The 2022 Oscar nominations carried their fair share of surprises. Beyoncé made the cut for best original song, but Jay-Z did not. Jennifer Hudson, thought to have a chance at nominations in both acting and songwriting categories, struck out in both. And Kid Cudi, who was the only songwriter with two songs on this year’s shortlist for best original song, missed out with both.
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Here are snubs and surprises from this year’s nominations, with an emphasis on music.
Snub – Lady Gaga: The superstar was passed over for a best actress nod for her performance as Patrizia Reggiani in House of Gucci. She was nominated in that category three years ago for A Star Is Born.
Surprise – Van Morrison: Everybody loves Van Morrison, but it looked like his”Down to Joy” from Belfast might be crowded out in the intense competition for best original song. Two other legendary songwriters who got their start in the 1960s, Carole King and Brian Wilson, were not as lucky. King struck out with “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home) from Respect. Wilson missed with “Right Where I Belong” from Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road.
Snub – Kid Cudi: The hip-hop star had two songs shortlisted for best original song – “Just Look Up” from Don’t Look Up and “Guns Go Bang” from The Harder They Fall. Both came up short. Nicholas Britell, one of Kid’s co-writers on “Just Look Up,” is nominated for best original score, but his other co-writers on that song — Ariana Grande and Taura Stinson — were left out, as were his co-writers on “Guns Go Bang” — Jay-Z and Jeymes Samuel. This is the second year in a row that someone has been shortlisted with two songs and has stuck out with both. John Legend suffered the same fate last year.
Snub – Jennifer Hudson: The singer and actress was snubbed twice for her work in Respect. She was passed over for best original song for “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” and as lead actress for her performance as Aretha Franklin in the biopic. Hudson was vying to become the fifth performer in as many years to receive double nods in those two categories (following Mary J. Blige, Lady Gaga, Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom Jr.). Hudson won an Oscar for best supporting actress 15 years ago for Dreamgirls.
Surprise – Diane Warren: It can never really be counted as a surprise when Warren is nominated for best original song. But it looked like she might get squeezed out this year. She was vying for a spot with a song from the little-seen Four Good Days, and she was competing with songs from such higher-profile films as Don’t Look Up, The Harder They Fall, Annette, Respect and CODA. Doesn’t matter. Warren was nominated, as per usual. The songs from those other films fell short. For those keeping track, this is Warren’s 13th nomination and the fifth year in a row that she has been nominated.
Snub – Alexandre Desplat: Desplat is virtually as much a sure thing in the best original score category as Warren is in best original song. He has been nominated 11 times since 2006. Desplat won for The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and The Shape of Water (2017). Wes Anderson, director of The Grand Budapest Hotel, wrote, directed and co-produced The French Dispatch…, but this time Desplat fell short.
Surprise – Alberto Iglesias: The Spanish composer received his fourth Oscar nomination for Parallel Mothers. He was previously nominated for The Constant Gardener (2007), The Kite Runner (2011) and Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy (2011). Passed over in the highly competitive category, in addition to Desplat: Daniel Pemberton for Being the Ricardos, Kris Bowers for King Richard and Daniel Hart for The Green Knight.
Snub – Sparks: Ron and Russell Mael were in the hunt for a best original song nomination for the witty “So May We Start” from Annette. No dice. But then, the Maels have a good deal of experience at being passed over for nominations at award shows. Sparks has never been nominated for a Grammy, either.
Snub – Todd Haynes: The acclaimed director was vying for a nod for best documentary feature for The Velvet Underground, his examination of the avant-garde rock band. He didn’t make it. Haynes’ only nomination to date is for writing Far from Heaven, a 2002 nominee for best original screenplay. The only music doc to make the grade this year was the Questlove-directed Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised).
Snub – Jared Leto: The Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman was passed over for a nod for best supporting actor for his role as Paolo Gucci in House of Gucci. He won in the same category eight years ago for playing Rayon in Dallas Buyer’s Club.
Surprise – Being the Ricardos: Is this a snub or a surprise? You decide. Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem and J.K. Simmons were all nominated for playing Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and William Frawley in Being the Ricardos, but the film was passed over for a best picture nod. The filmmakers will just have to console themselves with the knowledge that Being the Ricardos was the only 2021 film to land Oscar nods for both best actor and best actress.