Thursday
Dec222016
Two Serious Questions About Birthday Boy Ralph Fiennes
Thursday, December 22, 2016 at 4:20PM 
Q1: WHAT ON EARTH WOULD IT TAKE FOR HIM TO GET ANOTHER OSCAR NOMINATION?
He hasn't been nominated since The English Patient 20 years ago despite being one of the greatest living actors regularly turning in indelible work. In the past 20 years he's played the world's most feared sorcerer, a Shakespearean general, a famous author who has a whole adjective named after him, James Bond's boss, a serial killer, a classic jaded artisocrat, The God of the Underworld, a gay Old Hollywood director, and given performances as incredible as the following:
- Maurice Bendrix in The End of the Affair
BAFTA & London Critics nominations only
- Spider in Spider
London Film Critics nomination only
- Justin Quayle in The Constant Gardener
BIFA & London Film Critics Circle (win), BAFTA nomination
- Harry in In Bruges
BIFA nomination only
- M Gustav The Grand Budapest Hotel
BAFTA & Globe nods (without winning) but no Oscar nod despite giving the single greatest male performance of the entire year
- Harry Hawkes in A Bigger Splash
Spirit nomination only
Q2: If you ran the world how many Oscar nominations and wins would he have already?
Reader Comments (50)
NATHANIEL, how am I going to thank you for this post? I'm think in this in the last week and you put now on discussion in the blog AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO THANK YOU!
* Let's talk about that gif for a moment. He always been one of my male-gods fuck dreams! I mean, GOD DAMN!!! Dear Lord! I need a shower*
To answer your question:
SCHINDLER'S LIST - WIN
THE ENGLISH PATIENTE - NOMINATION
THE END OF THE AFFAIR - NOMINATION
SPIDER - NOMINATION
THE CONSTANT GARDENER - WIN (Tied with Heath Ledger)
THE GLOBET OF FIRE - NOMINATION (yes, I know! But he is awesome in there!)
IN BRUGES - NOMINATION
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL - WIN
A BIGGER SPLASH - NOMINATION / WIN? Didn't see Mahershala or Ogata or Hudges.
1. I don't know what it's going to take to get him another Oscar nomination but he should have a win by now.
2. If it were up to me, he'd have a win for Schindler's List and a nomination for Grand Budapest Hotel and A Bigger Splash.
Also, in spite of how old he may be, he is still sooooo fine!!
Definitely deserved a nod for Grand Budapest, and I would've loved one for A Bigger Splash. But my favorite is still The Constant Gardener. It's such a beautifully understated performance.
Three wins: Wuthering Heights, Schindler's List (but there's the pesky Di Caprio question) and Sunshine.
Whose &!©% does he have to $@©% to get another Oscar nomination?
Thanks from me too! If it was up to me, he'd have an Oscar for The Grand Budapest Hotel and a nomination for The Constant Gardener.
He'd definitely have an Oscar for The Grand Budapest Hotel if it was up to me, nominations for In Bruges and A Bigger Splash. I've seen him on stage 3 times and there's no one like him.
1993 - Schindler's List WIN
1996 - The English Patient NOMINATION
2000 - Sunshine NOMINATION
2005 - The Constant Gardener NOMINATION (but only because it was such a good year for lead male performances. A year later or earlier and he'd have the win)
2008 - In Bruges NOMINATION
2014 - The Grand Budapest Hotel WIN
2016 - A Bigger Splash WIN (Still catching up on the year. But it'll be tough to top him)
*I was feeling restless a few weeks ago (can't imagine why ahempoliticsahem) and decided to distract myself by ranking my top 100 performances all time, something I'd never done before. Mr. Fiennes showed up on my list three times (Schindler, Gardener, Budapest) and if I'd seen it before then, I think A Bigger Splash may have gotten him a 4th spot.
Two wins for THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL and SCHINDLER'S LIST, with another nomination for A BIGGER SPLASH.
1. Flaccid is great.
2. Can we see the boner next time?
I think he's our greatest working actor. It's embarrassing that he's so unappreciated, not only by the televised awards, but by critics groups as well.
1993 - Schindler's - WIN
1996 - The English Patient - NOMINATION
1999 - The End of the Affair - NOMINATION
2002 - Spider - NOMINATION
2005 - The Constant Gardener - NOMINATION
2008 - In Bruges - NOMINATION
2014 - The Grand Budapest Hotel - WIN
2016 - A Bigger Splash - NOMINATION
I would probably give the award to Ehrenreich this year in my imaginary world, but only because in my imaginary world, Ralph Fiennes already has two Oscars and will certainly win a third sometime in the future. Also notable is the fact that he could just as well have been nominated for Sunshine in 1999 or The Duchess in 2008 (and he turned in great performances in Hail, Caesar! and Kubo this year).
Great Questions!
In my world, he'd have 6 nominations split right down the middle between leading and supporting, with 2 wins (1 in each category).
In chronological order of nominations (*wins)
*1993, SCHINDLER'S LIST (supporting)
1995, STRANGE DAYS (leading)
1996, THE ENGLISH PATIENT (leading)
2008, IN BRUGES (supporting)
*2014, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (leading)
2016, A BIGGER SPLASH (supporting)
Yeah I just don't get it. What's Spider about? Didn't know he was in that.
Also, maybe I'm deluding myself (I probably am), but I still think he could get a nom this year. Beyond Ali, Bridges and Hedges I'm not seeing a ton of passion for those last two slots.
Please make this nomination happen.
Please make this nomination happen.
Please make this nomination happen....
Academy gotta grab this f'ed-upped year by the horns... Fiennes AND Neeson get surprise supporting nods on announcement morning!!!
Fuck Leo, this is a guy who's actually talented and overdue! Should've won by now and definitely should have more nominations.
I'd give him 5 in 1993,1996,2008,2014 he wins and this year.
I really thought he was seriously overlooked for The Grand Budapest Hotel, if it wasn't for Michael Keaton. He would've been my pick. Instead, they both lose to overrated wanker.
Suzanne: I just copied and pasted your list. I totally agree! Fiennes performance in Schindler´s list is an all time top 5 supporting for me
1993 - Schindler's - WIN
1996 - The English Patient - NOMINATION
1999 - The End of the Affair - NOMINATION
2002 - Spider - NOMINATION
2005 - The Constant Gardener - NOMINATION
2008 - In Bruges - NOMINATION
2014 - The Grand Budapest Hotel - WIN
2016 - A Bigger Splash - NOMINATION
He would have won for Schindler's List and Grand Budapest Hotel if I had my say. I also thought he was deserving of a nomination for Quiz Show.
He should try a cancer patient, maybe
Sigh. I hate to be THAT guy, but...Nothing against the performance (it's probably great and Fiennes absolutely should have at least one or two more nominations), but 0 nomination and passed legends are, BASICALLY OBJECTIVELY, the most important fight to get that nod. At least Fiennes has two. Suicidally trying to fight for Rickman's nom (not win, just the nom) should have been viewed not as a general DESIRE, but as a general OBLIGATION due to his record. Hans Gruber? Jamie in Truly, Madly, Deeply? (The GOOD version of Ghost) Colonel Brandon? The Metatron? Snape (particularly in movie 6)? Judge Turpin? (Yes, by that point, we're getting to "empty make-up nod" territory, but I'd accept THAT over category fraud for PSH.) Rickman NEVER having shown up on an Oscar ballot is flat EMBARRASSING.
No win is about as strange as him not being a perennial nominee.
I also think it's so strange that he's considered by most as supporting for A BIGGER SPLASH. Sure the third act happens, but it doesn't make him not a lead.
I feel he should have won BOTH Oscars for which he was nominated. Also, Spider should hove brought at least a nomination (Miranda Richardson should have WON for her work there.
Also The Constant Gardener, Grand Budapest Hotel, In Bruges all should at least have brought him nominations.
One of the true travesties of Oscar's last 25 years.
Oh, and just as a side note, I think his beautiful brother Joseph should have really been nominated for Shakespeare In Love.
1993: Schindler's List - win
1996: The English Patient
1997: Oscar and Lucinda
2002: Spider (maybe. 2002 was fuckin' STACKED in every performance category)
2008: In Bruges
2014: The Grand Budapest Hotel
2016: A Bigger Splash (maybe)
So minimum 5, max 7.
Alan Rickman (for Volvagia)
1998: Die Hard (supporting, but not entirely convinced)
1991: Truly, Madly, Deeply (lead, I can make room easily enough)
1991: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves OR Close My Eyes (supporting, he's top five in both)
1995: Sense and Sensibility (supporting; he's so frickin' good)
2016: Eye in the Sky (probably not, but right now, I would)
Fiennes just wins over Issei Ogata for me but the two of them blow anybody else in this category this year out of the water. Ehrenreich would be a happy third though.
While the Schindler's link with him & Ralph is fun I don't get Neeson being in the conversation for SIlence - I felt like he totally phoned that performance in
Arkaan: Not entirely convinced he'd make top 5 supporting that year, or not entirely convinced he's genuinely supporting? I'd agree the latter is...dicey, no matter what you think of the work. Viewed as Supporting, he wins on my personal ballot. If I were to bump him up? Willis would become 5th (My Lead Field that year with Rickman in Supporting is, in quality order, Pete Postlethwaite, Tom Hanks, Robert DeNiro, Bruce Willis and Charles Fleischer) and Rickman would be 3rd on that ballot. (Supporting would get Phillipe Noiret and Michael Keaton would win.)
Arkaan: Though, said dicey-ness being mentioned? It still wouldn't be anywhere near as bad as Kline being nominated in supporting that year. (Michael Palin is amazing in that movie. Palin is ACTUALLY supporting, no question of that.) And as for my 2016 ballot? I'd guess, refusing to entertain ANY of the vaguely category fraud noms (like Bridges, Patel, Grant and Hedges), that my ballot would be this:
1. Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
2. Trevante Rhodes, Moonlight
3. Tom Bennett, Love and Friendship
4. Alan Rickman, Eye in the Sky
5. Alden Ehrenrich, Hail, Caesar! or Peter Sarsgaard, Jackie
So handsome and so talented (and, as of late, so hairy). Woof!
1988 is a year where I need to see more films to have a confident opinion
you only like male actors who play diva characters
The man is an astonishing actor. He always picks extremely interesting roles and i am confident he will be rewarded and it will be spectacular
He shld,ve won for Schindler,s List. Period.
The Bafta luv him so thr's a hi chance he might get a nod thr
Over at Hollywood, unfortunately it din manage to make a bigger splash. Lol
'Quiz Show' is not mentioned enough in this thread.
Strange how under-appreciated Fiennes is when it comes to awards. It's clear that readers of TFE are a more discerning and wiser lot. Happy Birthday.
I saw him two years ago in Florence for a reading (famous German director Wolker Schlondorff took care of the show) and on stage is mesmerizing as he's on screen.
He should have won for Schindler (sorry, Tommy!) and of course he deserves more nominations (I'm particularly fond of his work in SUNSHINE). Even without noms his recent roles rock!
A CONSISTENTLY GOOD ACTOR. I HAVE LISTED HIM 8 TIMES:-
1994: QUIZ SHOW (Best Actor NOMINATION)
1994: SCHINDLER'S LIST (Best Supporting Actor NOMINATION)
1998: OSCAR AND LUCINDA (Best Actor NOMINATION)
2000: THE END OF THE AFFAIR (Best Actor NOMINATION)
2002: RED DRAGON (Best Supporting Actor WIN)
2008: THE DUCHESS (Best Supporting Actor NOMINATION)
2014: GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Best Actor NOMINATION)
2016: A BIGGER SPLASH (Best Actor WIN)
Year listed based on British release dates.
He's my hubbie so I got him in all the races you guys mention except 2005. I can't make room for him, especially if we consider Jake a lead.
I like A Bigger Splash, but I prefer him in Hail, Caesar! I admire the way he creates a whole character in just two scenes.
There's a feminine quality to Fiennes' work—he is an actor for actressexuals. It's a common theme among many un- and under-rewarded actors.
Nom number 3 is probably just around the corner, no? He's building momentum and the moment he's in some garbage like 'The Imitation Game', he'll be invited to the party probably at the expense of someone else in a more interesting film and we'll all have to deal with the bitter taste. Like Meryl finally winning for that film.
As for Fiennes' deserved noms, I think something like this would be just:
93: Supporting Actor, Schindler's List (win)
95: Leading Actor, The English Patient
03: Leading Actor, Spider
14: Leading Actor, The Grand Budapest Hotel (win)
16: Supporting Actor, A Bigger Splash
He just misses my lineup for Quiz Show and The End of the Affair
He should have won for Schindler's List, then TLJ would have won for Lincoln and all would be right in the world because Christoph Waltz would have only won for Inglorious Basterds.
I'M BITTER
I just love Ralph Fiennes. An amazing actor. I think he's actually best of all in comedy: he has a gift for deadpan drollery - he's w/o peer in Hail Cesar and Grand Budapest Hotel, especially. Oscar noms/awards be damned, he's just brilliant, versatile, etc, etc.
@Hayden W: good pointer. Really good point. Made me think a lot here.
And, at the moment, our consensus it's that his nominations will be something like...
SCHINDLER'S LIST
THE ENGLISH PATIENT
THE END OF THE AFFAIR
SPIDER
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
IN BRUGES
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
A BIGGER SPLASH
No consensus yet: RED DRAGON, STRANGE DAYS, THE DUCHESS, OSCAR AND LUCINDA, QUIZ SHOW, SUNSHINE.
With consensus: 8 nominations.
With no-consensus: 14 nominations.
Good boy !!! Really GOOD boy!!
And I think Bernard and Doris should be realease in theaters.
His Heathcliff opposite Binoche, people. (The movie wasn't perfect, but they were. And he wouldn't have been cast by Spielberg without it.)
So, let's play:
1993: Schindler's List [Win]
1994: Quiz Show [Win]
1995: Strange Days [Top 10]
1996: The English Patient [Top 10]
1997: Oscar And Lucinda [Top 15]
1999: The End Of The Affair [Top 10]
2000: Sunshine [Top 5]
2002: Spider [Top 10] & Red Dragon [Top 10 in Lead]
2005: The Constant Gardener [Top 10]
2008: In Bruges [Top 5], The Dutches [Top 15] & The Reader [Top 20 in Lead]
2009: The Hurt Locker [Top 10]
2014: The Grand Budapest Hotel [Top 5]
2016: A Bigger Splash [Probably Top 10 absolutely in LEAD]
I may have an AMPAS gene. *screams inwardly*
I was mesmerized by his Amon Goeth and I tried to keep the fire burning, but I ultimately gave up on him at around the same time as The Academy, I guess.
That upper class frostiness which was part of his magnetism in Schindler's List turned out not to be an act. It's always there. And I got tired of it.
If I were a voter I would wish him to do something like... Jeff Bridges in HOHW, for instance.. A really lived in performance as a warm, crusty everyday working guy with a perfect Texas accent. Just something that makes you go "I didn't think he had THAT in him".
Gena: The closest he'll probably ever get to that is M. Gustav. Comparing him to Rickman, who I've already mentioned? I'm not sure, at this point, that Fiennes even HAS a Colonel Brandon or The Metatron in him, and I'm almost certain Fiennes is acutely aware of that.
Volvagia -
I think you are right, he doesn't have it in him.
"...and I'm almost certain Fiennes is acutely aware of that". That is terribly sad, but probably true.
I share your admiration for Alan Rickman:) Not least Hans Gruber and Truly Madly Deeply.
Gena - I'm not sure that I quite understand. Daniel Day-Lewis has three Oscars and even he has never played a warm, working class American type onscreen. And I can't recall anytime that Bridges played an upper-crust Brit onscreen. In fact, he'll be nominated this year for playing to type. So why does Ralph Fiennes need to go to special lengths to prove his range? It seems that Oscars are won for far less.
I REALLY love him. One of my top 5 favorite actor but I would have nominated "only" 5 times:
1994: SCHINDLER'S LIST (Best Supporting Actor WIN)
1994: QUIZ SHOW (Best Actor NOMINATION)
1996: THE ENGLISH'S PATIENT (Best Actor NOMINATION)
2000: THE END OF THE AFFAIR (Best Actor NOMINATION)
2014: GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Best Actor NOMINATION)
Haven't seen Spider.
Suzanne: On Day Lewis? If you stretch a little, that's KIND OF what Last of the Mohicans is for him, even if that role didn't get him a nomination. On Bridges? No, Bridges has never played an "upper class Brit." And, yes, Bridges has played quite a few gruff Southern types, but he also had "The Dude" (something Bridges still hasn't repeated) within him.