10 Oscar 2025 snubs that are as good as the winner

The Oscar 2025 ceremony happened on March 3, 2025, and the media world was abuzz. One of the most prestigious events of the year, the Oscars, is the ultimate honor for any movie or actor. However, there were a few surprising snubs at the recently concluded ceremony. While some deserving people were left out from nominations, some fan-favorites were unable to get the golden prize. Here are 10 snubs from the Oscars.

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Demi Moore's loss, exclusion of Nosferatu, and other Oscar 2025 snubs

1. Nick Emerson’s editing for Conclave

Sean Baker is one of those multi-talented directors, who also edits his movies. The director of Anora took home the Oscar for the Best Editing award and is only the third director who has edited his film and has won the Award. The other two are Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity and James Cameron for Titanic.

However, he beat the people’s favorite, Nick Emerson, who was a BAFTA winner and whom many people thought would win the award. His editing of Edward Berger’s Conclave got critical appreciation and he has become the audience’s favorite. The Oscar 2025 ceremony was dominated by Anora, and it was visible that the film and its team were going to sweep the night. However, Conclave’s editing was just at par and Nick could have been given the award, making his snub surprising.

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2. Demi Moore loses the Best Actress for The Substance

Another shocking snub from the Oscar 2025 night came when Demi Moore did not win the Best Actress award for The Substance, and instead, Mikey Madison took home the trophy. Moore is an established star and Madison was the newcomer. Even though Madison did a phenomenal job in Anora, experts believed Moore would take home the prize.

The reason was that Moore had won Best Actress at the Golden Globes and the SAGs and people believed this was indicative of how the Best Actress would be chosen at the Oscars. However, Madison also won the BAFTA’s and the Independent Spirit Award and ultimately, won the Oscars. Even though Moore was snubbed, her performance was as good as anyone else and it's one of those times when the snub is as good as the winner.

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3. The Wild Robot and Inside Out 2 lose

A simple animated film, Flow, which is from Latvia and is about a cat, won the Oscars in the Best Animated feature category and left behind the critical and commercial favorites, The Wild Robot and Inside Out 2. Industry pundits believed that either of the two animated movies would win as Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 was the highest-grossing movie of 2024 and The Wild Robot has achieved universal critical acclaim. However, the tables turned and Flow took home the prize.

The Wild Robot starred Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o and Emmy nominee Pedro Pascal and was the brainchild of Chris Sanders, who is also the man behind Lilo and Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon. The film was nominated in two other categories, Original Score and Best Sound. However, the night belonged to Flow and the two critically and commercially successful animated movies could not get a prize.

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4. Margaret Qualley does not get a supporting actress nomination

The Substance quickly became one of the most widely-talked about movies of the year and its popularity is due to Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley’s performances. The film brought a senior star who gave a subtle and nuanced performance, and a breakout star, who stole the screen with her presence. Margaret quickly became the audience’s favorite because of her passionate portrayal in the movie.

However, the young actress could not secure a Best Supporting Actress nomination, even though she carried the movie with her acting, charm, and presence. Many experts believe her exclusion was a snub at the Oscar 2025 ceremony. The actress has also worked in other critically acclaimed movies like Kinds of Kindness and Drive-Away and has consistently proven her mettle. Her exclusion from the Oscars was therefore felt unfair.

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5. Emilia Perez’s loss in the Best International Feature category

The fact that Emilia Perez had 13 nominations and I’m Still Here had only three, and the latter still won in the Best International Feature category, is mind-boggling. No doubt the Fernanda Torres feature had received rave reviews, thanks to her acting, however, Emilia Perez was the public’s favorite because of its multiple Oscar nominations. However, the Oscar 2025 ceremony had many surprises in store for the viewers and this seems to be one of those.

Emilia Perez won two Oscars in the Best Supporting Actress category, which was won by Zoe Saldana, and the Best Original Song category, which was for “El Mal”. The movie also became divisive after some tweets resurfaced of the actress, Karla Sofia Gascon. This might be the reason that the Academy shied away from conferring the award. But the film only winning two awards from 13 nominations is statistically surprising.

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6. Nosferatu does not get a nod for its direction and performances

Directed by Robert Eggers, who has given other iconic works like The Lighthouse, The Witch, and more, Nosferatu was an ambitious project that should have been given more attention at the Oscars 2025 for its direction and acting performances. The movie was a modern retelling of the 1922 classic movie, which was itself, a retelling of Dracula. Eggers brought the charm of gothic back on screen and was ably handled by the riveting performances of Bill Skarsgard, Lily-Rose Depp, and others.

However, the film only received nominations in the Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Costume Design. Even though the audiences loved the direction and acting, the movie did not get nominated in any of the major categories. Eggers is one of the most talented upcoming directors of his time and it is time that his talents are recognized by the Oscars and not snubbed.

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7. Pamela Anderson for The Last Showgirl

The iconic actress returns to the Big Screen, with a movie that was critically applauded. The Last Showgirl was a biographical drama about a former Las Vegas showgirl, who was struggling to rebuild her career. The film tackles themes of agism and identity and Pamela Anderson delivers a riveting and moving performance as she embodies the role. Her showcase of a wide range of emotions, was lauded by the critics, and was seen as a standout performance.

However, the actress not getting a Best Actress nomination at the Oscars 2025, feels like a huge snub. Even though the movie had other talented actors like Julianne Moore and Sterling K. Brown, Anderson held her own and was able to make herself and the movie shine out. The film received nominations for Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress, however Anderson, who was the star of the movie, was blatantly ignored.

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8. Sing Sing for Best Picture category

Another movie that earned high critical acclaim and was still left underappreciated at the Oscars 2025, was Sing Sing. The moving movie had an important storyline, as it depicted the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts program and revolved around a group of incarcerated men, who not only perform, but also create a play, which blends fiction and reality. The movie is one of the most impactful movies as it tackled a widespread problem with nuance and grace. Even the Academy praised the movie.

However, the fact that it was not even nominated for the Best Picture category, feels like a big snub. Oscars is known for rewarding movies with emotional depth and those films that tackle a serious subject matter. Still, Sing Sing, could not attain an Oscar nomination. The film was praised for its screenplay and editing, but not including it in the Best Picture category feels like a loss as it dealt with profound themes. The movie could not secure a supporting actor nomination, even though the cast gave their best.

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9. Denis Villeneuve for Best Director category

Denis has taken the world of movies by storm, with his visually breathtaking magnum opuses, the Dune movie series. The first Dune was a smash hit and Dune: Part Two was also a critical and commercial hit. The film was touted to be a big winner at the Oscars and even though it was nominated in categories like the Best Picture, it was, for the most part, snubbed. One of the biggest snubs however, was the exclusion of Denis from the Best Director category at the Oscar 2025.

Actors like Josh Brolin showcased their support for Denis’s talents and wanted him to secure a nomination. However, he was frustrated, as the director could not make the cut at the prestigious awards ceremony. Many fans and experts were also shocked that such an acclaimed movie’s director was left out from the race. Denis is known for his larger-than-life visionary appeal, and his ability to handle complex and epic narratives. His snub was therefore, a huge shock.

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10. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for Best Musical Score

Fans and experts were surprised that Challengers did not have a single nomination in the Oscar 2025 award ceremony. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, who is a talented director, the film could not garner any nominations, even though it was lauded by viewers and critics. Perhaps, even more shocking, was the exclusion of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross from the best score category, as the two have given one of the most popular background scores of the year.

Their synth-heavy and edgy score won multiple praise from all quarters and they even won at the Golden Globes. Therefore, their exclusion from even a nomination, was a big snub and a shock. Reznor and Ross’s funky score was an important component of the movie, and even added layers to the movie, building its suspense. Their exclusion from the awards was a moment of shock for fans and their music could have easily been included.