2026 Oscar Nominations

Summary

Pop Culture Happy Hour – 2026 Oscar Nominations

Host: NPR
Date: January 22, 2026
Panelists: Stephen Thompson, Aisha Harris, Glen Weldon

Overview

This episode dives into the much-anticipated 2026 Oscar nominations, with the PCHH team analyzing the strongest contenders, the biggest surprises, and notable snubs in major Academy Award categories. The tone is lively, opinionated, and celebratory, keeping true to PCHH’s “shot of cheer” style. Listeners get an informed, pop culture-savvy rundown on best picture, acting, and director races, as well as memorable observations about the industry’s shifting trends.

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Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Best Picture: Genre Variety and International Representation

[00:58–04:27]

• Top Line: The panel notes a seismic shift from “Oscar bait” to diversity of genres and more international films.

• Nominees Highlighted:

  • Begonia – Sci-fi with Emma Stone as a CEO suspected to be an alien.
  • F1 – Brad Pitt as a veteran Formula 1 driver.
  • Frankenstein – Guillermo del Toro’s horror adaptation.
  • Hamnet – Shakespearean historical drama.
  • Marty Supreme – Table tennis underdog story.
  • One Battle After Another – Action thriller from Paul Thomas Anderson.
  • The Secret Agent – Brazilian political thriller.
  • Sentimental Value – Art, family, and filmmaking.
  • Sinners – 1930s juke joint, vampires, and twin drama.
  • Train Dreams – Early 1900s American epic.

• Panel Views & Notable Quotes:

  • Glen Weldon: “There’s no bloated biopics this year that kind of soak up Oscars like a sponge. …let’s take that as a win.” [03:05]
  • Aisha Harris: “Am I annoyed that I have to watch F1 now? Yes, yes, yes, yes. I hear you. But I’m also very pleased that I don’t have to watch Avatar.” [03:43]
  • Stephen Thompson: “Not a great year for your prestige franchise movies. Not only was Avatar almost entirely shut out… Wicked for Good, shut out completely.” [04:45]

• International Films: Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent recognized. Panel laments the absence of Korean film No Other Choice [04:27–04:45].

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2. Best Actress in a Leading Role: Surprises and Omissions

[06:01–08:32]

• Nominees Highlighted:

  • Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)
  • Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You)
  • Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue)
  • Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value)
  • Emma Stone (Begonia)

• Commentary:

  • Aisha Harris: Strongly disappointed Tessa Thompson (Hedda) didn’t get a nod; points out the recurring under-representation of Black women in this category.
    • “It was a long shot, but it felt like a missed opportunity for Tessa Thompson… I know it’s really historically hard for a Black woman not named Viola Davis to get nominated in this category. And as history has proven, it’s even more difficult for one to actually win because Halle Berry remains the only Black woman to win in this category.” [06:24]
  • Some skepticism about Kate Hudson’s nomination due to lack of buzz and “four other names” that might have been more compelling [06:43]

• Emma Stone’s Perennial Status:

  • Aisha Harris: “I do think we’ve kind of hit a point now where Emma Stone can get nominated for basically doing anything…. her name is just always a lock. Now.” [07:50]

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3. Best Actor in a Leading Role: Expected Front-Runners and Emotional Highs

[08:32–10:48]

• Nominees Highlighted:

  • Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme)
  • Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another)
  • Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon)
  • Michael B. Jordan (Sinners)
  • Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent)

• Panel Voices:

  • Glen Weldon: Pokes fun at the “woke up surprised” actor cliché, implying Chalamet was obviously expecting a nod [09:18].
  • Praises Michael B. Jordan’s dual role as both twins; recognizes the range showcased [09:27–09:39].
  • Ethan Hawke and Wagner Moura are highlighted as “pleasant surprises” [09:37–09:51].
  • Aisha Harris: Celebrates Jordan’s journey: “I am just very happy to see the kid who went from The Wire and Friday Night Lights to becoming the muse of Ryan Coogler.” [10:13]

• Snubs: Joel Edgerton (Train Dreams), Jesse Plemons (Begonia) notably left out [10:34].

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4. Best Supporting Performances: Breakouts and Debate Over Roles

Actress in a Supporting Role
[12:55–16:13]

• Nominees Highlighted:

  • Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value)
  • Inge Ibsdotter Lilos (Sentimental Value)
  • Amy Madigan (Weapons)
  • Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners)
  • Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another)

• Panel Views:

  • Aisha Harris: “Teyana Taylor has had the smoke, the heat, all of that from day one, more or less. …I think she’s bringing as much as she can to a very underwritten character.” [13:42]
  • Glen Weldon: “…Taylor…she’s not on screen for long, but her performance colors every frame of that film, which is what it needs to do.” [14:23]
  • Elle Fanning called a “revelation,” with the movie’s Oscar momentum spilling over into its cast [14:38].
  • Sentimental Value recognized as a rare international film with multiple acting nods—“That’s a record. That’s unusual.” [14:38]
  • Noted “snubs/predictable omissions”: Ariana Grande (Wicked for Good), Odessa Azayan (Marty Supreme) [15:17–16:13].

Actor in a Supporting Role
[16:13–18:55]

• Nominees Highlighted:

  • Benicio Del Toro (One Battle After Another)
  • Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein)
  • Delroy Lindo (Sinners)
  • Sean Penn (One Battle After Another)
  • Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value)

• Memorable Moments:

  • Glen Weldon: “Del Toro thing, that is a small role. The only reason anybody’s talking about it…is because of that performance.” [17:04]
  • Delroy Lindo’s “long-overdue” Oscar recognition celebrated enthusiastically by all.
    • “He has been out here putting in the work for so long, and it’s great to see him recognized.” [17:22]
  • Skarsgård’s role sparks discussion of “category fraud,” with Harris noting he may be more a lead than supporting [17:50].
  • Jacob Elordi’s performance praised as a breakout: “This could have so easily been a nothing performance from an actor I think has been underrated for a while now.” [18:19]
  • Aisha Harris: “I guess there’s only room for one movie a year about a man, an artist, trying to connect with his daughters. And all that love went to Sentimental Value.” [18:55]

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5. Best Director: Predictability and Pleasant Surprises

[19:15–20:25]

• Nominees Highlighted:

  • Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)
  • Ryan Coogler (Sinners)
  • Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme)
  • Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value)
  • Chloé Zhao (Hamnet)

• Panel Observations:

  • The nominees matched pre-announcement predictions, noted as “pretty predictable” by Aisha Harris [19:33].
  • Particular excitement for Ryan Coogler [20:07].
  • Trier’s nod for Sentimental Value called a “legit surprise” due to its subtle direction and international roots [20:08].
  • Some surprise at Guillermo del Toro missing for Frankenstein [20:14].

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Notable Quotes and Moments (with Timestamps)

• Genre expansion in Best Picture:

  • Glen Weldon: “You’ve got horror…science fiction…sports movie…genre fare, genre adjacent. They’re not melodrama, they’re not biopic. They don’t read as traditional Oscar bait.” [03:19]

• On Chalamet’s response to his nomination:

  • Glen Weldon: “At some point today, Chalamet’s gonna give an interview where he says, yeah, my agent called and woke me up…Don’t believe it. Timmy was up, he had six empty Red Bulls on the coffee table…” [09:18]

• Delroy Lindo recognition:

  • Glen Weldon: “How great is it to see Delroy Lindo get nominated?”
  • Stephen Thompson: “Oh, my God. His first ever Oscar nomination. He’s been so good for so long.” [17:17]

• International films making waves:

  • Glen Weldon: "It’s strange to see an international film kind of leeching its way into so many categories. Except, you know, for this year. It happened four times this year. That’s a record. That’s unusual.” [14:38]

• Industry trend commentary:

  • Aisha Harris: “I think what’s interesting about this is that widening of the Oscars umbrella now…It’s nice to see something like The Secret Agent, which is a Brazilian film, in there.” [03:50]

• Gender and racial dynamics in Oscars:

  • Aisha Harris (re: leading actress): “It’s really historically hard for a Black woman not named Viola Davis to get nominated in this category. And…even more difficult for one to actually win because Halle Berry remains the only Black woman to win in this category.” [06:24]

• Breakout performances lauded:

  • Aisha Harris: “I was really happy to see Elle Fanning here.” [14:13]
  • Stephen Thompson: “Jacob Elordi…delighted to see this performance rewarded.” [18:19]

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Key Timed Segments (in order)

• [00:58–04:45]: Best Picture nominees, surprises, and trends.
• [06:01–08:32]: Actress in a leading role, omissions, and systemic concerns.
• [08:32–10:48]: Actor in a leading role, pleasant surprises, and shout-outs.
• [12:55–16:13]: Best Supporting Actress nominees, international representation, common “snubs.”
• [16:13–18:55]: Best Supporting Actor nominees, long-overdue recognition, category debates.
• [19:15–20:25]: Best Director nominees, prediction accuracy, pleasant and unexpected choices.

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Tone & Style

Conversational, sharp-witted, and welcoming of dissent. The hosts cheer each other on and balance critique (“category fraud,” “underwritten character,” “Oscar bait”) with enthusiasm for deserved recognition and change-making films.

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Takeaways for Listeners

• Oscar voters are slowly but surely expanding their appreciation for genre films and international cinema.
• Multiple acting categories feature pleasant surprises and overdue breakthroughs (especially Delroy Lindo).
• The old “Oscar bait biopic” is in retreat—trends point toward genre, mix of art-house and mainstream, and diverse cast/creators.
• Systemic barriers remain for women of color (notably in lead acting categories).
• Enthusiasm abounds for beloved actors finally breaking through, while a few names and films were left notably absent.

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For Deeper Engagement

Listeners are invited to share their own reactions via the show’s Facebook page ([20:43]), and supporters can join a special live taping focused on Oscar talk.

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Summary prepared to provide a comprehensive, engaging, and accessible record for those who missed the episode, highlighting major deliberations, memorable moments, and the unique character of Pop Culture Happy Hour’s Oscar season coverage.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

If you loved Sinners, Marty supreme or One Battle After Another, you're probably pleased with how nominations unfolded for this year's Oscars. Sinners alone picked up an all time record 16 nominations while one battle after another received 13. And as always, there's an eclectic mix of heavy favorites, left field surprises and the dreaded snubs. I'm Stephen Thompson and today we are talking about this year's Oscar nominations on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour. Here with me are my co hosts Aisha Harris. Hey Aisha.

[C]

Hello Stephen.

[B]

And Glenn Weldon. Hey Glenn.

[D]

Kate Hudson. Hey Stephen.

[B]

So we are gonna run down some of the major categories here. We can't get to every category and we'll bring you our predictions in an episode that'll run closer to March's ceremony. But we wanted to give a broad sense of this year's major storylines while also lamenting a few decisions we found baffling. I'm gonna start us off by running down the nominees for best picture. There are 10 in all but Begonia. Yorgos Lanthimos movie where Emma Stone's high powered CEO is kidnapped by conspiracy theorists and accused of being an alien. F1 Brad Pitt plays a veteran F1 driver who clashes with a young hotshot Frankenstein. Guillermo del Toro's take on the Mary Shelley classic. Jacob Elordi plays the creature and Oscar Isaac is the scientist. Hamnet. A young English couple meets, falls in love, has children and suffers an unspeakable tragedy. One of them happens to be William Shakespeare who goes on to write Hamlet. Marty Supreme Timothee Chalamet plays a working class heel aiming to become a table tennis champion in the 1950s. One battle after another. Paul Thomas Anderson's action thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a washed up ex revolutionary whose past comes back to haunt him. The Secret Agent, a former researcher is caught up in the political turmoil of the Brazilian military dictatorship in 1977. Sentimental value Stellan Skarsgrd is a filmmaker attempting to reconnect with his estrang daughters. And it proves that at the very least the tension between art and parenthood is complicated. Sinners Ryan Coogler's movie finds Michael B. Jordan playing twin brothers who open a 1930s juke joint. And opening night does not go as planned when a bloodthirsty menace Appears outside Vampires. We're talking about vampires. And finally, Train Dreams, which follows the life of a logger and railroad worker in a rapidly changing America of the early 20th century. You've got everything from F1 to train dreams from very fast to not as fast. What do y' all think?

[D]

Well, let's get our wins in when we can. Right? There's no bloated biopics this year that kind of soak up Oscars like a sponge. I mean, Marty supreme doesn't count, but nobody put Gary Oldman under layers of jowls, so let's take that as a win.

[B]

That's true. That is a win.

[D]

And ever since the Oscars expanded the number of nominations for Best Picture, you've tended to see more genre fare kind of elbowing its way into the mix. So this year, you've got horror, you know, Sinners in Frankenstein. You got science fiction for Begonia. F1 is a sports movie, and the Secret Agent is kind of a thriller. They're genre fare, genre adjacent. They're not melodrama, they're not biopic. They don't read as traditional Oscar bait. I think that's a hopeful sign.

[C]

Yeah. I mean, look, am I annoyed that I have to watch F1 now?

[D]

Yes, yes, yes, yes. I hear you.

[C]

But I'm also very pleased that I don't have to watch Avatar. So you take your wins when you can get them where you can get them, right? Yeah. I mean, I think what's interesting about this is that widening of the Oscars umbrella now, which has been existed for a while. It's nice to see something like the Secret Agent, which is a Brazilian film, in there. I would have loved to see no other choice. The Park Chan Wook film, which I thought was fantastic. The Korean film. That's really, really amazing. And I hope more people seek it out. But overall, like Glenn said, nothing too surprising here. Other than F1.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

There were several international films in the mix for Best Picture this year. The ones that got in were Sentimental Value, which we'll talk about.

[C]

A.

[D]

The ones that didn't make it into the major category to the Best Picture category were Seurat and It was just an Accident. Both of those got international feature nods, so that's okay. But, yeah, I agree. No other choice got shut out of both categories. That sucks.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And not a great year for your prestige franchise movies. Not only was Avatar almost entirely shut out, it kind of eked into technical stuff. Wicked for good, shut out completely. We'll get to supporting actress, but also not Nominated for best original song.

[C]

They were too greedy. They should have just made it one movie. I will stand by that. I will die on that hill. They got too greedy.

[B]

All right, well, let's run through the nominees for actress in a leading role, starting with Jessie Buckley for Hamnet. She plays a witchy young free spirit named Agnes who falls in love with William Shakespeare. Rose Byrne for if I had legs, I'd kick you. Byrne plays a therapist shouldering all the responsibility of caring for her ill daughter while her emotionally absent husband is away for work. Kate Hudson for song Sung Blue. Hudson plays a down on luck musician who teams up with Hugh Jackman to form a Neil diamond tribute band. Renata Rheinzva for Sentimental Value. She plays a stage actress who reunites with her estranged father when he offers her the lead role in his next film. And Emma Stone for Begonia. Stone plays a high powered CEO who is kidnapped by conspiracy theorists who think she's an alien. What do y' all think of this field?

[C]

I mean, Glenn already mentioned Kate Hudson. Look, I had seen her name starting to creep up in predictions, so I guess I was totally blindsided by this. At the same time, her. And look, I'm gonna be fully honest. I have not watched this movie yet. So this is coming from a place of my own expectations or thoughts and whatever about what this movie is about and Kate Hudson herself. It was a long shot, but it felt like a missed opportunity for Tessa Thompson to get in here for Hedda. Nia dacosta's Hedda. It's one of my favorite movies of last year. And look, I know it's really historically hard for a black woman not named Viola Davis to get nominated in this category. And as history has proven, it's even more hard, difficult for one to actually win because Halle Berry remains the only black woman to win in this category. But I just. Kate Hudson, again, haven't seen it, but there are like four other names, including Tessa Thompson's, that I would have cycled in here before I would put her here. Glenn.

[D]

Yeah, I mean, Buckley and Byrne certainly, and to a lesser extent, Stone were considered Lockes. I mean, Reinzva was more an outlier, but she made it in Hudson. Whatever. One of those folks nudged Chase Infinity, and Chase Infinity was in the mix in a big way.

[B]

For one battle after another, for one.

[D]

Battle after another, she was knocked out of this category. But she's young, She's a star. She'll be back.

[B]

Yeah, it's still unusual. I mean, One Battle after another received 13 nominations. So it was a little bit of a surprise to see her nudged out here. There was also some discussion of Amanda Seyfried for the Testament of Ann Lee. She didn't get nominated either. And I think as we catch up with Song Seong Blue, maybe we'll be like, look, Kate Hudson, a revelation. I like Kate Hudson. She's fun and Glass Onion. But, you know, maybe we'll change our tune. But that felt surprising.

[C]

The other thing I will add is that I do think we've kind of hit a point now where Emma Stone can get nominated for basically doing anything. And this is not to take away from her performance in Begonia, which.

[D]

Yeah, not fair. Not fair.

[B]

She's very good in this movie.

[C]

She's very, very good. But then, I mean, we'll talk about this category later. But like, then Jesse Plemons I think, is also equally very good, if not more dynamic. I think he has more to do, at least I think, than Emma Stone does in Begonia. So I don't know, like, again, no. No shade to her. But I also think her name is just always a lock. Now, whether or not there are other performances that I think might have been better, and, you know, I think that's kind of the stage we're at now with someone like Emma Stone. So that's all I'll say about that.

[B]

All right, let's do actor in a leading role. I'm gonna run down the nominees. Timothee Chalamet for Marty Supreme. He plays Marty Mauser, a scoundrel, a hustler, and an aspiring world champion in table tennis. Leonardo DiCaprio for one battle after another. DiCaprio plays a washed up ex revolutionary whose past catches up with him. Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon. Hawke plays songwriter Lorenz Hart on the worst night of his life, the opening of Oklahoma on Broadway. Michael B. Jordan for Sinners. He plays the twins Smoke and Stack, who face off against vampires when they open a jewel juke joint. And Wagner Mora for the Secret Agent. Mora plays a researcher who goes into hiding during Brazil's military dictatorship. How about this field?

[D]

Well, at some point today, Chalamet's gonna give an interview where he says, yeah, my agent called and woke me up and I was really. Don't believe it. Don't believe it. Timmy.

[B]

I've already given that interview.

[D]

Timmy was up. He had six empty Red Bulls on the coffee table in front of him. He was waiting for this. He and DiCaprio were the locks. Jordan too. Jordan especially because he's playing two different roles and you forget it's.

[A]

The same actor.

[D]

So the pleasant surprises for me were Wagner, incredibly soulful performance that really brings that film together. And Ethan Hawke. I'm so glad that the voters saw Blue Moon and saw what we saw in it. We saw a tremendous performance by Ethan Hawke.

[C]

Yeah, I was so pleased to see Ethan Hawke here. That was one of my favorite performances of last year. And if you go back and rewatch the announcement of this category, the fanfare that explodes when Michael B. Jordan's name is called, oh yeah, that was me on the inside sitting by myself on my couch watching it. I was like, yes, Sinners was a.

[D]

Favorite in the room. Sinners was a big favorite of the season.

[C]

It was obviously a favorite because, you know, it did have the most nominations and broke the record for nominations. I am just very happy to see the kid who went from the Wire in Friday Night Lights to becoming the muse of Ryan Coogler. I am just so pleased to see that here. And Wagnamora too. Like, it's a nice mix. Unsurprising mix, but also nice to see overall. Yeah.

[B]

And when you look at the performances that weren't nominated, Joel Edgerton for Train Dreams is a very lauded performance. Jesse Plemons for Begonia. Aisha, you already mentioned there were more more kind of Oscar level performances this year than there were slots.

[C]

Agree.

[D]

Yep.

[B]

Okay, we're going to talk about the supporting performances as well as best director. But first, let's take a quick break.

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[B]

Next up, we've got the category actress in a supporting role. I'm going to run down the nominations. Elle Fanning for Sentimental Value. Fanning plays an American actress who is cast as the star of a Norwegian filmmaker's passion project. Inge Ibsdotter Lilos for Sentimental Value, Lilos plays the estranged daughter of a Norwegian filmmaker. Amy Madigan for Weapons, Madigan plays Aunt Gladys, who plays a role in the disappearance of 17 children. Bunmi Musaku for Sinners, Musaku plays a hoodoo conjurer and healer who has a deep relationship with Michael B. Jordan's character Smoke And Teyana Taylor for one battle after Another. Taylor plays an ex revolutionary named Perfidia Beverly Hills who goes into hiding. What do y' all think?

[C]

I mean, Teyana Taylor has had the smoke, the heat, all of that from day one, more or less. I've said what I've said about what I think about that character. I don't think it's the performance, though. I think she's bringing as much as she can to a very underwritten character. So not at all surprised to see her here. And similarly, Wunny Misaku has had the same sort of heat. So I'm not surprised to see them here. I think for me, the pleasant surprise was Elle Fanning. I know she was in the mix here, but I thought she was kind of a revelation for me in that movie. She's been very good in a lot of things and this for me felt like a coming out for her in a big way. And so I was really happy to see Elle Fanning here.

[D]

Yeah. I mean, Madigan, I love, I love that nomination. I love that performance. Masako and Taylor, they were the ones that we considered Lockes. Taylor, I kind of disagree with you, Aisha. I Mean, she's not on screen for long, but her performance colors every frame of that film, which is what it needs to do.

[C]

Absolutely. Yeah.

[D]

That needs to happen for the film to work. So I was perfectly okay. As for Lilos and Fanning, especially Fanning, I mean, they love sentimental value the movie, and it's strange to see an international film kind of leeching its way into so many categories. Except, you know, for this year. It happened four times this year. That's a record. That's unusual.

[B]

Yes.

[D]

But, I mean, when it comes to sentimental value, it is a film about filmmaking. It's not about Hollywood, but it's a film about filmmaking.

[B]

It's about art. It's about making art and the balance of art and life.

[D]

Exactly. And the voters are artists. The voters are filmmakers. Even if they had to read it subtitled, it got through. So if any international film was gonna have the presence in these major categories we're talking about, it would be that one.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I would have been so disappointed, particularly if Inge Ebsdotter Lilos had not been nominated. I would have been so bummed. I thought that performance was a revelation. I loved her in this movie. The big probably, you know, some will call it a snub, would be Ariana Grande in Wicked for good. She had made a lot of predictions list, kind of expecting to be nominated. She was nominated last year. She is left out.

[C]

Yeah, I mean, the other big one, and I'm not gonn any of these things as snubs, but, like, the other big thing was when I saw a 24 post Odessa Azayan's audition tape on their Instagram page from Marty Supreme, I was like, oh, they are going for it. They are gunning for it. And, you know, I think she was definitely in the mix too. And I kind of thought she might edge her way in here over someone like Amy Madigan. But, you know, that Amy Madigan performance is bonkers. So it's kind of fun to see that kind of role and character get nominated here.

[B]

All right, all right, let's run down actor in a supporting role, Benicio Del Toro. For one battle after another, he plays a karate instructor who aids Leonardo DiCaprio's ex revolutionary Jacob Elordi. For Frankenstein, he plays the creature in this adaptation of the Mary Shelley classic Delroy Lindo. For sinners, Lindo plays a harmonica player at a juke joint whose opening night doesn't go as planned. Sean Penn. For one battle after another, Penn plays Colonel Lockjaw who is seeking revenge against a group of ex Revolution and Stellan Skarsgrd for Sentimental Value. Skarsgrd plays a filmmaker who is working on his next film while trying to reconnect with his daughters. I would imagine, based on my knowledge of Yalls opinions of several of these movies, that you feel all sorts of ways about this field of nominations.

[D]

Well, look, the Del Toro thing, that is a small role. The only reason anybody's talking about it, the only reason it registers is because of that performance.

[A]

So.

[D]

So let's give him props. Lindo, how great is it to see Delroy Lindo get nominated?

[B]

Oh, my God. His first ever Oscar nomination. He's been so good for so long.

[D]

Yep.

[C]

After the Five Bloods, when I was, like, hoping, hoping, yes, finally.

[D]

He has been out here putting in the work for so long, and it's great to see him recognized. Speaking of putting in the work, Stellan Skarsgard, that is a really terrific, layered performance. He's got to play a jerk and an egotist, but somebody that you feel and the daughter feels like you can still find the humanity in the gu. He has never won an Oscar. He's not gonna win this year. But this is a heartwarming category. I'm good with this.

[C]

Can I say, though, granted, I've only seen this film once, and maybe I need to rewatch it, but I feel like this is a little bit of category fraud. Like, Stellan Skarsgrd to me, was more of a lead actor than a supporting closer to him. So, I mean, I know what the impulse is to put him here because he has a better shot. But still, as you said, Glenn, this is a very stacked. And even in this category, I don't think he's gonna be able to pull out the edge. Like, it feels like it's between Del Toro and Lindow, but who knows?

[B]

And let's throw in a few kudos for Jacob Elordi.

[C]

Oh, he's so good.

[B]

This could have so easily been a nothing performance from an actor I think has been underrated for a while now. I'm delighted to see this performance rewarded.

[C]

Hear, hear.

[D]

Yep.

[B]

As far as performances that didn't make the cut that people thought might have, Paul Mezkal for Hamnet did not get a nod here. Compared to Jesse Buckley, it is definitely not as much of a powerhouse performance. As much as I have liked Paul Mezkal in other things, Adam Sandler did not get nominated for J. Kelly, as some suspected he might have. But mostly this played out as expected.

[C]

I guess there's only room for one movie a year about a man, an artist, trying to connect with his daughters. And all that love went to Sentimental Value. Yeah.

[B]

I feel like the makers of Jake Heller cursed at the screen as Sentimental Value rolled on.

[C]

I loved Jake Elliot.

[D]

It's the volcano in Dante's peak all over again.

[B]

All right, we got one more category we're gonna talk about. In directing. The nominees are Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another, Ryan Coogler for Sinners, Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme, Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value, and Chloe Zhao for Hamnet. What do y' all think?

[C]

Pretty predictable, right? I mean, whether or not we agree with this mixture like this felt like what everyone was predicting. It felt like where all of the heat was coming from. Especially Chloe Zhao has been out there talking about this movie in various platforms and really bringing it home. And she has won before. She won best director and best picture for Nomadland. So all of these people are kind of in the mix of being sort of Academy beloved. And so I'm not surprised at all. And again, just really happy for Ryan Coogler.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

So happy.

[D]

Right. Trier is a legit surprise, I think, because again, it makes sense that this film would find its way to Oscar voters the way it did.

[B]

It's not necessarily a flashy directorial experience the way something like Frankenstein with Guillermo del Toro is also an Oscars favorite. That was where I was a little surprised.

[D]

Yeah. And if you like family drama, if you like uncomfortable Thanksgiving dinners, Josh Shafty getting this nod and then when his brother's film A Smashing Machine just notched a makeup hairstyling nomination.

[C]

So that was the star of the movie.

[D]

That'll be fun.

[B]

All right, well, we want to know what you think about the 20, 26 Oscar nominations. Find [e-mail] PCHH One last thing. We do have a big announcement. We've been burying the lead this whole time. We are pulling back the curtain and letting people sit in virtually on a taping of a pop culture happy hour episode. This is a special thing we are doing for our pop culture happy hour hour plus supporters. They'll get to see how the show is made and experience this episode before everyone else. And we'll be talking about something Oscars related, which is one of our favorite topics. It's all happening over Zoom on Friday, February 13th at 3pm Eastern Time, noon Pacific. If you are not a plus supporter yet, go to plus.npr.org happy again, that's plus.npr.org happy if you are already a plus supporter, thank you so much. Check your feed today for more information on how to register for the virtual taping that brings us to the end of our show. Glenn Weldon, Aisha Harris, thanks so much for being here.

[D]

Thank you.

[C]

Thank you.

[B]

This episode was produced by Carly Rubin, Mike Katsif and Liz Metzger and edited by Jessica Reedy. Hello. Come in provides our theme music. Thank you for listening to Pop Culture Happy hour from npr. I'm Stephen Thompson, and we will see you all tomorrow.

[E]

This message comes from Sony Pictures Classics with the Coral, directed by Nicholas Hittner, written by Alan Bennett, starring Ralph Fiennes as a choir master in 1916 Yorkshire making music as war rages on, now playing only in theaters.

[A]

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