The 2025 Oscars nominations have been announced, but many standout performances from this year were notably absent from the list.
Several well-known actors, including Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Selena Gomez, and Denzel Washington, were surprisingly left out of the running in all categories for the prestigious awards.
Jolie, who received widespread praise for her role in Maria, was especially expected to be nominated, making her exclusion a shock to both critics and moviegoers alike.
Similarly, Gomez’s portrayal in Emilia Perez earned rave reviews from fans and critics, but it was not enough to secure a nomination. Despite predictions for her to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Jessi Del Monte, she was passed over in favor of her co-star Zoe Saldana, who earned the nomination instead.
For Nicole Kidman, the snub came after her recognition as Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for her highly praised film Babygirl, a title she also earned from the National Board of Review.
Denzel Washington, whose portrayal of Macrinus in Gladiator II was widely regarded as one of his best performances, was also overlooked, as was William Lee for his role in Queer, despite being nominated for a Golden Globe.
Pamela Anderson, who had been nominated for her role in The Last Showgirl at the Gotham Awards, Golden Globes, and Screen Actors Guild Awards, was also excluded from the Oscars nominations, adding to the list of surprises.
