully expected either Jack or especially Daniel to win that year. As for Juliette Binoche, well let's just say that I was really rooting for Lauren Bacall because, c'mon, it was definitely more than about time for her. BUT, I had seen _The English Patient,_ thought it was a good film but not great (while at the same time being clearly the type of film that was still winning Oscar® nights), but for me the standout was Juliette's performance in it. She was the heart and soul and the core of that film more than anyone else in it, and, after I saw it, I had a very strong feeling she was going to win Best Supporting Actress. I would have preferred Lauren Bacall to have won, but I understood why it was Juliette Binoche.

[@manas2002]

Tomei's court monologue is nothing short of history!!!

[@allisontucker9874]

Brody winning for playing a Holocaust survivor was well deserved

[@mikegonzalez503]

It also helped marissa was the only americna in the category. It might have also helled Helen Hunt winning in as good as it gets. However, at least i like Marissa's win.

[@aaronjanlistanco]

for sure this Oscars 2025 another "upset" victory coming a few in some categories

[@melaniemanning2462]

Oh Lauren Bacall. Maybe the academy voters just didn't want to give a sort of, "legacy" win that year?

[@codyhiginbotham6616]

Jamie Lee Curtis - Everything Everywhere All at Once While Curtis gave a good performance and was nomination worthy, her win was definitely not deserved. It was clear her win was more of a career win that for her specific performance. Her costar Stephanie Hsu, who was also nominated in the same category for the same film, gave a much better performance and was more worthy of a win than Curtis was. In fact, out of the 4 EEAAO actors who got Oscar nominated for the film, Curtis’ was easily at the bottom

[@danielrubinstein896]

Agree

[@LMM7880]

I went to see Bridge of Spies with my son. After watching Mark Rylance's performance I said to my son that he will win the Oscar.

[@ericdudley4169]

I agree with your number one pic. It was a shocker. But it was well deserved as her performance was much more nuanced than people give it credit for. She picked up on body language as well as dialect so well and personified what we in Brooklyn used to call those Guido Italian girls!

[@marrmart7690]

Thank you brian 💛💛💛

[@shizzam5000]

Michael Caine‘s win over Michael Clarke Duncan is a big upset as well. Total BS in my opinion.

[@albalbuena6478]

You didn’t mention one of my favorite Oscar upsets: James Coburn winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for AFFLICTION (1998). He was the only one in his category that hadn’t won something. He was great in that movie.

[@leologan4503]

That's another good pick. 1998 Supporting Actor was all over the place. Ed Harris won the Golden Globe, Robert Duvall won SAG, Billy Bob Thornton won Critics' Choice and Geoffrey Rush won BAFTA.

[@champreviewer5572]

If you do another upsets video, I hope you include Alan Arkin, Sean Penn in 2004, Marion Cotillard, James Coburn, Denzel Washington in 2002, Halle Berry, Meryl Streep in 2012 and Frances McDormand in 2021.

[@seawave34]

For me the biggest upset was Richard Dreyfus winning over Richard Burton ..A towering performance finishing second to a light commedy