Oscar 2026 snubs and surprise nominations: ‘Wicked: For Good’ completely shut out, Ariana Grande and more

And the Oscar doesn’t go to…

The nominations for the 2026 Academy Awards were announced Thursday, with the most nods going towards “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another.” “Sentimental Value,” “Frankenstein,” “Marty Supreme” and “Hamnet” also received many nominations.

In the acting categories, Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rose Byrne, Jacob Elordi, Jessie Buckley, Elle Fanning and Kate Hudson all received love from the Academy.

But the snubs list is filled with just as much star power — including “Wicked: For Good” stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who were both nominated for their roles in the first film last year.

In fact, the “Wicked” sequel got a whopping zero nominations this year.

The Oscar 2026 nominations also brought about some welcome surprises, like Kate Hudson getting into the award show for the first time since starring in 2001’s “Almost Famous.”

The 98th Academy Awards air Sunday, March 15 at 7 p.m. on ABC. Conan O’Brien is hosting.

Keep reading for all the Oscar 2026 snubs and surprises

Snubs

‘Wicked: For Good’

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in “Wicked: For Good.” AP

“Wicked: For Good” and its leading ladies didn’t put a spell on the Academy this year. The sequel got zero nominations, compared to the first film’s ten nominations in 2025.

Erivo, 39, and Grande, 32, were left out of the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories, respectively, after their joint nominations last year. At the 2025 Oscars, Erivo lost to “Anora” star Mikey Madison and Grande lost to “Emilia Perez” star Zoe Saldaña.

Grande’s 2026 Oscars exclusion was especially shocking since she scored noms at the Actor Awards, Golden Globe Awards and Critics Choice Awards his year. Erivo, meanwhile, only got a Golden Globe nom.

Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler didn’t make the cut for his performance in Noah Baumbach’s “Jay Kelly.” The film didn’t get any Oscar noms — even for Sandler’s co-star George Clooney.

Both Sandler, 59, and Clooney, 64, were nominated for Golden Globes this year but lost. Sandler was also up for a Critics Choice Award.

Sandler was infamously Oscar snubbed for his performance in 2019’s Uncut Gems.” Clooney has won two Oscars, for his performance in 2005’s “Syriana” and for producing 2012’s “Argo.”

Paul Mescal

Until the Oscars, Paul Mescal had been scoring nominations this entire award season for his role in “Hamnet.” While Mescal, 29, was overlooked, the film picked up eight nominations including Best Actress for Buckley, Best Director for Chloé Zhao and Best Picture.

Mescal was previously Oscar nominated in 2023 for “Aftersun.”

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

Despite his tough campaigning, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was not recognized for his role in Benny Safdie’s “The Smashing Machine.” The same goes for his co-star, Emily Blunt. Both actors were nominated for Golden Globes.

The sports drama, in which Johnson played real-life MMA fighter Mark Kerr, performed poorly at the box office. Johnson previously spoke about crossing over into dramatic acting as the film was getting Oscar buzz.

“I just had this burning desire and voice that was saying, ‘What if there is more and what if I can?’” he said at the 2025 Venice Film Festival. “A lot of times, it’s harder for us – or at least for me – to know what you’re capable of when you’ve been pigeonholed into something.”

Chase Infiniti

The 25-year-old breakout star from “One Battle After Another” was left out of the Best Actress race, despite her nominations at the Actor Awards, the Golden Globe Awards and the Critics Choice Awards.

Infiniti’s snub came as the Paul Thomas Anderson film earned 13 nominations, the second-most behind “Sinners.”

Jesse Plemons

Jesse Plemons’ critically acclaimed performance in “Bugonia” wasn’t enough to get him an Oscar nom. Plemons, 37, got in for the Actor Awards and the Golden Globe Awards this year.

His one and only Oscar nomination was for 2021’s “The Power of the Dog.”

But the Academy still nominated “Bugonia” in four categories, including Best Actress for Emma Stone, which she’s won for two times already.

Surprises

Sinners

“Sinners” shattered an Oscars record on nominations morning. Ryan Coogler’s movie scored 16 total nominations, breaking the previous record for most nominations for a single film ever that was held by “Titanic” (1997), “La La Land” (2016) and “All About Eve” (1950), which all had 14 total noms each.

Delroy Lindo

Delroy Lindo, who played Delta Slim in “Sinners,” made it into the Best Supporting Actor race, after being excluded from the other award shows this year. He’s facing off against Benicio Del Toro (“One Battle After Another”), Sean Penn (“One Battle After Another”), Stellan Skarsgard (“Sentimental Value”) and Jacob Elordi (“Frankenstein”).

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson got into Best Actress for “Song Sung Blue.” Her co-star Hugh Jackman did not get nominated for Best Actor.

Hudson was last nominated for an Oscar in 2001 for “Almost Famous.” She lost to Marcia Gay Harden for “Pollock.”

This award season, Hudson was also nominated at the Actor Awards and Golden Globe Awards.